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GYPSY FAMILY FARM
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Welcome to Gypsy Family Farm. We are a 250 acre farm located on beautiful Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada. While our farm does produce traditional commodities such as lamb, free range eggs, rabbits, exotic fowl and hay, our speciality is our produce. We have close to four acres in production (that's a lot of weeding and picking for two people!) and it's all grown naturally... NO CHEMICALS!
We do not focus on any one crop as we feel that monocultures are simply an invitation to disaster. Instead, we try to grow a "little of everything". We do have our favourites however, and these include squash (both summer and winter), tomatoes (50 to 100 varieties a year), peppers, peas, mixed lettuces, cucumbers and various melons.
On top of all the fruits and vegetables that we grow, we also produce maple syrup, honey (although our bees are primarily employed as pollinators) and a wide range of jams, jellies, pickles and relishes. In the spring and early summer, many plants can be purchased from the farm. We focus on plants, especially perennials, that work well in our climate.
Visits to the farm are encouraged. Often we are so busy that our regular customers treat the garden as a pick-your-own operation. This ensures that they get the freshest and choicest of foods. For those who don't want to "work" for their food, our roadside stand is generally well stocked and any missing items can be picked on demand if they are in season.
For the road weary, there are picnic tables available. Manitoulin's many cyclists often stop to chat and rest. Most tables are up front but one special table is located in the back of the garden, on a small island in our pond. Pets can be walked in the front area. We do encourage leashes as some of our guests don't share our enthusiasm for dogs. However, dogs are strictly forbidden in the garden area as there is a strong potential for spread of disease if pets are allowed free access to this area.
Visiting children often line the fences looking at lambs, goats, donkeys, llamas, peafowl, chickens, ducks etc. You never know what might walk by. Animals are often on display at the front area as well. Unfortunately, we no longer allow tours inside the barnyard... our insurance company does not like the risk...
While a visit to the farm is the most fun and personal way to see where your food comes from, not everyone has the time. For this reason we attend all local Farmers' Markets. These are held in Gore Bay Fridays from 9-1, in Mindemoya Saturdays 9-1 and Little Current Tuesdays 9-1. Even if you have already been to the farm, we encourage you to visit the Farmers' Markets. Manitoulin Island is home to many creative and innovative people who sell all manner of locally made products. There is everything from fine art to jewelry to soaps to pottery and much more. There is also an incredible array of baked goods and both Gore Bay and Mindemoya markets offer small coffee vendors with the world's friendliest service. We look forward to seeing you all, both at the farm and at the markets!
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