Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association

Fresh Facts
Providing knowledge and leadership to grow the farm fresh experience.

A word from the President: Newsletter #332

Oct./Nov. 2018
For many of you and myself included as I write this little article I suspect we are in the Volume 34, Number 7
middle of our very busiest times.

Proof of that may be that for the first time in the nearly two years that I have been writ-
ing these pieces I have missed a deadline. (Sorry, Cathy)
By the time you are reading this I suspect Thanksgiving will have passed us by and so I Inside this issue:
am going to take this article to express some of the things that I am thankful for.
Membership News 2
I am thankful for Rose, my wife of over 31 years. Without her support and encourage-
ment I would not be half the man I am. I have been so lucky in that regard. I am thank- Learning Opps 3
ful for my 4 children and their partners. It is amazing to see them start to make a differ-
ence in their surrounding environments. Surviving the Busy 4
Fall Season

And I am thankful for my two grandsons. Yes, you read that right. Since the last news- The Equipment You 5
letter the number has doubled. Kai now has a baby brother, Kipling Edison, or as he Really Need for
Your Farm
refers to him “Baby Kip”. Kai is just getting past the point where he thinks Baby Kip
should go back home. For any of you considering it, being a grandpa is great. I would OFFMA Members 6
highly recommend you go for it. Named Outstand-
ing Young Farmers

I am thankful for a wonderful crop of apples and a new storage building that may almost Why You Need 7
Customer Reviews
be ready in time. Here is hoping. I am thankful for a willing and talented work force that
is helping us both harvest and market the crop. Without them we would be totally help- Upcoming 8
Events
less.

I am thankful for customers that are still eager and willing to buy our products.
I am thankful that we live in a country that despite its warts is still, I believe, one of the
best places in the world to live.

I am thankful for OFFMA and the many friends and colleagues that I have learned so
much from over the years. (Which reminds me if you have not already signed up for the
Stratford retreat please do so quickly).

And last but not least permit me to thank God, the one who I believe is the giver of all
good gifts. I sometimes wonder why I have been given so much but it is al-
ways a sober reminder to me that those that have been given much have an
even larger responsibility to use it properly. I am not always good at that but I
am trying.

Best wishes to each of you as you count your own blessings.

Steve Martin
OFFMA President
Page 2 Fresh Facts
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Classifieds
These ads work. Any calssifieds
sent to the OFFMA office will be
posted on the members only Fa-
cebook page first. Last month
Doug Whitty sold his transplant-
er before it even had a chance to
be listed here.
Make sure you are on the mem-
bers’ Only Facebook page to get
the most up to date information.
FOR SALE
Our own grown & pressed ciders &
fruit blends as well as jams.
No preservatives, pure, natural,
great shelf life & delicious.
Please contact Bayfield Berry Farm
for more information 519-482-1666
or salesberryfarm@tcc.on.ca
Mapleton's Organic Dairy
Looking to scoop ice cream?
Bulk ice cream and soft serve frozen
yogurt available.
info@mapletonsorganic.ca
FOR SALE
Frozen pitted sour cherries available
for wholesale and retail from
Delhaven Orchards, 519-676-4475
or delhaven@ciaccess.com
FOR SALE
2L and 4L plastic baskets, made in
Canada, sturdy handles, strong dura-
ble plastic, weatherproof, reliable de-
livery. www.shouldicefarm.com
Contact: shouldice1@bell.net,
613-838-4203
FOR SALE
“The Amazing Book of Mazes” by
Adrian Fisher. Hardcover, 2006 edi-
tion, 264 pages in excellent condition.
Asking $20, contact Cathy at the
OFFMA office, 905-506-0371 or
cathy@ontariofarmfresh.com
This is your newsletter, make
the most of it. Want to review a
book you have read? Write an
article? Share a tip with fellow
on-farm marketers? Let the
OFFMA office know and we will
make it happen.
OFFMA Office has moved!
The new address is:
PO Box 250
Gormley Post Office
Gormley, ON L0H 1G0
905-506-0371
NEW Fax # 647-556-7254
Fall Marketing Ideas
Fall Selfie Station
Have you got a spot on your farm where
your customers can capture some of
the memories they are making? This
can be as simple as a bale of straw with
a few pumpkins. Make sure a banner
with your farm name is also visible on
every shot that they take. For the more
mature members, this is what we used
to call a ‘Kodak Moment’. Same con-
cept different name.
The Thankful Pumpkin
Start a new tradition and find another
way to sell your pumpkins. Not every-
one wants to cut them up to make jack-
o-lanterns so let them write on them
instead. Suggest
that they can do
a ‘Thankful
Pumpkin’ and
ask their family to
each add their
thoughts about
the things they
appreciate in
their lives.
Pre-cut Turnips
An idea that Colleen McKay from Your
Farm Market shared on the Members’
Only Facebook page. “Here is some-
thing we have done for the last few
years, that has gone over really well!
When we don’t have time or staff to cut,
peel and cube the turnip, we cut it in
half and then slice in .75-1inch wedges,
then wrap it and stick a price on it. Old-
er folks that can’t cut it, and others that
would prefer not to cut it, love it!”
 Newsletter #332 Page 3

