About the farmers…
Tyler, Erin and their saplings Cypress and Rōnin are a family of forest lovers, market gardeners and self sufficiency enthusiast. We cultivate over 50 annual vegetables, herbs, flowers and pasture raised eggs grown organically on 50 acres of pristine land, plus some perennials and hay, just 10 minutes north of Port Hope and Cobourg! Our journey began when volunteering on a variety of farms while traveling and woofing around Canada, South America, Asia, and the United States. We brought back our knowledge to our home town and began a volunteer group called We Grow Food where folks from around the neighbourhood would come together to help each other start backyard gardens and create a support group for people starting their first garden. After years of internships, volunteering and experimenting on rented land we decided it was time for the next step…making this a business. With that came seeking land and hitting dead ends. We had to get creative…going in on land with friends or family wasn’t an option at that time so we searched farmlink.net and were reconnected with a previous farm Erin had volunteered on called Headwaters Community Farm and Education Centre. The first few years we rented and worked cooperatively. Fast forward to 9 years later and we now own the 50 acres.
Erin & Tyler
With Erin’s background in a decade of wildcrafting and farm to kitchen-style cooking, she and her family give thanks to the food and the land when she does her frolics. She helps with the farming alongside Tyler while raising their son on the land. Her role in Foragers Farms is the CSA, farmers markets, Reko, retail and on farm store manager (everything from communicating to customers, taking orders, harvesting, packaging, cleaning, delivering). In her past she has helped start-up and run sustainably-minded restaurants like Lil Organic Kitchen Whitby/Cobourg, Cruda Cafe Toronto, Coco y Chia Mexico City, and Living Foods Malaysia- this has helped her gain knowledge on food waste and making sure each crop has a home (bellies of humans, animals, or repurposed in ferments/soups/sauces). She gives thanks to her many mentors along the way and aspires to weave the web of wisdom within her circle.
Tyler has a background as a tradesman and applies his welding/building skills to designing the farms infrastructure. A ninja at heart, he loves combining the natural movement of our bodies with his passion for growing food for Foragers Farms. His passion for living close to the land has his knowledge focused on homesteading and survival skills. He is the head farmer- large and in charge of the planting schedule, sourcing out all the things that are required to grow your food and the tools that come along with managing a farm naturally. He is a YouTube lover and frequents it often for referencing all the big question marks.
Our Creatures:
Wee sons Cypress and Rōnin…
Cypress and Rōnin are the ultimate drive behind our business. We feel kids are incredibly capable, especially when immersed in the practicalities of life. They are reflective during our dinners on his day roaming around the garden as we harvest, they are active in our family meetings which occur at any random moment and their curiosity of how everything is interconnected is obvious in their moments of ponderings and questions.
Laying hens…
Our laying hens have blessed our plates and our land. Moving the chickens around the farm allows us to regenerate the soil using their natural ability to scratch and fertilize wherever they roam. We use them as a way to build the health of our soil, gradually overtime. We ferment their organic feed to allow for better digestion and rotate them on new pasture every 3 weeks.
