With addition of FGSA members and other farm direct marketers across the province, membership has grown to 162. All of us association with AFFPA hope to see that number increase dramatically over the next few years. There are many good reasons why this association grows stronger each year, but the main reason is the consuming public! Across North America the demand for locally grown foods has increased dramatically. Along with food, agri-tourism and agri-tainment are fast becoming "the" thing to do on farms!

AFFPA members are answering this desire by adding events and activities to their operations.

Watch for new AFFPA gate signs!

Members of AFFPA will be sporting spiffy new gate signs this season! We want everyone to know about Alberta Farm Fresh members and the association. Local Food, Local Fun, Local Farms!

AFFPA members provide Albertans farm fresh foods during the growing season.

According to information compiled from 2008 membership renewals, members grow:

Explore what association members have for you and remember that you will "Experience a taste of the country...from our hands to yours!"

Try our new blog!

And there's more! Try "GOOGLE" mapping of AFFPA members.

Our friends at Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development provided AFFPA with a terrific opportunity this year! There's a new mapping tool available on Ropin the Web, that further links consumers and farm fresh producers! Check it out, there's a handy button link on the left side of this page.

Using the convenient drop down menus, the map allows you to search for producers by region and product. Products are organized into four main categories on the drop down menus: fruit, vegetables, protein and specialties. From there, choose produce from apples to wild black cherries in the fruit category; from asparagus to zucchini in the vegetable category; from beef to turkey in the protein category; and from alpacas or bedding plants to shrubs or trees in the specialty category. Producers matching the search criteria are displayed as red markers on the map.

AFFPA takes this opportunity to thank Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development for their development of this useful map.

Give it a try!

It's Kick Off Time!

One sign of spring is the arrival of the 2008 “Come To Our Farm Guide” which provides contact and product information for the majority of the Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association membership.

This roadmap type consumer oriented guide is a long established favourite of thousands of Alberta consumers and demand for it continues to grow.

In early May, over 35,000 were distributed to Chambers of Commerce, Travel Alberta agencies, tourist information facilities, community organizations, provincial media and, of course, to thousands of consumers. A total of 40,000 will be distributed by late fall. CTOF is distributed free of charge to anyone requesting a copy or, in fact, any number of copies. Copies may be requested by calling 1-800-661-2642 or by clicking the "Free Guide" button.

Each year the Guide is updated to reflect our members continually growing variety of farm products which now ranges from "Alpaca to Zucchini".

Consumer loyalty to CTOF is amazing with many people calling to say that they have retained these for many years. One benefit of this loyalty is that many consumers have come to consider the farms they visit to be ‘old friends’ and they return to these farms year after year.

It is an established fact that, increasingly in greater numbers, consumers are searching for farm fresh foods and to meet the people who produce the food on their table. The advent of spring and the arrival of CTOF serves as a “kick-off “ for the process of bringing customers to our farms and starting another successful farm direct marketing season.

When One Door Closes…
Industry Perspective by Don Gregorwich, AFFPA Administration

This past season has seen excellent attendance at Berry School, Step It Up, Meats for the Cities Workshops and Veggie School. From talking with people at each of these events, a common and fascinating theme emerges.

People are taking a serious look at moving into new opportunities even if that means learning about an entirely new type of agriculture. For example, we have as a new member a family who used to raise hogs full time who have now closed down the barns and moved into fruit production. A conventional cattle producer is moving into farm gate sales. A Saskatoon producer is adding custom pasture land to their operation. A scientist with the federal government who is retiring has purchased land and will be a fruit producer. A raspberry producer is becoming a ‘tree trial’ operator.

Not only are we seeing experienced agricultural producers move into alternate agriculture, we are seeing people with skills from non-agricultural careers becoming part of our association and becoming farm direct operators.

A wonderful side benefit that is occurring is that anyone who comes from a different occupation brings a new perspective to an industry. In addition to “learning the ropes”, these folks are very open to networking and that is a benefit to any producer. Rob Spencer is establishing ‘Evening Production Workshops” (see his article on page 6). Check it out and consider spending a few evenings this season to meet and talk with other producers.

Remember, when one door closes, another opens.

Paul and Karen Hamer, 2008 Farm Direct Marketers of the Year!

AFFPA honored their top performer at the Step It Up Conference in February. Paul and Karen Hamer, The Saskatoon Farm, Dewinton, were named Farm Direct Marketers of the Year. Jo-Ann Hall, Director, Ag Industry Development and Diversification, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, presented the Hamer's with their award during the conference banquet.

This annual AFFPA award is designed to honor an AFFPA member for outstanding accomplishments, innovation and leadership in the field of farm direct marketing.

The Saskatoon Farm was started in 1987 with a raw parcel of land. It is now 600 acres total at the junction of the Highwood and Sheep rivers, 19 km south of Calgary. As of 2008, the Hamer's operate about 50 acres of fruit, primarily saskatoons and 20 acres of nursery stock. They also operate a cafe, garden centre, greenhouse, mail order business, gift shop, buffalo herd, all, as they put it "in some sort of synergistic harmony".

The Saskatoon Farm manufactures about 30,000 pies a year as well as jams, syrups, other preserves and fresh baking. These items are sold farm gate only. Both Karen and Paul are strong supporters of the direct marketing option for Alberta farmers. Their western town atmosphere has proven to be very successful and their farm has now become a popular tourist destination.

"Our success has led us to be able to build bigger and better facilities, such as a new cafe and bakery", says Paul.

Visit their website: www.saskatoonfarm.com to learn more about their outstanding operation. Be sure to add them to your list of 'must visit' this summer!

Photo courtesy of Franc Flipsen, Photo Images Studios

Locavore is the 2007 word of the year!

The New Oxford American Dictionary chose "Locavore", a person who seeks out locally produced food, as its word of the year.

Throughout North America, the local foods movement is growing as people discover that the best-tasting and most sustainable choices are foods that are fresh, seasonal, and grown close to home.

That's what AFFPA is all about...get to know us!