Posted : November 3, 2020
Our blog is chock full of great ideas for fun things to see and do in York Durham and Headwaters. We are always adding new content and updating old posts, but sometimes you might stumble upon something from our vault. If this article has inspired you to hit the road, be sure to double-check that the featured stops in this post are still welcoming visitors.
Am Braigh Farm
873393 Fifth Line EHS, Mono
www.ambraighfarm.com
Videography by Barry Best
Am Braigh. Literally, it is a Gaelic phrase meaning “higher ground” or “upland.” It is a fitting name for Am Braigh Farm, given its geographic location in the headwaters of Dufferin County. But for owner Jamie Richards, the name has another, more symbolic meaning: that Am Braigh Farm strives spiritually to create a higher ground to nourish and sustain its families, workers and wider community.
On your visit to Am Braigh Farm, you will find locally grown vegetables and eggs that have been produced using organically sustainable methods. With a focus on regenerative farming, this little operation’s ambitious mission is to increase its soil fertility, lower its carbon footprint and build a strong and vibrant local agricultural economy.
Raised in an urban setting in the small city of Stratford with no background in agriculture, Jamie Richards has always been fascinated with growing things. Retired from a career in the teaching profession, his backyard hobby garden has grown into a commercial “post-retirement” career. All year round, Am Braigh produces over 30 different types of fresh, local vegetables on under an acre of land using fixed and movable greenhouses.
It is with this self-reliance that Am Braigh is contributing to its community’s food security. Becoming less reliant on importing food means a stronger economy and a healthier environment. And, as part of Am Braigh’s mission to increase food security in the region of Headwaters, Farmer Jamie and his team donate 1.5% of their sales to support local food banks and school food programs, in addition to donating surplus food to local food banks and supporting the Compass Run for Food.
Story by Katherine Ryalen
