Vegetable farmer seizes the moment
By André Dumont
March 01, 2010
For some producers, local food is just a way to earn a better price for their farm goods.
But others, such as Ontario vegetable grower Jason Verkaik, see an opportunity to re-invent their farm business.
Verkaik is a third-generation producer in the Holland Marsh, a fertile 3,000-hectare growing area just one hour north of downtown Toronto.
Carron Farms – its name is a contraction of carrot and onion – used to export 90% of its produce to the United States. Verkaik saw the local food movement as a chance to lessen his reliance on exports and avoid the financial pain which comes whenever the Canadian dollar goes up in value. But it’s also prompted him to try to connect more directly with consumers and create a brand for his 100-hectare farm.
Branding is not easy but Verkaik is getting a lot of attention because of his attempts to market coloured carrots. The idea came from a long-time Indo-Canadian employee who told him that red carrots are very popular in India but hard to find in Canada.
Persistence pays off
Red carrots are a tricky crop to grow as they bolt easily and production is only about 60 per cent of normal. Verkaik easily sold his first year’s production and although he received a premium for his crop, it wasn’t enough to compensate for lower yields. He then tried a California red carrot. Production was better but the taste wasn’t what the Indo-Canadian market wanted and again, it was not financially viable.
This past year, he grew two hectares of a “rainbow mix” of cream, yellow and purple carrots. Restaurants loved this product and Verkaik wants to market them to schools as a sort of vegetable version of Smarties. He envisions the day when 20 per cent of his production will be rainbow carrots.
Undertaking a project like this is not a quick way to success. But thanks to local food advocates such as Toronto’s Local Food Plus and the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance, Carron Farms is beginning to make a name for itself in Canada’s largest urban centre.
Interest in local food has opened several doors for Verkaik and he’s determined to take full advantage.
For CBC commentary, I’m André Dumont, an independent journalist in Montreal.
