Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association

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

A word from the President- Newsletter #326

January 2018
A new year always feels like a fresh new page to me. It is another opportunity to Volume 34, Number 1
start afresh. It is a time to lay out new plans, write out new goals and bring in some
new ideas and ways of doing things.
Of course along with all of this there are often new challenges that lie ahead due to
the fact that we live in a constantly changing world and this year will no doubt have
Inside this issue:
an increased amount of them.

I would like to give a special word of thanks to many of our members who went out Membership News 2
of their comfort zone to try and voice concerns about how some of the new labour Board News 3
laws will affect our industry. While all the evidence appears that you were not
heard by the powers that be, might I suggest that in fact people have been listen- Agenda for OFFMA 4
Summit
ing. And I suspect as the inevitable comes into place that we all know will happen
and prices start to creep up, that people will remember the words of warning and It’s all about the 5
EXPERIENCE
advice that was given.
2018 Trends and 6
Yes we will all look for efficiencies. We will make changes to our product lines; to-Dos
weeding out some of the more labour intensive products as well as the less profita- Your Farm has a 7
ble ones. But the fact still remains that ultimately the only people that will not have Huge Advantage
to raise their prices at all are those that were perhaps making too much money be- over Amazon
forehand. And I would be willing to guarantee that in our industry those businesses Upcoming 8
do not exist. Events

It is very important for you to know exactly what percent of your input costs are la-
bour related within each part of your business. For example, very likely the retail
portions of your business will have a smaller percentage of labour costs than the
production end of your farm. Either way the costs increases are so significant that
to not be aware of them could very quickly be fatal to your business.
This is the time of year where I begin to look forward to the Ontario Fruit and Vege-
table Convention in Niagara. Cathy is hard at work putting together a great pro-
gram both for the all day OFFMA session on Tuesday as well as for the two
convention days. And of course please do not forget the awards dinner.

I hope to see many, if not all of you there. Please come to me and introduce
yourselves and give us your feedback.

I wish each of you a happy and prosperous New Year.

Steve Martin
OFFMA President
Page 2 Fresh Facts
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Classifieds
FOR SALE
Used bakery/café equipment for sale:
1-10-quart Hobart mixer, 3-double grill
Croydon Panini presses, 1 two-spout
hot cocoa maker/dispenser. Please
phone Tom Hughes, 905-691-8423 for
pricing and details.
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
FOR SALE
2L and 4L plastic baskets, made in
Canada, sturdy handles, strong durable
plastic, weatherproof, reliable delivery.
www.shouldicefarm.com
Contact: shouldice1@bell.net,
613-838-4203
FOR SALE
Frozen pitted sour cherries available for
wholesale and retail from
Delhaven Orchards, 519-676-4475 or
delhaven@ciaccess.com
Don’t miss out on these learning opportunities
Webinar with Andrew Campbell
Topic: Young & Farming
Time: Jan 17, 2018 7:00 PM
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/5101428132
F2F Workshop —- Soup as a New Revenue Stream
Wednesday, February 27, 3pm to 6pm
Willowtree Farm Market, Port Perry
We will be visiting and touring Willowtree Farm Market in Port Perry to look at how they
have incorporated soups in their offerings at the market. A light dinner will be served. Cost is
$20 +HST per person.
Ontario’s Finest Cider Competition
8th Annual Sweet Apple Cider
Competition
at the
Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention
February 21, 2018
Bring a completed entry form and two (2) 4-
L jugs of cider (thawed), with labels at-
tached with an elastic, to the cider desk
beside registration at the Ontario Fruit and
Vegetable Convention between 8:30 and
10:00 a.m. on Wed. February 21, 2018.
Please note:
1. Only Ontario cider producers are eligible,
one entry per mill. Can be custom pressed.
2. Cider judging on Wed. Feb. 21 begins at 1
p.m. in the Port Colborne Room. Judging is
open to the public, so please join us.
3. Winning ciders will be announced at the
Farmers and Friends event Wednesday
evening.
4. Prizes: 1st place, 2nd and 3rd place re-
ceive a plaque. Sponsored by the Ontario
Apple Growers.
Questions? Amanda Green, OMAFRA 519-
426-1102
Amanda.green@ontario.ca Or
Kelly Ciceran, OAG 905-688-0990 ext. 241,
kciceran@onapples.com
This newsletter is available electronically.
If you would prefer to get this newsletter
electronically, just let the OFFMA office
know. It is also available on the OFFMA
website in the members only section.
Actually there are a lot of resources on the
website, take a minute to check them out
before spring arrives.
 Newsletter #326 Page 3

