Forest & Farm: Ecological Food Tourism
Forest & Farm is a small-scale, family-run farmstead located on 32 beautiful acres of mostly forested land near Commanda and Powassan, Ontario. The farm focuses on no-till vegetable and fruit farming, offering a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, sustainably foraged products, syrups, jams, jellies, and other preserves. They also produce small-batch homegrown or foraged teas, spices, and salves. The farm’s managed forest and environmentally protected wetlands, along with no-till garden spaces, serve as a hub for nature-connection opportunities, numerous skill and nature-based workshops, and overnight accommodations for guests, including tent camping and cabins. In 2027, the farm is expanding their offering to include a full “Forest-to-Fork” dining experience. Forest & Farm aims to improve food security, environmental stewardship, practical education, and responsible rural tourism!
Forest & Farm founder, Jennifer, harvesting fresh berries.
Fair Finance Fund has already supported Forest & Farm with financing to purchase materials and additional equipment to create new infrastructure, such as greenhouses, a wash station, and an outdoor kitchen/community dining area. These additions enabled the farm to extend their typical outdoor growing season, offering higher volumes of fresh local food to the community. The new infrastructure also facilitated workshops for individuals and groups, immediately enhancing their educational offerings.
New this year, additional financing will support Forest & Farm to grow further, including construction of a dedicated outdoor food preparation and processing kitchen, the development of a low-energy root cellar to improve crop storage and reduce spoilage, and adding in a small-scale composting system to reduce waste and improve soil health. All of these investments will help to increase production capacity, expand workshop offerings, improve food preservation, and support their new Forest-to-Fork programming.
The farm’s ecological farming methods and conservation of wild spaces are designed to keep the environmental impact of the business in balance with nature for the long term. They aim to reduce reliance on off-farm inputs through seed-saving, crop rotation, season extensions aided by greenhouses, and on-site soil composition improvements via composting. By promoting sustainable farming practices and providing environmental education, Forest & Farm fosters a deeper connection to the land and enhances the community’s capacity for self-sufficiency and stewardship.
Forest & Farm strives to create a space where individuals of all ages and backgrounds can feel welcome and supported in advancing their environmental and outdoor learning through collective and collaborative workshops and training sessions throughout the year. By collaborating with local organizations and knowledge-keepers, they ensure continuous learning and experience sharing, enriching each individual's capacity for self-sufficiency and stewardship, and benefiting the communities they belong to.
Fair Finance Fund is proud to continue to support their growth and growing impact!
