Hardy’s Organic Products
One of Prince Edward Island’s first families of organic growing is now the province’s first family of tofu. John Hardy and his father decided to move to organic and have their dairy farm certified in 1987, after they realized that something on the land was starting to give.
“We saw a lot of problems in our fields, places where nothing would grow, especially with our corn and thought we’d better try something else,” John explains. “We liked the concept of trying to farm without chemicals and of leaving the land better than we found it.”
In 1997, the pair gave up the dairy herd, and briefly kept a cow/calf operation afterward. The farm’s 210 cleared acres now produce soybeans and potatoes as primary crops. The picturesque farm, located in Elmsdale, is divided into 10-15 acre fields with buffer zones designed to both protect the land from environmental damage and to encourage wildlife habitat.
Though John’s father has retired, his wife, Louise, sons, John and Matthew, and son John’s wife, Sara, have carried on and expanded the family tradition. In October of 2002, they bought Maritime Soycraft from Sian Newman Smith of Antigonish. “We bought Sian’s equipment, recipes, and markets and moved it all over here,” John says. “We hope to build on Sian’s success and eventually to expand the business.” Their business is now known as Soy Hardy.
The farm boasts an outbuilding where the family makes four flavours of tofu (plain, garlic, herb, and chilli) and roasts soybeans to make a healthy alternative snack food. Soy Hardy uses the old-fashioned, or open kettle, method of cooking soybeans and John has designed his own roaster to get the texture he wants for the roasted beans. Most of the operation’s product goes to Sobey’s and Loblaw’s main warehouses, but is also available at the Root Cellar, the Co-op, and the Charlottetown Farmers’ Market. The company has grown since the Hardys took over, and John says consumer awareness is at least part of the reason.
“Organic foods are recognized as more than just a fad,” he says. “A lot of people are starting to realize that, if you aren’t buying certified organic, you don’t know what you’re getting.” He is full of ideas for building consumer confidence and future product expansion. In fact, Soy Hardy recently added plain, salted, all dressed, and hot soy nuts to their product line. “Our markets have grown since we bought the company so we’re headed the way we want to be going.”
John Hardy says that the company’s biggest challenge is not letting the issues they face become overwhelming. But, he says, there has also been good news for Island organic growers and he credits the provincial government. “Now at least we’re recognized. We’re allowed into insurance and safety net programs, and any inputs we’re allowed by the organic organization we can apply to the nutrient management program for help,” he says. “It used to be that any crops organic growers put in were at our own risk, so it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”
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