Blog Post
Where it all started.
Sylvia Pond • September 17, 2019
Farm Tour #1 at Vibrant Farms
It all started here for me, my journey into the local farm and food community. The wonderful family at Vibrant Farms were the first to welcome me for a tour and visit to their farm near Baden, On.
Farmers Dennis and Katie Baer
From the moment I stepped out of my car and took in the farm fresh air my mind raced with a million questions. I mean I had heard all the “buzz words” like organic, grass fed and free range etc… but what does that all really mean? And what does it mean to me? I was just excited to see where my food was coming from and that the animals were happy and healthy and raised well ethically. To some people that’s enough but I was happy to learn more!
We started the tour with chickens and turkeys and eggs!
Pasture raised and organic fed chickens and turkeys are raised here on the farm. At the time I visited there was a brood of chicks just starting to grow. These little babies are kept warm in a room that they call the starter room and then moved to a larger space that is still warmed but gives them a bit more space to grow and explore and when ready, they head out to the pasture. They nibble on the tips of grass and weeds and are also fed organic non-gmo hand mixed feed with flax and minerals.
The layers (the chickens that lay eggs) and the broilers (meat birds) are kept separate. I also learned that the time from birth to butcher for broilers is 10-12 weeks on this farm and for the turkeys it's about 20 weeks. Commercial factory chickens when fed by giving them additional feed additives grow faster and can go to butchering as quickly as 4 weeks. This is the type of information that helps me understand, educate and make the personal choice of how I want to eat.
You can see acres of grassy farmland where these organically raised, grass-fed cattle graze the day away. Walking through these fields, I got an overwhelming sense of how much work it takes to keep and maintain the farm, raise these animals, and on top of that run the business side to be profitable. I can’t imagine the sweat, tears and muscle that goes into every day.
The cows seemed very friendly and content out in field. The cattle here are raised in a 'closed herd', meaning animals are born and raised on the farm which is beneficial for the health and wellness of the animals. When I hear grass-fed it seems obvious that; the cows eat grass. What I didn’t know was the benefits of what that does to the quality of the beef, and there are lots! A couple facts
are leaner and juicer meat, lower cholesterol and a higher content of heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids and on top of that grazing cattle is good for the soil and earth!
Vibrant Farms is organically certified and are very focused on sustainability. Another “buzz word” right? Nope, check out their sustainability practices
and see what that really means.
YES, YES and YES!
You can taste the difference! But you can also see it! These first thing I noticed was the low amount of fat coming out on the frying pan as I cooked out a package of ground beef, it really is lean! My first meal using Vibrant farm organic grass-fed beef was a delicious hearty pasta!
If you aren’t the type to enjoy spending time cooking in the kitchen products like their Turkey Sausage are a great accompaniment to a colourful plate! Just thaw and grill. Pretty darn tasty sausage I might add.
If you follow me on Instagram
( <--- do it now!) I will be posting more recipe ideas on what you can make from Vibrant Farms products!
Ready to try it for yourself ?
Here is how you can order: https://www.vibrantfarms.com/shoponlinevibrantfarms.html
As a part of every visit I ask each farmer to answer 5 questions in their own words.
Here is Dennis Baer, Farmer, Vibrant Farms answering them.
1. Tell me what a typical day looks like for you?
Heads into the farm store to ensure all the freezers are still up and running and everything is
working fine. First thing he does is go check on the cats/chickens (momma cat and 5 little kittens
right now), head to the barn to listen to all the noises of the cows and calves. All the different
noises mean something different. I pay attention to if anyone is out where they are not supposed
to be. If they are out, get the 4 wheeler out and go round them up. The cows respond to the 4
wheeler especially when they know they are out on the wrong side of the fence. In the morning
and in the evening is the best time to watch the calves run and jump. After paying attention to the
cows in the morning, I am kind of done with them for the day because when they are out in the
field they don't require that much attention. However, I always make sure the feeder in the barn is
full because when it is really hot they spend more time in the barn to escape the heat than
outside. It is really nice to see all the cows run and jump and watch them interact with their
mothers and the other calves. I usually head off to the shop to do other work, meanwhile
listening to any particular sounds that are indicative of any cows not being in the right place or a
calf not being connect with the right cow. If anything happens then I go deal with it.
Lunch time - come in the farmhouse to have lunch with Chris, my wife and continue similar
activities for the afternoon.
During the summer months the tending to the cows is pretty laid back because they are happy
animals out in the field. Other than ensuring they are where they are supposed to be, have access
to salt, mineral and water they are pretty easy. Otherwise I go tend to the other crops, make hay,
combine the grain, do all the field work that is necessary to do to keep our farm sustainable.
Having the shop (farm machinery repair) allows me to fill my days with other things when the
field work is all done.
2. What do you want people to know about farming and/or what you do?
What I want people to know about farming and what I do is I think it is pretty important for
people’s health. I farm always with that in mind. With the cattle I never use antibiotics, I have
found a way to do it with biologicals and homeopathics. Reason for that is keeping the animal
and human health in mind. The most recent thing I am excited about is the possibilities that Gabe
Brown talks about in his book - “From Dirt to Soil”. That involves composting and a lot of cover
cropping and building soil life to the point where soil itself will sequester tons and tons of carbon
out of the atmosphere. There is all kinds of beneficial reasons to regenerate the health and life of
the soil. It is a long process but one of the goals is to have it hold the moisture rather than create
run off and take the ground with it. Another goal is to always have living plants on the surface of
the ground. It is not about the plant that we see above the ground that makes a difference, but the
roots under the ground that really makes a difference. The reasons for all of that is if we put all of
that in place it would be possible to create a living for myself and the successive generations.