Learning Opportunities
OFFMA’s Farm 2 Fork Workshops

#1 On-Farm Dinners
Landman’s Gardens, Grand Valley
Tuesday, October 30th 3:00pm to 6pm
Rebecca Landman has been offering sold out dinners in the Blackhouse that
was built on her farm. It is a unique venue and the food is fabulous. Come hear
how Rebecca has grown this part of her business and how she creates the food
that is offered and sold at the farm.
A light dinner will be provided.

#2 PYO Review and Financial Chat

Pingle’s Farm Market, Hampton
Friday, November 2nd, 12:00 to 3:00pm
Do you have PYO on your farm? Are you interested in discussing options with
other on-farm marketers? Do you know the difference between margins and
mark-ups and what they mean to your bottom line? Join us at Pingle’s Farm
Market to talk about your 2018 PYO experiences and work with Jessica Kelly
from OMAFRA to gain a little better understanding of retail finances.
A light lunch will be provided.

Registration form is included with this newsletter or register on Eventbrite or on

the Members’ Only Facebook page.

Advanced Farm Management Program specifically for

DIRECT FARM MARKETERS

OFFMA has partnered with the Agri-Food Management Institute (AMI) to bring
an Advanced Farm Management Program specifically for direct farm marketers.

The Advanced Farm Management Program (AFMP) is designed for Ontario

farm business owners and managers who want to elevate their management
skills. It involves 5 days of learning over three months. The program is intended
for established businesses and will cover:

 Enterprise and financial analysis

 Holistic risk assessment
 Human resources strategy
 Costing management and much more

Register before November 10th for the early bird discount of 10% off tuition. For
more information about the program visit www.advancedfarmmanagement.ca/
about-the-program/ or contact Charlotte at charlotte@takeanewapproach.ca.

