By Colin Lundy - Special to The AgriNews

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Canadian Organic Growers' Growing Up Organic program has organized a tour of Lanark County farms to be held Sat., Sept. 26. The theme of this tour is seeking opportunity. We will be visiting a farm looking for a farmer and exploring value added products and niche markets.

We start at 10am at New Life Retreat, 453 Dobbie Rd, Lanark (www.newliferetreat.com). The retreat owners are hoping to develop a business partnership with someone willing to organically manage the 40 acres of good agricultural land. The owners are open to a variety of land tenure arrangements and a variety of business options: such as market farming, field cropping, etc, and even developing a farm education centre. Outbuildings and equipment (Kubota tractor with implements) can be shared with New Life Retreat.

After a picnic lunch we will go to the Noble Bean Tempeh Company near McDonalds Corners (www.noblebean.ca) for around 2pm. Noble Bean buys local certified organic soybeans to make 400 pounds per day of the fermented soy "superfood" Tempeh. Aside from being a great example of a local niche market for small scale organic soy and small grain producers, this part of the tour will also be a window into processing and value added products.

The tour is free, will go rain or shine, but we ask that you register. For more information or to register, contact Colin Lundy, Farmer Outreach Coordinator for COG Growing Up Organic, at 613-513-7651 or at colin@cog.ca. Also, we are happy to announce that Rideau Buslines is offering a bus to take people from Ottawa and back again. If interested, please contact Colin for details.

Canadian Organic Growers in Canada’s national education and networking organization representing farmers, gardeners and consumers nationwide. Visit the Ottawa Chapter website at www.cog.ca/ottawa.

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