Farmers & Chefs.........
If done right, there can be quite a unique relationship built between select chefs and organic farmers. This is what has happened with us now. We have been successfully able to create over the years, relationships with some really awesome smokin' chefs! These are the ones that are regular shoppers at our markets, 5 currently during each week. They are constantly asking how the weather is affecting us, what new crops to expect shortly, anything new, anything ending for the season? These are the chefs that truly care about eating local, eating with the seasons etc,etc. I can tell that if these particular professionals lived in my small town, they would be regulars on my farm and take pride in showing their staff how to pick off the vine and what quality truly tastes like. Plus, I take pride and grin like hell when they insist on telling us how they used our produce and how their clientel was 'wowed'! Love the 'good news food stuffs'. They also understand and do not expect cheap, wholesale prices. We have established ourselves with the general public at all our markets to the point where we no longer have to 'bend over' and kiss ass for wholesale vegetables prices and just be 'grateful' that someone bought our produce. We have a few hundred folks weekly looking for our stuff, so we no longer have to tug on our overalls, shrug and say "Well shucks, was kinda hoping for $2 for that bushel, but well, ok, you obviously know more about price important buyer person..." Done with that now. Our chefs know we are in Toronto selling fresh from the fields TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS & SATURDAYS and understand that the rest of the time we are on farm harvesting.
If you are a chef, do want the best, certified organic and local, visit the markets. Befriend a farmer, and show respect. I can smell someone a mile away who's out to use for a buck. Beat it. Thank goodness, my chefs are just wonderful people period. Thank you for that.