"As farmers, we have many balls in the air at all times. Juggling them, and grow-
ing a business are really two full-time jobs. Management skills are important for
today's farmers because they let us manage our time and resources getting the
best of both worlds." Erin McLean, McLean Berry Farm—Erin participated in last
year’s offering of this program.
Page 4 Fresh Facts
Surviving the Busy Fall Season
By: Jessica Kelly, Direct Farm Marketing Specialist, OMAFRA
There is no question that fall is a
hectic time for on-farm markets.
Whether you’re in the thick of pump-
kins and corn mazes, cleaning up
after a long summer season, or prep-
ping for the holiday season to come,
stress levels can run high and down-
time can be hard to come by.
I recently discovered an infographic
showing 50 Ways to Take a Break.
Although some suggestions seemed
quite reasonable (call a friend, listen
to music), others seemed a little less
practical (turn off all electronics) or
simply not relaxing (go to a farmers’
market) for a farmer in the thick of
busy season! However, in this spirit,
I’ve tried to compile some more OFF-
MA-friendly ways to take a break this
busy fall season…
Switch Things Up
Embrace the theory that “a change is
as good as a rest” and swap jobs
with someone else on the farm. The
work still gets done and you get a
new perspective for a few minutes. If
necessary, do a quiet job around the
farm that allows you time to clear
your head. On our farm this is pres-
sure washing. For you it might be
mowing grass or tractor time.
Walk…Somewhere Else
We all know the benefits of physical
activity and fresh air, so it’s no won-
der that talking a walk is on just
about every list you see for manag-
ing stress. However, sometimes a
walk around your own farm can in-
crease stress levels because you
see all the work still to be done. It
may sound a little crazy, but consider
driving into town and taking a walk
there. I know of one farm family that
goes for walks on their neighbour’s
farm (with permission of course!) so
they aren’t bombarded with the to-do
list of their own property.
Practice ‘Scruffy Hospitality’
If you aren’t familiar with this term,
you should be! ‘Scruffy hospitality’ or
‘crappy dinner parties’ are all about
recognizing the importance of social-
izing with friends without all of the
stress of housecleaning and perfect,
Instagram-worthy food. So, leave
your sink full of dishes, order some
take-out, invite some friends over, eat
off paper plates, and enjoy the thera-
py that is friendship.
Create an “I Love My Job Day”
Folder
My first boss and mentor uses the
term “I love my job days” to describe
the days that remind you why you do
what you do. Sometimes it’s a day
where everything goes just the way
you had planned. Other times, it’s
simply a moment – a positive custom-
er review, a staff person going above
and beyond – that makes your whole
day. Find a way to capture reminders
of these days (photos, emails, videos,
screen shots of customer review) and
compile them in a folder, so you can
flip through when you need to re-
charge your batteries.
Shorten Your To-Do List
Are there non-urgent items on your to
-do list that have been moved from
one day’s list to the next because
there aren’t enough hours in the day?
The mental load of having these
items hanging over you can be im-
mense, so give yourself permission to
take these items off today’s list. Take
a look at this Eisenhower decision
matrix. If the item is not urgent but
important, block off some time to do it
at a future date. If the item is not ur-
gent and not important, simply let it
go.
Be kind to yourselves. Happy Fall!
 Newsletter #332 Page 5

The equipment you REALLY need for your farm

By Carly Jackson, AED specialist with Action First Aid

Deflibrillator…defibrallater…? If minute that passes after that.

you are lucky you may never need
to pronounce this word properly.
However, it’s much more likely
you’ll be calling out for one at
some point in your life. It’s an
‘automated external defibrillator
(AED)’ and it’s the most important
piece of equipment you can have
on your farm. Don’t believe us?
Did you know that over 40,000 car-
diac arrests happen in Canada
every year? That’s one every 13
minutes. This isn’t a heart attack,
and it’s not a case of poor fitness
or diet – sudden cardiac arrest
(SCA) is an electrical failure of the
heart and it can happen to anyone,
anywhere, anytime. Over 50 per-
cent of men and 64 percent of
women who have suffered from
sudden cardiac arrest had no pre-
vious symptoms of coronary
heart disease.
So why should you care – that’s
what 911 is for right? Well, yes and
no. It all comes down to time. How
long would it take paramedics to
reach your farm? 10mins –
20mins? Too late. For the best
chance of survival, a defibrillator
should be used within 5 minutes
and chances drop 10% for each
The good news is that you can
make a huge difference to save a
life when you invest in a defibrilla-
tor. Over 75% of arrest victims
can be treated (and survive!) if a
defibrillator is on them within the
first 10 minutes. These are amaz-
ing life-saving devices with ad-
vanced technology that will walk
you through every step of a save –
from connecting the defibrillator to
the patient to CPR coaching.
Plus, with the Good Samaritan
law, you are completely protected
as a first responder – and the de-
fibrillator will only shock the patient
if they are truly in arrest.
A defibrillator is the most important
piece of equipment you can have
on your farm. Carry that AED on
your tractor, place it outside
among your fields, mount it in the
barn – wherever it’s most accessi-
ble! Maybe you’ll never need to
use it – but are you willing to take
that risk?
Carly Jackson is an AED specialist
with Action First Aid, a national AED
distributor and First Aid training pro-
vider. To learn more visit action-
firstaid.ca or email car-
ly@actionfirstaid.ca