Silent Auction Fundraiser You are cordially invited to OFFMA’s

Part of our Awards Banquet on Tues-
day, February 17th, will be a silent auc-
tion of unique products and services
Awards of Excellence
donated by OFFMA members.
If you have something you would like
Banquet
to donate, please contact the OFFMA
office. Some of the interesting items Tuesday, February 20, 2018
we have so far are 1. A set of Lynn
Crawford’s books, 2. A butchery Marriott—Gateway to the Falls
demonstration at Thatcher Farms and Appetizers 6:15 pm
3. A blueberry sampler basket from Dinner 6:45 pm
Hugli’s Blueberry Ranch. The proceeds
from the auction are contributed to
Cost: $45 + HST per person
the OFFMA Family Fund.
Get involved any way you can! Call the OFFMA Office for tickets,
905-841-9278 or order from
OFFMA Board Vacancies
Cara Epp from Edana Marketing will pre-convention workshop reg form,
be completing her second three year enclosed with this newsletter
term in February. The Associate posi-
tion on the Board will become vacant
at that point. The OFFMA Board of
Directors is looking for nominations
OFFMA’s
from our Associate members for this
position. Annual General Meeting
The position involves attending and
actively participating in approximately
5 Board Meetings a year. Generally, will take place on
the meetings are located in Guelph
but sometimes we also hold them at Wed. February 21, 2018
other locations as well. Dates and lo- 11:30am —12:00 noon
cation are generally decided upon
early in the year.
The position is representative of OFF- Held during the
MA’s Associate membership. The OFFMA Summit
person in this position will need to be in conjunction with the
able to confer with other Associate
members from time to time in order to
Ont. Fruit & Veg. Convention.
give good representation of the whole Join us to get an update on
group. OFFMA’s activities.
Please contact the OFFMA office if
you are interested in putting your
name forward for this position. The OFFMA members only Facebook page has
Kristin Ego from Ego’s Garden Centre been active through the summer. It is a great
and Farm Market and Karen Whitty source of information and inspiration.
from 13th Street Winery have complet- If you aren’t already—get plugged in.
ed their first three year terms and Search for Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Asso-
have both allowed their names to ciation and send a request to join. A great place
stand for another term. Additional to share ideas, post items you may have for sale
nominations will be accepted from the and/or are looking for, for your farm business.
floor at the AGM.
 Page 4 Fresh Facts

AGENDA for the OFFMA Summit at the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Chair: Steve Martin, Martin’s Family Fruit Farm

9:30 - 10:30 The F.A.C.T.S. of Engaging Your Team in Today’s Disruptive Economy, Dr. Den-
is Cauvier, Dr. Denis Cauvier Seminars International

10:30 – 11:30 POS Panel, What is the best system for my operation?

11:30 – 12:00 OFFMA’s AGM

LUNCH

2:00 – 3:00 Telling Your Farm Fresh Story – Working with Media, Bernard Tobin, Synthe-
sis Agri-Food Network

3:00 – 4:00 Farm Marketing from the Heart, Charlotte Smith, 3 Cow Marketing, USA

4:00 – 4:30 Round Table Talks – CSA Pros and Cons, Labour Compliance, Wagon Safety
Dos and Don’ts, Cash Handling Systems, Brags & Blunders

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Chair: Kristin Ego, Ego’s Garden Centre and Farm Market

9:30 – 10:30 The Soft Skill Salsa (Why emotional intelligence matters for entrepreneurial
success), Geoff Crane-Adaptimist Insights

10:30 – 11:30 Mental Wellness Panel; Christy Hiemstra-Clovermead, Briana Hagen-

University of Guelph

11:30 – 12:30 Hitting the Energy Wall – Tips to fuel your day, Marian Statham-True Life
Nutrition

