PEI Organic Farmers

• Nova Scotia Farmers
• New Brunswick Farmers
• Barnyard Organics - Island Organic Lamb, Chicken & Grains!
• Caleb's Outlook - An Organic Farm and B&B
• Centrebrook Farm - Sharon & Lester, Mark & Tammy Craig: Family-Farmed Island Organic Potatoes
• Doctor’s Inn - Serving up garden fresh organic fare at their B&B!
• Doucette Organics - Been growing and selling veggies since he was 6 years old
• Elderflower Organic Farm - "I thought I'd never even own a houseplant"
• Emmerdale Eden - The heritage breed and heirloom seed farm!
• Hardy’s Organic Products - Their tofu and soynut snacks can be found at major grocery stores.
• Hughes Hill Farm - Flavour First ... Nutrition Naturally!
• Jen & Derek's Farm Fresh Veggies - "Try something new!"
• Kentdale Farm - One of the region’s largest organic potato producers.
• Laura Leigh Organic Farm - An organic family with a little bit of everything
• Matheson Garden - This fifth generation family farm has U-Pick sunflowers and over 30 varieties of squash!
• Nature’s Bounty - Organic is in their blood!
• PEI Gourmet Mushrooms - Shiitake mushrooms grown on a year-round basis.
• Reg Phelan Farms - This organic pioneer is optimistic for the future of organics.
• RJC Farms - A father and son team
• Springwillow Farms - Home of the Island Sunshine potato.

Reg Phelan Farm

“Local”, “co-operative”, “fair-trade” and “organic” may seem like familiar popular terms to many nowadays, but for Reg Phelan and his wife Stella, these are more than catch phrases.  Reg and Stella are interested in all aspects of farm sustainability – from applying a social conscience to the agricultural industry to promoting environmentally sound farming methods. 

            Reg and some of his fellow farmers were integral in creating the Seaspray Organic Growers Cooperative, which began as a marketing initiative for Island organic growers, but successfully grew to include all three Maritime Provinces.  In addition, Reg and Stella were involved in a National Farmer’s Union and Canadian Crossroads project where they participated in a work exchange to the Caribbean.  For this program they were promoting and teaching organic farming methods to a Fair-Trade agriculture operation, while they, in exchange, learned the ins and outs of the Fair Trade movement.  From here, the idea of domestic fair trade began to sprout in their minds.

            Since that trip they have been actively involved in the creation of a new Co-operative called the “Growing Circle Co-op”.  This Co-op’s mandate is to investigate the possibilities of localizing organic food options by cooperatively purchasing facilities for value-added production.  According to Reg, “Fair-trade does not necessarily mean that the products are “from away” as is the popular understanding, farmers right here in the Maritimes could benefit from a fair-trade system as they aren’t always getting fair prices from consumers.”  The plan is to work directly with the customer base to work out a program that is fair for everyone while providing a sustainable food supply for the region. 

With all of Reg’s enterprises off the farm, he still manages to grow some of the best cole crops on the Island. On his 120 acres, Reg farms about 40, with 20 of that in organic blueberry production.  In addition to blueberries, he raises beef cattle (mostly as a hobby), but his main specialties on the farm are cole crops such as:  brussel sprouts, cabbage, turnips, broccoli, kale, chinese and nappa cabbage and cauliflower.  Reg and Stella’s farm is located in Morrell, PEI, surrounded by water with the North Shore ten kilometers from his home, the mouth of Hillsborough River nearby and the Morrell River running parallel to his road.  Considering their proximity to water, it’s not surprising that they take advantage of these rich tidal waters to supply nutrients on the farm.

       Reg Phelan is all about being fair; he is fair to the land, fair to his consumers, and fair to his fellow-farmers. He has dedicated a great portion of his farming career to making sure that his high values and ideals are upheld on Prince Edward Island and he promises to continue to be a part of positive change in the area.  “I want my young grandson to grow up in a world where farming is a viable living, where it sustains a local community and is an example of how best to live in tune with the land.”  From the look of things in Morrell, PEI, Reg and Stella’s grandson is well on his way to growing up the way his grandparents would wish.