Strategizing in Stratford
The Power of Planning & Collaboration
November 12 to November 14

Angela Leach will be facilitating two days to review 2018 but

most importantly to plan for your best year ever in 2019.
Topics to be covered will be finance, human resources and
customer service.
More details can be found on the registration form that is included in September’s
newsletter. The Parlour Inn in Stratford will be our venue. It is a cosy, vintage inn
with limited accommodations and a great price. Book early, don’t miss out.
Page 6 Fresh Facts

OFFMA members named Outstanding Young Farmers

Congratulations to OFFMA mem-
bers, Jordan and Alex McKay, who
were named Ontario’s Outstanding
Young Farmers for 2018 at the
Outdoor Farm Show recently. The
brother team operates Willowtree
Farm Market in Port Perry.
Alex received his Bachelor of Sci-
ence in Forestry but always knew
he wanted to go back to the family
farm. He had inherited his passion
for the land and seeing what he
could grow on it from his dad. Once
Jordan completed his Bachelor of
Commerce in Ag Business degree
he travelled the world following his
passion for skiing before returning
to the farm market. Jordan had his
mom’s passion for selling produce
at farmers’ markets so the brothers’
strengths complement each other
well.
With a mission of providing fresh
food using sustainable farming prac-
tices, Willowtree Farm takes local
farm fresh food to a whole new lev-
el. In 2016, they opened a year
round market that includes a com-
mercial kitchen, fresh butcher mar-
ket and 4300 sq. ft. of retail space.
With the market open year round,
Jordan and Alex have to come up
with unique ways to sell their pro-
duce year round as well. They now
offer fresh corn on the cob in the
summer and corn chowder in the
cafe in the winter. They have de-
signed the market to tell a story
about buying food locally, decorat-
ing it with beams from surrounding
old barns. Being a family business
you will also find Jordan’s wife, Aly-
son and Alex’s wife, Kelty bringing
their strengths to the business.
Celebrating 38 years, Canada’s
Outstanding Young Farmers’ pro-
gram is an annual competition to
recognize farmers that exemplify
excellence in their profession and
promote the tremendous contribu-
tion of agriculture. Open to partici-
pants 18 to 39 years of age, making
the majority of income from on-farm
sources, participants are selected
from seven regions across Canada,
with two national winners chosen
each year.

Promoting Your New Products

Brenda Morrison is a contributing writer for the Food & Drink Magazine. She
is always looking for neat, new and nifty products for the kitchen, drinking,
hostess gifts etc. to feature on the Must-Have pages. If you’ve got a new nif-
ty product, let her know. She can contacted at blm@b-linemedia.com or 416-
469-5789.
Because she is working on a printed magazine their deadlines are further out.
She is now working on the Spring (May/April) 2019 issue. Keep that in mind
when you are pitching your product.
Good luck!
 Newsletter #332 Page 7

Why You Need Customer Reviews (and the Best Ways to Get Them)
An excerpt from one of Mailchimp.com’s resources

Customer reviews give businesses the chance to see what’s working, get discovered by new
customers, and sell more stuff. Here’s how to collect them.
In the world of digital marketing, human contact might feel like a thing of the past. But if
someone is thinking about a purchase, they want advice from a real person.
When word-of-mouth recommendations are passed along by a friend, family member, or
neighbor, it’s invaluable for the business. In fact, a 2015 Nielsen study found that 83% of
people believe this is the most credible kind of advertising.
That’s where customer reviews come in—they’re like the digital version of advice from a
friend.

