Town of Georgina’s farm tour draws visitors from near and far

By Michelle Poirier

The Town of Georgina’s 5th annual Field-to-Table Farm Tour, held on August 20 and featuring nine farmers at eight stops, was a big hit, with visitors keen to find out how the food they eat is made.

According to the Town, most farms made about $1,000 during the event, with some reporting more than 400 visitors.

Many had hearty appetites, with visitors at Rae Family Farms consuming more than 100 hamburgers and sausages expertly barbecued by The Mason Place.

Michael Wilson, director of operations at Clearwater Farm in Willow Beach, said it was a busy day with many new faces stopping by.

“I think a lot of the people are new. People are moving to Georgina, and for the Town to get behind this day and showcase local farms is so important,” he said.

Keswick residents Sandra and Jerry Haba visited several farms with their daughter Milana, who said she was learning a lot about farming.

“She loves to see the animals, and she loves to go to the farm and explore and learn all kinds of new things,” Jerry Haba said.

The couple said this was the first time they have attended Field-to-Table, though they had always wanted to. They said it does a great job of building awareness of local farming and support for farmers in the community.

Kevin Hutchings, the owner of Hutchings Farm in Pefferlaw, likes to use the day to educate the public. He said, this year, visitors had a lot of thoughtful questions.

“For those customers who don’t come any farther than the storefront — which means they don’t often get past the barn — it shows them how the food they’ve bought is grown,” he said

Chris and Jane Ong, with their daughter Madden, drove from Toronto to visit the farms after seeing the event posted online.

“It’s great; bringing visibility to how people farm,” Jane Ong said.

“There’s a common theme in many of these farms; they’ve been in the family since at least the grandparents’ generation. “

“So it’s nice to see why they’ve continued to farm, how they’re doing it, and what practices they’ve adopted.”

Madden said she had fun, and her favourite part of the day was seeing the cows at Rae Family Farms in Pefferlaw.

The Ongs said it was important for them to bring their daughter so she understood where her food comes from.

“People need to know that there’s a farming culture still alive and well in Ontario. And it’s important to understand how this makes the rest of our cities run,” Jane Ong said.