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Organic farmer promoting healthy harvest

Apr 12, 2012 | 6:47 AM

Increasingly, people are curious about where their food comes from and are demanding organic or at least, locally grown meat and produce.

Yet, it is at a time like this that a Hudson Bay organic food provider is nearly ready to give up on Prince Albert.

“I only deliver to ten customers in Prince Albert which hardly makes my drive worthwhile,” says Keith Neu of Etomami Organic EDO farm who adds that he needs at least 20 members to sign up from the Prince Albert area.

He will be at the South Hill Medical Clinic at 5:00 p.m. April 13 for his last delivery of the season, hoping to sign up a healthy harvest of new members at the same time.

Since 2007 Neu has been selling organic beef, chicken, vegetables, eggs, grains, flours and other produce from his farm to people from Hudson Bay, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Regina and Canora who have signed yearly contracts for food items which he delivers once a month (except summer when he makes two trips).

Customers purchase annual “shares” in exchange for deliveries of predetermined products. By doing so, contract holders become members who are investing in the farm by paying a monthly fee according to what type of products they want. At time of sign-up each member provides a year’s worth of post-dated cheques or direct deposit information. It is necessary to have members commit for a year to ensure the planted crops and meat are compensated for.

This also allows Neu to plan his year and guarantees a regular supply of the organic food members need the most. There are options for a garden produce box, frozen assorted cuts of beef, ground beef, roasting chickens and/or eggs.

“The idea is to get people to sign contracts for the year for the majority of what they need per month by May 1,” said Neu. “This affords me the luxury of accurately planning for my year at seeding time. It is also convenient that when I make the trips, I know the sales have already been made and I don’t need to worry about collecting money or getting paid. At the same time, the member doesn’t need to worry about having money to pick up their delivery because it’s all been looked after.”

Customers, who want to change their orders in a month, or add items for a delivery, may easily do so by contacting him before delivery date or taking chances with what items he has tucked away.

“I always have extras on the truck for drop offs so if you want an extra chicken or pickles and wild rice or what-have-you, I can usually accommodate that – even for non-members.”

The delivery this Friday is the last of the season for Neu, who is also hoping the event will encourage people unfamiliar with his produce or with ECO farms to come out to buy what he will have on the truck. Right now he has potatoes, carrots, beets, frozen vegetables, sauerkraut, whole wheat flour, pasta, eggs, chicken, beef, pickles and wild rice.

For current members, Neu has an incentive. “If you sign up a friend for the coming contract year, you’ll receive $40 worth of selected products (depending on what Keith has each month), either all at once or spread out over the year. Tell this person to write “referred by” and your name at the bottom of their contract, and Keith will make note of this $40 product-credit on your account.”

For more information on Neu and the ECO farm, go to his website

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