Help people find you online

Publishing customer reviews can improve your SEO rankings, which help online shoppers
find you.
Search engines reward content that is unique and regularly updated. Posting reviews is one
of the easiest ways to meet those standards. And in many cases, people will specifically
search the name of the product along with the word, “reviews.”

Let customers know you care

Asking for reviews does more than help you get future shoppers, it solidifies your relation-
ship with the customer who just bought something. By asking for their feedback, you’re
showing them that you care what they think and that you want them to have the best experi-
ence possible.

What you need in customer reviews:

1. Capture honest, authentic reviews. If reviews are presented in a way that reads as
honest and authentic, shoppers will get on board. That’s why you should collect re
views from actual customers—it gives other people an idea of what your product is re
ally like from a voice they’ll trust.
2. Collect and share a variety of reviews. A study by BrightLocal found that people read
an average of 7 reviews before deciding to trust a business. Having a variety of reviews
makes people more inclined to believe you sell quality stuff. Plus, it makes it more clear
that the reviews are real.
3. Balance quantity with quality. It’s important to focus on both the quality and quantity
of reviews. A study published by Northwestern University in 2015 found that the perfect
number of reviews to compel shoppers to buy depends on what’s in them. When they go
into greater depth and are longer, you don’t need as many. When they’re pretty short,
you need more.
4. Embrace negative reviews. Not all reviews have to be resoundingly positive to help
your business. Northwestern’s study revealed that customers are most likely to buy
something that has a 4.2-4.5 star rating than a 5-star rating, because perfect scores
make customers suspicious. If someone has critical feedback, it helps shoppers trust
what everyone has to say.
 Page 8 Fresh Facts

Upcoming Events
October 12 Deadline to register for Strategizing in Stratford—Don’t miss out!

October 30 Farm 2 Fork at Landman’s Gardens, Grand Valley, Topic is On-Farm

Dinners. Contact the OFFMA office if you are interested in joining us.

Ontario Farm Fresh Nov. 2 Farm 2 Fork at Pingle’s, Hampton, PYO Review and Financial Chat.
Cathy Bartolic, Executive Director Reg form included with this newsletter.
PO Box 250 Gormley Post Office
Gormley, ON L0H 1G0 Nov. 2—11 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, CNE Toronto, Ontario
Phone: 905-506-0371 Go to www.royalfair.org for additional information
E-mail: info@ontariofarmfresh.com
www.ontariofarmfresh.com
Nov. 12-14 Strategizing in Stratford, The Power of Planning and Collaboration,
2018-19 OFFMA Board of Directors review, re-group and get re-energized. Registration forms are included
Steve Martin, President
Martin’s Family Fruit Farm with this newsletter. Contact the OFFMA office at 905-506-0371 or
Kristin Ego MacPhail, Vice President info@ontariofarmfresh.com for more information.
Ego Nurseries Ltd.
Leslie Forsythe, Past President Dec. 19 Deadline to apply for the Foodland Merchandising Award, contact
Forsythe Family Farms
Paul Baxter, Associate Member Jessica Kelly for additional info, Jessica.m.kelly@ontario.ca or
Baxter’s Kitchen 519-846-3404
Nicole Judge, Spirit Tree Estate Cidery
Erin McLean, McLean Berry Farm
Colleen McKay, Your Farm Market
Jordan McKay, Willowtree Farm
Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having
Dana Thatcher, Thatcher Farms
Karen Whitty, Whitty Farms
more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have,
Jessica Kelly, OMAFRA Advisor
you will never, ever have enough.—Oprah Winfrey