Tamarack Farms is a 390-acre working farm in Northumberland County, Ontario Canada. The land, fallow for more than 50 years, is being rehabilitated as a mixed-use farm using traditional, low-impact farming practices, and as a re-investment in the local, rural economy.
Only thirty-five percent of the land is cultivated and the balance is woodland, wetland, and grassland reflecting the commitment to biodiversity.
Certified Regenerative Agriculture
In 2023, the farm earned Regenerative Certification, by A Greener World, the first in Canada and one of the first globally to be designated. This certification assures annual third party validation, of our commitment to a set of planned agricultural practices that ensure the entire holding is not depleted by agriculture practices. Over time the soil, water, air, and biodiversity are improved and maintained to the greatest extent possible, in addition to community engagement and global best practices in labour management.
Our commitment is to create substantive and tangible criteria and measurements, that demonstrate that the farm is regenerative in a comprehensive fashion. This certification is the result of that journey and ensures transparency for the chefs we have the privilege to work with.
Animal Welfare
Essential to the farm philosophy is a deep and uncompromising commitment to the principles of animal welfare. The farm has earned Animal Welfare Approved certification, by A Greener World, considered to be the most rigorous ‘high-welfare’ standards in North America. Our sheep and pigs are Animal Welfare Approved non–GMO Certified, which assures our customers that our livestock are fed in the healthiest possible way, excluding any bio-engineered or GMO ingredients.
Farm Foods and Flowers
2014 was the first full growing season. Tamarack Farms continues to focus on heirloom vegetables, important Slow Ark of Taste varieties, and select open-pollinated hybrids such as those developed by Row 7 Seeds, and edible flower growing. We pursue a strategy of waste minimization through on-farm production of jams, jellies, and preserves using surplus harvest.
Our maple syrup operation is Certified Organic, by Pro-cert reflecting our commitment to the stewardship of the forest.
Products from the licensed farm-field kitchen has been recognized as;
2015 - 1st place at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto Canada, for its small-batch, Medium No.1 Maple Syrup
2016 - 1st place finish for Damson Plum and Orange Jam at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
2017 - 1st place for Seville Orange Marmalade at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
2018 - 3rd place at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto Canada, for its small-batch, Medium No.1 Maple Syrup
2019 - A gold award at the prestigious World Marmalade Festival in Penrith, UK for Seville Orange Marmalade, (finished with Dalwhinnie single malt whisky)
2020 - 1st place for Tomato Chutney aka Tomato Butter at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
2023 - 1st place for Cucumber and Cracked Black Pepper Jelly at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
As part of our farm ethos, we are a certified bee-friendly farm and have over 35 hives on the farm.
Wool Fibre Production
The Wool at Tamarack Farms product line includes custom, hand-woven, natural-coloured blankets, throws, throw pillows, yarns and sheepskins.
All of our wool products are of single-farm origin, offering full transparency and traceability. Products are 100% Canadian, often 100% Ontario made from Animal Welfare Approved home flocks of Cotswold and Shropshire heritage breeds, pasture-raised and wintered outdoors. We work with local Canadian mills and artisans to produce these limited-edition custom products.
In 2023, Tamarack Farms’ fleece won the 1st place award at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto in the natural-coloured long wools class.
Maple Syrup
Maple Syrup is the first farming activity of the year and signals the beginning of spring. Family, friends, neighbours, and often the chefs we work with, gather in the sugar shack to catch up after the winter, share stories, and plan for the growing seasons ahead.
Garden
It started as our kitchen garden, growing flavourful heirloom vegetables and herbs we love to eat, grown in a way we are comfortable eating – without insecticides or herbicides. Using flowers to attract pollinators, and creating gardens separate from each other for crop rotation.
Livestock
We breed and raise heritage sheep and heritage pigs in accordance with animal welfare global standards. This includes our flocks of Cotswold and Shropshire heritage sheep and our Mangalitsa and Tamworth pig breeds. We also raise a small number of purebred Aberdeen Black Angus steers.
Engagement
Our purpose remains steadfast: as stewards of the land and contributing to changing the global dialogue on food. The farm facilitates engagement by offering a space for people to gather and learn about the remarkable food at Tamarack Farms.