DIRECT FARM MARKETING
Heading into June, small food producers
who sell directly to consumers
were enjoying sales increases of 40
to 50 per cent in some cases.
Consumers were finding their local farmers online or by
word of mouth. Direct Farm Manitoba’s website lists almost 90
local food sellers to choose from.
So, is this a watershed moment for farm-to-consumer
selling?
“I think there’s a new awareness,” said Lisa Clouston, of
Spring Creek Farms near Cypress River, Man. “I’ve been part of
direct farm marketing for 15 to 20 years. Now it seems to have
been woken up for a lot of people, probably for more mainstream
people that didn’t know we existed before.”
Spring Creek specializes in pasture-raised cattle, hogs,
and poultry. In addition to direct sales, it supplies sausages
and ground beef to the Stella’s restaurant chain, ham for Tall
Grass Prairie, and sausage and ham for the pizzas at Hildegard’s
Bakery, as well as meats for Crampton’s Market and St. Leon’s
Garden Market.
“Crazy,” is how Clouston described the year so far for the
family business. Even with its restaurant business evaporated,
Spring Creek’s business is still up at least 40 per cent. “Everyone
has been working 12 to 16 hour days, and for weeks and weeks.”
Clouston says her long-term customers are people who
support local farmers and worry about sustainability and the
humane treatment of animals. Her new customers are just des-perate
to access a steady meat supply.
“People that are panic-buying right now, what they want is
meat and what they want is cheap. I don’t think they really care
about sustainability or humane treatment of animals or regen-erative
agriculture,” she said.
Photo courtesy of Lester Communications Inc.
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36 § Manitoba Farmers’ Voice § Summer 2020
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