Ultimately to create a sustainable farming environment for all the land, animals and people that
are surviving off of it. All without the use of chemicals. There are enough nutrients in the soil
when it is healthy for all of life to be supported. We just need to get that to the surface.
3. What do you love most about being a farmer?
I love the space, being with the cattle, the smell of freshly made hay in the barn, seeing life - the
green, the baby calves, and the ground. How it feels to be around a cow when she just calved and she lets me be there as I help the calf to suck (nurse). Aside of having to pay my bills I have the
freedom to do what I want.
4. If you weren’t a farmer what would you be doing?
I would probably be in the service industry in some aspect with farming. I would happily work
for another farm, fix silo unloaders... just be around farming in some way. In other words I would
have it no other way.
5. Describe what your favourite meal looks like?
Ground hamburger, peas and sweet potatoes with a huge salad. And we can't forget ice cream
from Mapletons (Mapleton’s Organic ice cream).
Follow Vibrant Farms on Social Media
Did you know that Lentils grow in Ontario?! Well you do now! I only learned about Ontario Lentils this past summer when I met the fine folks from Lau tea da Lentils !
Did you know that Lentils grow in Ontario?! Well you do now! I only learned about Ontario Lentils this past summer when I met the fine folks from Lau tea da Lentils !
I don’t know how many times I bugged Trevor (farmer and owner of Herrle’s) to have me for a visit at the store and farm but we finally made it happen! I mean, I have shopped there many times and I don’t think I have gone one summer without enjoying at least a few cobs of Herrle’s famous corn so I wanted to make sure I got to feature this wonderful destination on this blog.
Four generations after Cedardale Farm was established great-grandson Tim Barrie operates it as Barrier’s Asparagus and Country Market . As you may have guessed they grow asparagus, and they do so much more too!
When Borealis Grille & Bar posted a contest on Instagram for a day trip to YU Ranch , I jumped at the opportunity to enter given my already blooming farm project. As you may have guessed by this blog post existing, I was one of the winners! Yay! A group of us met early on a Monday morning and all got a bus for the one-hour ride to the ranch. Upon arrival we were greeted with the smell of meat being smoked and a plate of beef being passed around for sampling, paired with a cold Wellington Beer. Now if that isn’t the best way to start a Monday, I don’t know what is!
It was a beautiful Tuesday morning at the St Jacobs Market . I was walking around doing my groceries when I noticed an incredible display of lettuce. A voice called out to me “Hey! Have you ever tried my lettuce?”. That’s the day I first met Amanda (aka my Lettuce Lady) from Chilligo Creek Farm . We chatted about her farm and I purchased a bag of her mixed greens to take home. I made a salad that day for lunch, and of course took a photo, tagging and connecting with the farm on Instagram. The lettuce was SO good, flavourful, fresh and there was so much of it! That’s when I started bugging Amanda to let me visit and see what her farm is all about!
Well if the name didn’t give it away, here is your introduction to John and Sarah Moylan along with their four daughters who operate 5 Chicks and a Farmer near New Hamburg, Ontario.
If you are from Waterloo Region you have likely heard of Martin’s Family Fruit Farm. Their farm, processing facility, and store can be found just on the other side of the St Jacobs Market.
Yup that’s me. In the middle there on my momma’s lap. I had a happy family, food in my belly and was motoring around since I learned to run before learning to walk. Reality however was a little different. Times were hard for my parents. The food stamps we were allotted as a family didn’t get us much, especially when you went to the store and all you saw were empty shelves. The beginning of my food journey was quite minimal. Most of the traditional Polish recipes require the most basic ingredients. Most often we ate things like potatoes with buttermilk, pierogies, soft boiled eggs, goulash. My family was lucky to have connections to extended family who lived on farms and occasionally gave us goose, chicken and fresh eggs and milk. There was a lot of political unrest and although my parents worked to provide for us, eventually they made the decision to leave Poland.
If you follow me on social media, you may have noticed many recent posts and stories of my visits to local farms. As someone who is passionate about food and community, I have become more and more interested in learning about farming and sustainable agriculture. It’s become important for me to know where and who my food comes from, while also enjoying as much local food as possible! I want to eat food that grows here, that’s raised here, and whose producers are ethically aligned with environmental sustainability. Eating something out of boxes that have been sitting on a shelf or buying produce that has been travelling cross country on a truck isn’t ideal for me.
Sometimes I travel for work. Sometimes far. Sometimes near. Hotels are great. Secure. Nice amenities. No clean up. But lately I have been loving booking with AirBnb! Last week for a little trip to Toronto I think I stayed at the cutest BNB in the city!! This place had charm. With lights strung in the main room, vintage furniture filled with vinyl and cool art work and posters that filled the walls. I felt at home as soon as I checked in. It only made sense to take out my camera and photograph this lovely space.