Who Feeds My Family

Are you lost in a sea of food producers and not really sure who to support? Ever wonder who feeds your favourite farmers? Who do we trust to feed our families?

I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to produce food for my family as well as my community but as I learned last year, I simply don’t have the time (or desire) to grow the vegetables my household eats.

Thankfully for me, I don’t have to! I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by so many talented farmers on a weekly basis — Many of whom have become friends.

So who do I trust to feed my family? What farms do I support? It’s a long list but here it is!

Vegetables & Fruit:

Heartbreaker Acres: Ok, I seriously LOVE these ladies! Laura and Ashlee are a couple kick-ass young female farmers. They grow a wide variety of products including micro greens under Ashlee’s secondary operation Inner Peas Market Garden. Find them (alongside Central Park Farms) at the Rail District Community Farmers Market in Abbotsford.

Campbell Valley Farms: This year I took part in Heidi’s CSA program and was able to enjoy a box of fresh organic vegetables from her Langley farm each week.

Close To Home Organics: These folks know their stuff when it comes to organic farming! You can find their bounty of fresh vegetable at the Langley Community Farmers Market each Wednesday at Kwantlen’s Langley campus. They also offer a CSA program with a fruit add on featuring fruit from the Okanagan.

Aslan Organics: You can catch Shane at the Coquitlam Farmers Market (where I buy from him) or at the Yarrow Farm Market. If you’re looking to support a young farming family be sure to check them out.

Forstbauer Farm: I typically purchase from the Forstbauer family at the Port Moody Winter Market but they can be found at a variety of other markets in the Lower Mainland… They’re an institution in the local organic and biodynamic farming scene and have a ton of different products available for shoppers.

Dairy:

Tesfa Farms: We vend alongside Tesfa at both the Rail District Community Farmers Market and the Langley Community Farmers Market but you can also find their products at a variety of local retailers. They specialize in water buffalo dairy and meat. I personally purchase their yogurt and cheese and they’ve both become a staple in our house. Three cheers for ethical dairy!

Golden Ears Cheese Crafters: These ladies are by our booth at both Coquitlam and the Wednesday Langley market and they’re my go-to for local butter and their cheese curds will change your life.

Meat:

Central Park Farms: Ok you didn’t think this farm would miss the list did you? Obviously we’re the primary producer of our family’s meat so when it comes to chicken, pork, beef, and eggs, it’s ALL Central Park Farms. That said, we do sometimes branch out for other products and here’s the farms I trust for products outside of what I sell.

K&M Farms: Farmer Jill is my suggestion when it comes to turkey — They do a wonderful job of their pasture raised turkeys! You can find them locally at their on-farm store, at various farmers markets, and alongside us on MeatMe.

Coghlan Cottage Farm: Have you noticed a trend that I love myself some ladies who farm? Stacey is a purveyor of the simple life and a farmer who I adore following on Instagram. She gives this farming thing to you straight even when it’s not going that well. She raises a variety of animals on her farm including Icelandic Sheep — I’m really looking forward to her next offering so I can treat Jay to a protein we don’t personally raise. Also if you prefer heritage bred pork over the type we raise, they have you covered on that front as well.

Seafood:

Wild West Coast Seafoods: When it comes to fish, Ron’s my man! You’ll find him at a variety of local farmers markets including two we’re at: Langley Community Farmers Market and the Port Moody Winter Farmers Market. Not only does he have a wonderful selection of sustainably harvested seafood but he’s one of the most kind hearted and funny vendors I know. PS, he also has an online store.

Now this is in no way a complete list but these are some of the main local farmers and food producers who I trust to feed my family locally here in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver.

Throughout the coming months I’ll continue to share other farmers that I trust, support, and look up to — Because lucky for us, there’s a whole lot more of them here in our community!

Kendall ~ Boss Chick at Central Park Farms