文档介绍：MAKING A LIVING
FROM A -ACRE MARKET GARDEN
By Ann Slater
The fields around my farm in southwestern Ontario have rows and rows, and acres and
acres, of corn and soybeans.
his is a prime agricultural area where land eration is on my family’s farm, but I know of other
sells for $7,000 to $8,000 per acre but anic cash crop and livestock farmers who would
Tis little history of vegetable growing. Among be willing to provide a few acres of land to market
these large cash crop fields, there are a few remain- gardeners.
ing dairy farms with hayfields and cows on pasture.
My brother has one of these “islands” of hay, pas- e
ture, small grains, silage corn anic dairy cows. Can a small-scale market garden provide a reason-
My one and a half acre anic market gar- able second or only e to the farmer or farm
den farm is hidden away in the corner of his farm; family? In 2004, my gross farm e was $28,000
we have two farm op- and in addition there
erations on one farm. was fresh, stored and
I have been market gar- preserved produce for
dening for over 20 myself and six other
years. I started by ex- family members. I sell
panding the family almost all of my pro-
garden and selling the duce within ten
extra produce on the kilometers of my farm,
street corner in St. in the town of St.
Marys. I slowly ac- Marys. Of the
quired growing and $28,000, $13,500
marketing ski