Harvest Hastings

ABOUT

Harvest Hastings is all about celebrating the wonderful area we live in and the tremendous diversity and richness in the agricultural sector of Hastings County. The project began in 2008 and is supported by the farm community and community leaders. Harvest Hastings focuses on the tremendous diversity and richness within the agriculture and resource sectors in Hastings County, and the potential for increasing the supply of local food, educating people about agriculture and the role farmers play environmentally, and encouraging tourism based around agriculture and food.

The  Harvest Hastings website has a growing number of farmers and producers listed on Local Food/Local Products with information about a growing number of farmers' markets, cheese factories, abattoirs, farm stores, restaurants, caterers and other places to purchase local food. It is all about Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food. Sustainability highlights ways of living lightly on the land. It includes news items, news links, audio, video, and web links and is divided into Caring for Land, Climate Change, Green Communities, and Local Agriculture and tourism.

The County of Hastings County runs over 100 miles from the Bay of Quinte to North Algonquin Park. It includes Hastings County, the City of Belleville and the City of Quinte West.

VISION

A vibrant agricultural community, sustainable agriculture based on ecological principles, healthy ecosystems, and long–term food security for the people of Hastings County.

MISSION

Harvest Hastings promotes sustainable agriculture, our creative agricultural community and local food and other products produced in Hastings County, through celebration, education, marketing, networking initiatives, and programs that build understanding and support from consumers.

OBJECTIVES

Harvest Hastings is a marketing and branding initiative whose principal objective is to promote local food and resource production, and educate the general public (including children) on the availability and merits of consuming local food and other agricultural commodities produced in Hastings County.

Harvest Hastings seeks to develop a vibrant, local food economy, including innovative products, services and experiences for residents and tourist consumers in Hastings and surrounding counties.

Harvest Hastings fosters the creation of infrastructure and distribution networks throughout the supply chain. It recognizes a strong regional food system, which supports sustainable production and broad access to healthy food for its population, is a significant determinant of healthy communities.

Members of Harvest Hastings represent individuals and businesses from all parts of the supply chain and may include representatives from local municipal offices and agriculture and/or economic development offices.

ANNUAL REPORTS

You can download the Harvest Hastings Annual Reports 2011, 2010, and  2009.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Kevin Durkin - (past chair) beef farmer, Hastings Federation of Agriculture

Dale Ketcheson (chair) - cash crop, seed merchant, Soil and Crop Association

John Richter - Richters Greenhouse

Nadine Richter - Richters Greenhouse

Jennifer Davis - livestock producer, teacher, Ph.D.

Frank Forestell - Hastings Stewardship Council, soil and crop expert 

Andrew Redden - County of Hastings, Economic Development Manager

Henny Bergveld - City of Quinte West Agricultural Committee

Klaasje Bergveld - livestock producer, City of Belleville

Faz Rahman - Coe Hill Farmers Market, Bakery and Cafe, chef 

Judy Kupezc - Sheep producer 4 H Club leader, educator

Richard Barber - Beef farmer, retired dairy farmers

Al Lafrenière - Black River Farm, tourism operator

Jeff Ferguson - Springbrook Farm, livestock producer

Diane McPherson - Grills Orchards, Bakery

Kirsten Neumann- Stephens, teacher, alpaca farmer

Karen Fischer - advisor, OMAFRA 

Jim Pedersen - advisor, Hastings Stewardship Council co-ordinator OMNR

MEETINGS

The Harvest Hastings board meets on the third Thursday of every month at the Moira Community Hall, 29 Carson Road, Moira. 

MEMBERS

Members of Harvest Hastings can vote at the annual genral meeting, stand for election to the board, and  are invited to take part in events. The 2011 membership fee is $20. There is no cost to having a profile on the website. Please contact the co-ordinators for more information.

CO-ORDINATORS

Louise Livingstone, Harvest Hastings co-ordinator  (613) 395-4388, louise [at] tubb [dot] ca (louise [at] tubb [dot] ca), 251 Goods Road, RR#2, Stirling, Ontario K0K3 E0 or Jim Pedersen, Hastings Stewardship Council co-ordinator (613) 478-6875, jim [dot] pedersen [at] ontario [dot] ca (jim [dot] pedersen [at] ontario [dot] ca).

PARTNERS

Harvest Hastings is a partnership between farmers in Hastings County, the Hastings Stewardship Council, the Hastings Federation of Agriculture, the County of Hastings, the City of Quinte West, and the City of Belleville. The Province of Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Government of Canada also support Harvest Hastings. Thanks goes to the Municipality of Centre Hastings for providing administrative support.