Down to Earth
Down to Earth – Guide to Organic Food
Connecting consumers to the farms where their food is produced was the intent of the third edition of the guide to organic food in Manitoba, ‘Down to Earth’. The guidebook to organic food was produced by the Organic Food Council of Manitoba (OFCM). Organic food has become very popular in recent years but many people are still unaware of where their food comes from, or where their money goes. ‘Down to Earth’ is about supporting producers right here in Manitoba.
Down to Earth Guide to Organics in Manitoba, is aimed at putting information into the hands of consumers about organic sources close to home. Earlier editions of the guide simply provided a list of all organic producers in the province. Included in the list where producers growing crops for sale to other farmers. This third edition is unique as it focuses on products that are in demand from consumers in urban centers and offered them a glimpse of the farms where their food is produced.
David Neufeld, an organic greenhouse operator near Boissevain, collected the information about each farm and compiled the booklet. While producing the third edition David contacted all the organic producers in Manitoba speaking on the phone at least once with each producer. David asked producers two questions. The first, “do you grow something that you want Manitoban’s to buy for their kitchens?” And, the second, “do you need help with advertising, free of charge?” He was quite surprised to find that some producers did not need help with advertisement, but they were still happy to contribute to the book.
Producers are given half a page in the booklet and are encouraged to contribute information about their own operation. Entries may vary from fully-developed text to simply having the farm logo. Some producers were struggling with the writing so David, a writer for rural various sources, took what the producers told him about their farm and put it into words. When all the information had been compiled printing and publishing is done locally by the newspaper in Boissevain.
The 84-page book includes more then fifty organic producers and more then a hundred local processors, retailers, distributors and restaurants that sell organic food. The book sells for $6.95 at most independent grocery stores, proceeds going to OFCM. Both producers and retailers had a very positive response towards the guidebook.
Work has already begun on a fourth edition of the organic guidebook, planned to be released in December 2007. The first steps towards the fourth edition are to see if the third guide has actually made a difference in sales for producers, and if it is worthwhile to do another. David will be contacting producers to talk about the guidebooks. If he finds that the guide has not helped the OFCM will try to find another way to assist the producers.
For this future guides, David and OFCM enlisted the help of Sharon Taylor, a Winnipegger who helps with advertising support and distribution of the guide. Most of the guidebook sales are in Winnipeg.
Funding for the program came from retailers who paid for advertisement space, and from Manitoba Agri-Venture Initiatives.
OFCM paid David and Sharon to compile the contents and distribute it to retailers. Printing and publishing was done by the Boissevain Recorder – a small town newspaper.
