So I Had Breakfast On The Farm.......

     Last June I had the pleasure of attending Farm & Food Care Canada's Breakfast on the Farm event in my hometown of Woodstock Ontario.  The event took place at Veldale Farms, a dairy farm, which was quit fitting for the host city which also happens to be the Dairy Capital of Canada.  The first 2000 people that RSVP'd to the event received a free breakfast, and 2000 people went.

     They put on one heck of a good breakfast too.  Pancakes, pork sausage, scrambled eggs, fried mushrooms, fresh strawberries, coffee, milk and apple cider.  

     Everything was delicious.  I can't even begin to imagine making pancakes for 2000 people.  Hats off to all the volunteers that cooked and served all the food. 

     After breakfast you could tour Veldale Farm's dairy operation.  This was the highlight of the day for me.  The volunteer tour guides around the farm all had a background in agriculture and were willing to answer your questions as you toured the farm.  It was amazing to see so many people passionate about agriculture.  Events like this are such an amazing tool to help people know where their food comes from.  You might watch a documentary about food which may influence your perception about farming and agriculture but to touch, see and feel what a real farm is like truly paints the real picture about agriculture.  It was amazing (and hilarious) to hear from some of the tour guides some of the questions they were asked about farming.  It really illustrates the disconnect some of the city folk from had with agriculture and knowing where their food comes from.  It is almost ironic that there is such disconnect between the city and the country given the close proximity of the two.  You can see Woodstock from Veldale Farms and you can see the farm from the 401 and Woodstock, so close to each other yet so far away.   

     This year's Breakfast on the Farm will be held at Donkers Family Farm near Shedden Ontario on June 24th, 2017 from 9 am to 1 pm.  Ed Donkers runs a goat farm and milks 900 goats for the production of specialty cheese.  This event provides a unique opportunity for farmers and non-farming Ontarians to have a conversation about food and farming, plus the FREE breakfast will be sure to impress.  To register for your free tickets please visit the following link: www.farmfoodcareon.org/breakfast-on-the-farm/