Over the past three years, our Growing Eastern Ontario Organically (GEO-O) program has worked hand-in-hand with farmers to transition their production to organic. This bilingual program provides agronomic and business consulting, mentorship and networking opportunities, hosts webinars, workshops and events, provides exclusive access to unique resources and even supports farmers as they apply for their organic certification.
By taking a learning-centered approach over the past two years, our GEO-O team has created a vibrant, regenerative organic landscape of farm businesses in Eastern Ontario. Anna, a GEO-O member of Dream Small Farm in Alexandria, spoke to the unique opportunities for connection and the value of the specialized agronomic and business support that the program provided.
“Through GEO-O, we have met other new & established farmers and have made lasting connections with many of them. We have also received invaluable support from an agronomist, who provided us with advice on how to manage our crops & our soil health, as well as from a business consultant, who helped us to write our business plan & to navigate our accounting software.”
David echoed similar sentiments of his experience working with GEO-O to launch his farm, Crowded Table Farm, in Kinburn, last March, when we first felt the effects of the pandemic.
“GEO-O has helped us focus on what was important. Tom Manley and Rob Wallbridge sent soil samples and steered us in the correct direction. They observed the system, helped explain the soil, and helped us come up with amendments. They provided the tidbits of information that the books didn’t.”
Fifty-four and counting, in Eastern Ontario and beyond
This year, the GEO-O team is helping 54 farms transition to organic; converting 8,355 acres to organic in Eastern Ontario. Canadian Organic Growers (COG) is proud to celebrate the incredible achievements of the GEO-O team, led by Eric Payseur and David Mazur-Goulet, over the last three years. Their work to help grow the organic movement directly contributes to creating more biodiverse, food secure and climate-resilient communities.
We’re hoping to expand this program to other regions in the future. If you’re located outside of Eastern Ontario and interested, please reach out to David to let us know – this will help us inform the program’s growth!
If you’re a farmer in Eastern Ontario and would like to join this program, reach out to David today! The program is still welcoming farms for the 2021 growing season, and we’d love to have you on-board.
Contact
Eric Payseur, Program Manager
eric.payseur@cog.ca
David Mazur-Goulet, Program Coordinator
david.mazur-goulet@cog.ca
Growing Eastern Ontario Organically is generously supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.