Q. Where can I buy organic foods?
A. Try your local farmers market and health food stores. Visit ACORN's website for a list of organic farmers in the Maritimes and pay one near you a visit. Supermarkets are beginning to sell more organic foods but often these are imported – check where they come from and ask the produce manager to buy more local organic produce.
Our produce is available at various locations. Find out more here.

Q. Do you grow avocados?
A. Sorry, but no. We try to offer as wide a range of produce as possible but some crops such as avocados, oranges and plantain won't grow here because of our cold winters or because our summers do not stay hot for long enough.

Q. Do organic farmers grow eggplants? I can't find any.
A. Most food sold at the farmers market is fresh and locally grown. Eggplants only grow in this climate for a few months of the year whereas supermarkets can import them from all over the world so they are available year round. You should find locally grown eggplants at your farmers market in August. At other times of the year try eating different local, seasonal produce for maximum flavour and nutrition.

Q. What is salsify and how do I prepare it?
A. Please visit the 'produce' part of our website where we have information including how to select, store, prepare and cook all of our produce from arugula to zucchini.

Q. How do I know that what I'm buying is really organic?
A. Ask the farmer! An organic farmer will be happy to answer any of your questions. If you are not buying direct from the farmer, look for the USDA Organic label on food imported from the USA. You may also see MCOG, OCIA, ECOCERT, OCPP and QAI labels. This is very confusing so soon there will be a 'Canada Organic' label on all certified organic foods in Canada.

Q. Why should I buy organic seeds or tulips? I'm not going to eat them!
A. Organic agriculture, whether growing cabbage seeds or cabbages, is better for the environment, which is better for everyone.

Q. Is hydroponic lettuce organic?
A. No. Organic agriculture is based on healthy soil. Hydroponic agriculture doesn't use any soil at all, just fertilizer in solution.

Q. Is it better to eat organic food from California or locally grown conventional produce?
A. Organic produce grown in California and eaten in California is very ecologically friendly. However, by shipping it all the way to New Brunswick lots of energy is wasted.
Local organic agriculture is the best solution for a light environmental footprint. However, if you cannot find organic produce locally, try asking a local conventional farmer about their environmental stewardship.

Q. Why is organic food more expensive?
A. Organic farmers have to do more things by hand instead of using chemicals to do the work for them. It is important to pay them for the extra work that they have to do to bring you fresh, healthy food. In addition they have to pay to be inspected annually to prove that they are abiding by the Canadian Governments Organic regulations.
If you buy direct from the farmer you can ask them where your money is going and they won't mind explaining.

Q. Where can I learn more about organic agriculture and gardening?
A. ACORN (Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network) is the voice of organics in Atlantic Canada. COG (Canadian Organic Growers) is the national organics association. Both have very informative websites.

If you want to try out organic farming you can become a WWOOFer (World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms) and travel the world staying on organic farms in exchange for doing some work for the farmer.

For the really serious, the Falls Brook Centre also offers a one year practical internship course in Organic Agriculture.

Rowena also offers evening classes during the winter at NBCC Moncton and other venues.