LUNCH

2:00 – 2:30 Ideas from the Big Apple-Foodie Tour Debrief, Karen Whitty, 13th Street Win-
ery

2:30 – 3:00 Creating an on-farm outlet for your beer, Joris Cambie-De Plukker Hop Farm
Brewery, Belgium

3:00 – 3:30 Resurrecting Murphy’s Market & Bakery, Hollis English, Murphy’s Market &
Bakery

For a complete listing of what to expect from the convention, go to www.ofvc.ca


It’s all about the EXPERIENCE
By Dr. Denis Cauvier
The Ontario Agriculture business sce-
ne is in a state of flux. There is ample
discussion in the media and amongst
farmers about geo-political concerns
such as the future of NAFTA, increas-
es in minimum wages, volatile com-
modity prices, global supply increases
and currency fluctuations. Powerful
foreign and local competitors are at-
tempting to gain market share in On-
tario. Margins are being squeezed,
competitors are aggressively targeting
your clients and the expectations of
today’s consumers are more demand-
ing than ever before.
Business success in any economy is a
matter of tapping into the potential of
your employees. One of the most ef-
fective investments a farmer can
make is to hire, develop and retain
engaged people. Engaged employees
will provide the competitive edge to
sustain and grow the business in to-
day’s economy. HR Magazine states
that for small businesses, highly en-
gaged employees are 3.3 times more
likely to be top performers, and 5
times less likely to voluntarily leave
their employer than disengaged peo-
ple. When farmers invest in hiring,
developing and retaining motivated,
committed, and qualified people, it
helps their operation achieve its goals.
When they don’t make the needed
investments in their people, it affects
productivity, profitability, turnover, and
workplace morale.
How to create the right engaging
EXPERIENCE
Our experiences in life shape how we
feel about people, situations and even
organizations. For example, if you had
a horrible dining experience at a res-
taurant you are not likely to return or
refer it to a friend. This same holds
true for an employee’s experience. If
their “on the job experience” is very
positive they will be happy to work
with you (engaged), they will contrib-
Newsletter #326 Page 5
ute more value (productivity),
they will develop new skills
quicker (reduce learning curve,
wastage & rework) and they will
spread positive comments inter-
nally (enhance team moral) and
externally (be a brand champi-
on and make employee refer-
rals).
By assessing your employees
at work experience you will be
able to see the areas that you
are already doing well plus
identify any opportunities for
improvement. Not only does
creating such a satisfying, moti-
vating, inspiring work experi- Dr. Denis Cauvier, world
ence improve morale, safety, renowned HR expert
productivity, engagement, cus-
tomer service and drive profits,
it will also turn your team into a mini-
band of head-hunters sharing with oth-
ers what a great place it is to work.
Presenting a workshop at the Ontario
Fruit and Vegetable Conference, Dr.
Cauvier will highlight his
E.X.P.E.R.I.E.N.C.E. ™ acronym and
explain the various employee experi-
ences that impact engagement and
ultimately your organizations bottom
line. He will also provide his
E.X.P.E.R.I.E.N.C.E. ™ Assessment
that helps employers quickly identify
areas for improvement as well as
many ready to use tools and tem-
plates to implement various engage-
ment strategies.
Dr. Cauvier will also be the afternoon
presenter at the pre-convention work-
shop. See insert for details.
Dr. Cauvier president of Dr. Denis
Cauvier Seminars International is a
professional Speaker/Trainer and
Consultant with over 30 years experi-
ence. Dr. Cauvier is recognized as
Global Talent Management expert.
He is the author of 14 Best-Selling
books. Learn more about Dr. Cauvier,
go to www.deniscauvier.com.
Page 6 Fresh Facts

2018 Trends and To-Dos

By Jessica Kelly, Direct Farm Marketing Specialist, OMAFRA
At the beginning of a new year we often think about planning for the future and
change – both change that we hope for ourselves and change that may be happen-
ing around us. In November 2017, Loblaws released their take on 2018 food
trends, based on input from professional chefs, registered dieticians, academics
and “Loblaw food experts.” We can probably agree that on-farm marketers should
have been added to this list, but alas, you may find some interesting tidbits for your
farm from Loblaw’s look into their crystal ball…

Closing the food loop

 GIY (grow it yourself): The grocer expects an increased interest in home herb
and sprout gardens as well as backyard beehives and chicken coops.
 Right-size portioning: In a bid to reduce personal food waste, Canadians will
cook what they know they can eat “rather than filling their plates.”
 Leftovers revival: In continuing with their effort to reduce food waste, consum-
ers will look for ways to spruce up leftovers.

