Don’t think high tunnels are just for crops like tomatoes or cucumbers, says Marilyn Firth co-owner of Almost Urban Vegetables near Winnipeg, who uses theirs to grow root crops like beets too. The farm’s three tunnels, including one steel framed and two wood frame add at least three weeks to either end of the growing season.

The high tunnel advantage

St. Norbert small-scale vegetable producers tout the benefits of covering a portion of their crop

When Marilyn Firth and Bruce Berry bought 10 acres on the south edge of Winnipeg in 2007 they knew most vegetable farms that once ringed the city were gone. They also knew they’d be starting to farm at the age of most lifelong growers. But they were convinced more customers wanted food delivered across a

Phil Veldhuis

Direct farm marketers are forming a new association

The former farmers’ market association is broadening its mandate

The Farmers’ Markets Association of Manitoba has a new name, new classes of voting memberships and a new mandate. Voting delegates of the former FMAM, organized in 2007, agreed last week to change its name to Direct Farm Marketing Association of Manitoba Co-op Inc. so it can represent the broader interests of all those who


New farm organization for direct marketers proposed

New farm organization for direct marketers proposed

Discussions now focused on possible partnership with 
Farmers Market Association of Manitoba

The Farmers Market Association of Manitoba (FMAM) may change its name and become the new farm organization called for in a report delving into supports needed for farms that direct market. About 50 people met last fall for a day-long meeting and consultation on how to create a more formalized group. “What we’re looking at

farm family

Diversifying the small family farm

The best way to avoid pitfalls in new markets — seek the advice 
of successful sector counterparts

Direct marketing grass-fed beef was how Colleen Biggs turned adverse beef market trends into an opportunity for her family’s ranch in east-central Alberta. “When times got really tough for us, we were doing the low-input swath grazing, bale grazing, everything we could to make ends meet on the ranch but when the market crash happened


Waldo Thiessen

Celebrating 20 years of direct farm marketing in Manitoba

Organizers of the Direct Farm Marketing conference see even more growth over the next five years

Selling products directly off the farm is nothing new — for as long as crops have been grown, farmers have sold the fruits of their labour to friends, family and neighbours. But today there’s increasing demand from other consumers to buy directly from farmers, which was reflected in the themes at the 20th anniversary of