Hedwig from Glen Andrew Farm knows A LOT! By a lot, we’re talking wild plants, flowers, vegetables, herbs, medicinal plants, animals, organic, biodynamic, processing all farm produce, skin care products, baking, oil, and more. Just an example of her knowledge: she explains that in Europe foraging for wild garlic is common and the stocks are healthy unlike here. Why? In Europe they harvest the leaf, not the bulb, so no harm is done to the plant. Also, this makes a lot of sense since in spring all the energy of the plant goes into the leaf which are packed with vitamins.
Hedwig came from Autria in 1982 with her parents, long time farmers, to established themselves in Eastern Ontario. Hedwig and her husband started their own farm close by and one of their goals was to show that a small diverse farm could not only feed their family (with 5 kids!), but also provide healthy food to the community. They were one of the first farms to join the Ottawa Organic Farmers' Market in 1989.
Farming runs in that family: her brothers own Pinehedge Farms, wellknown for their organic yogourt, kefir and sour cream. Pinehedge was the first farm in Ontario to be able to process the milk from their own herd.
If you want to give your tastebuds a new adventure, learn about less common produce and enjoy Austrian baking, stop by Hedwig’s table. She also carries Pinehedge Farm products. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Are all eggs equal? Yes and no… A recent Marketplace (CBC TV) report tested conventional and organic eggs. The industrial big brand names showed no significant difference in nutrients between conventional and organic eggs. However, when organic eggs from a small family farm were tested, these eggs turned out to be superior. Check it out for yourself CBC - Market Place - Eggs .