Occasional indulgences
 Freak shakes: Nanaimo bars, cakes and pies will top milkshakes, transition-
ing them from fun beverage to dessert.
 Wake and cake: A sweet treat in the morning will help ease any pangs of guilt
since it “provides the body more time to work off the indulgence.”
 Full fat: As consumers become more educated about various good and bad
fats, they’ll turn to options such as full-fat yogurt.

Rediscovering traditions
 Dual-purpose ingredients: Consumers will look for multi-use ingredients such
as seaweed for eating and skincare.
 Retro-inspired: Childhood favourites will get a modern twist.

Rethinking nutrition
 Renewed nutrition focus: Consumers will want to learn about changes made
to Canada’s Food guide and how to incorporate the revisions into their diets.
 Gut health: Pre – and probiotics as well as fermented foods will continue to
gain popularity as Canadian place increased importance on gut health.
 Reduced sugar: Looking to trim sugar from their diets, Canadians will opt for
low-sugar food options.

Cooking on the clock

 Breakfast with a twist: Non-traditional breakfast proteins such as chicken,
seafood and beans could be front and centre of the breakfast burrito as Ca-
nadians also look for portable options.
 Meal kit: In addition to chef-inspired meals, consumers will be looking for val-
ue pricing, minimal packaging and reduce subscription requirements.
Source: http://www.canadiangrocer.com/top-stories/loblaw-gazes-into-its-crystal-
ball-for-2018-food-trends-77164

