Farmers are expanding into processing and serving what they grow. This move can make economic sense. When commodity prices are on the low side, farmers can add value by pickling, pressing, or cooking their crops. This helps their bottom line, provided they can jump through the health department hoops.
Last week we had breakfast at a farm-to-fork establishment in Pemberton, British Columbia. North Arm Farm serves breakfast and lunch, and offers catering and a venue for wedding receptions. It has its own flock of hens for eggs, along with sheep, goats, and pigs. It also has u-pick organic strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Some of the organic vegetables for sale are from the farm; others are from farther afield in British Columbia. It sells house-pickled items as well. We picked up a jar of pickled garlic scapes there. Our meals were very good. The sausage was made on site. The restaurant was busy, and the berry patches were hopping with pickers. We saw people bring in huge containers of raspberries and blueberries to take home. We’d definitely go back there for a meal. We’ll also look for farm-to-fork restaurants on this side of the border.
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