Merridy Senior and Eben Hancock have been operating their local organic farm on the edge of Millbrook for six years now, and their business continues to evolve as they seek new ways to grow. Theirs is a traditional mixed farm operation on 100 acres, but most of their labour happens on the two acres where they grow produce. They’ve come a long way from their first crop of garlic in 2012, and now grow more than 40 varieties of organic vegetables and herbs, from the traditional crops of peas, beans, carrots and potatoes to the more unusual varieties such as kohlrabi, eggplant and the popular salad greens such as kale, arugula and Swiss chard.
The couple sells their products at local farmers’ markets and directly from the farm which is located at 541 Glamorgan Rd. just south of Millbrook. In 2015 they began to offer a Community Supported Agricultural program (CSA), where customers sign up for a weekly basket of fresh vegetables during the growing season. Merridy describes the program as paying a farmer to grow your food. This season, the program begins June 19th and runs until the end of September. CSA customers pick up their shares on Wednesday afternoons at the farm at a pre-determined location in Peterborough.
The produce mix each week depends on the season and customers can customize their shares with special requests to swap certain varieties to suit their preference, choosing from three size options to purchase the amount of vegetables to suit their family. As in all agricultural businesses, crop failures due to weather and pests can change the content of the weekly delivery, which will contain only local organic items harvested at their peak.
Also on the menu is organically raised chicken and beef. The chickens are raised in a mobile coop surrounded by a portable fence that is moved around the field to ensure the animals are on clean grass where they can supplement their organic feed by foraging. They are available whole, halved or quartered and can be pre-ordered or purchased at the farm. Freezer beef is also available.
The couple produce maple products from a farm south of Millbrook where they harvest sap from 2,000 trees in the spring, but their honey production activities have been suspended while they focus on other aspects of their farm.
To learn more about the farm and their CSA programs, visit www.puddleduckfarm.ca or call (705)931-5794. KG