Continued on Page 8

Your Farm has a Huge Advantage over Amazon—Are You Embracing it?
By Charlotte Smith, 3CowMarketing
A lot has changed in the 50 years since I
grew up on my family’s farm and have
been running my own diversified farm...
Before Amazon took over and there was a
Starbucks on every corner, it was pretty
easy to sell your farm goods and make a
profit. Everyone knew “The Mustard Seed”
produce stand, a few miles from our farm,
was THE place to buy vegetables. We also
knew the rancher in the next town over
who ran beef cows and we’d go to him to
fill our freezers once a year. And every
Autumn on the way to Grandma’s house
we’d fill a bucket of apples at our cousin’s
nearby orchard.
Needless to say, times have changed.
Small growers are disappearing and large
companies are expanding ever-larger. It
can be scary for us small farmers to see
massive companies like Amazon take over
Whole Foods and wonder how we’ll com-
pete.
Scroll through your Facebook feed right
now and you’ll see advertisements for
grass fed beef, ready-to cook meals, and
boxes of fresh produce all delivered right
to your doorstep.
How often do you see that and wonder,
“How can I compete in this huge ocean of
sharks fighting for customers?”
It might seem like a futile situation.
But in fact, you have a distinct advantage
that these huge corporations do not.
Now, more than ever before, consumers
are seeking connection with the people
behind the business. With most of their
interactions being swipes and double taps
and conversations by text, there is a huge
opportunity for our farms. People are hun-
gry to buy from someone who makes them
feel welcome, special, listened to and
cared for.
If that’s so – then how do we reach them?
Forget looking for the magic marketing
tactic that will sell out your products with
little effort, because that doesn’t exist. Get
real about what your marketing needs to
do.
The secret to a successful farm marketing
plan is simple: build relationships with one
Newsletter #326 Page 7
person at a time.
Because the truth is, you and I can
never compete with Amazon, and
frankly, I don’t want to!
I want customers who appreciate
the time and effort it takes to grow
farm products on a small scale, not
one-click shoppers who are just
looking for a deal.
I want a select group of a few hun-
dred or maybe a thousand families
who are proud to call me their farmer, not
masses of people who buy from me once
and disappear.
So, how can you embrace your unique ad-
vantage to connect with one person at a
time to make your farm profitable?
Focus on helping one person at a time
solve their problems.
For example, if you see a question on Fa-
cebook, in your email inbox, or you speak
with someone in person, think to yourself,
“How can I serve this person? What piece
of advice or encouragement can I share
with them that will make them feel like they
matter to me?” Connect with them in this
way, and you’ll have loyal customers for
life.
Additionally, after you make a sale with a
new customer, send them a personalized
thank you email. Don’t try to sell to them -
simply thank them, share a great recipe or
give them some advice from the conversa-
tion you had with them.
I can guarantee you they’re not getting any
personal emails from Amazon! And with
advanced email marketing systems today,
this is easy to scale. Yes, I communicate
with thousands of people each week, but
they all feel like they’re personally connect-
ed to me and my farm.
You are a real person behind your busi-
ness. Make your customers feel appreciat-
ed, cared for and welcome and you’ll be on
your way to building a solid, loyal customer
base.
Charlotte Smith will be presenting at the OFF-
MA Summit, part of the Ontario Fruit & Vegeta-
ble Convention. Her book ‘Farm Marketing
from the Heart’ will be available to purchase
and she will be available for one –on –one con-
sultations. Call the OFFMA office if you are in-
terested in a time slot.
 Page 8
Ontario Farm Fresh
Cathy Bartolic, Executive Director
2002 Vandorf Rd. Aurora, ON L4G 7B9
Phone: 905-841-9278
E-mail: info@ontariofarmfresh.com
www.ontariofarmfresh.com
2017-18 OFFMA Board of Directors
Steve Martin, President
Martin’s Family Fruit Farm
Kristin Ego MacPhail, Vice President
Ego Nurseries Ltd.
Leslie Forsythe, Past President
Forsythe Family Farms
Cara Ferguson, Associate Member
Edana Integrated Marketing
Nicole Judge, Spirit Tree Estate Cidery
Erin McLean, McLean Berry Farm
Colleen McKay, Your Farm Market
Jordan McKay, Willowtree Farm
Dana Thatcher, Thatcher Farms
Karen Whitty, Whitty Farms
Jessica Kelly, OMAFRA Advisor
Fresh Facts
Upcoming Events
Jan. 17 Young and Farming , a webinar with Andrew Campbell, 7:00pm link in
at https://zoom.us/j/5101428132
Jan. 25-28 Guelph Organic Conference & Trade Show, Guelph University Centre, go
to www.guelphorganicconf.ca for additional info
Feb. 6 Handling Courageous Conversations– HR with Staff & Customers,
a webinar with Sarah Shaw, 10am watch your emails for more info.
Feb. 20 OFFMA’s Annual Awards Banquet in Niagara Falls
Feb. 20 Pre-Convention Workshop—reg form included with this newsletter
Feb. 21&22 Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention, Niagara Falls, go to ofvc.ca for
additional info
Feb. 27 F2F Workshop—Soup as a New Revenue Stream, Willowtree Farm, Port
Perry, 3pm to 6pm
April 16-20 Tour to Ireland– registration forms included with this newsletter—
SPACE IS MLIMITED
Continued from page 6
Looking for something a little more tangible for your pre-season planning?
Have you considered doing the Growing Your Farm Profits (GYFP) work-
shop? This two-day business self-assessment workshop helps you to review
your farm management practices and prioritize your business goals. For more
information, visit www.ontariosoilcrop.org. GYFP completion certificates are
valid for five years. If you are past this five-year benchmark, you should con-
sider re-doing the workshop or completing the eLearning equivalent through
the Agriculture and Food Education Online Learning System:
www.agandfoodeducation.ca
Don’t miss out on Canada's premier horticultural event! Offering 2-day, single day,
trade show only and student packages, OFVC 2018 is the place to be for anyone con-
nected to horticulture. LEARN from 120+ sessions, BROWSE the sold out trade show,
ENJOY the Farmer and Friends reception and most importantly, SAVE by pre-
registering. Visit www.ofvc.ca for complete information.