Growers of Organic Food Yukon (GoOFY), a Yukon association, promotes organic practices and provides support, education, and advocacy about organic growing and processing.

Logo Design Contest: Congratulations to Belinda Michaud who submitted the winning logo design that you now see at the top of the page. Belinda won a cash prize of $100 and a basket of fresh, local farm product to be collected this summer.

Next formal meeting: September.
We'll be meeting for at local farms at least a few times this summer to talk about farm issues and do a little work together.

Growers of Organic Food Yukon Members
(don't forget to renew your membership for 2013)

Farm Membership: $35 per year (up to 2 votes); Individual Membership: $20 per year

Members who would like to create a farm website, or link to their site from this one, please call Simone 393-4628.

Kids on Farms - Krista Roske has completed phase one of this project which surveyed farms, developed a program guide and farm catalogue, and indentified farms and schools interested in participating in the program. Phase two is a pilot project to formalize a farm tour program for Whitehorse classes from kindergarten through grade twelve. Classes will be accommodated on a first come, first serve basis.

Curious Gardener - will start this spring with web episodes and will be airing this summer on Channel 9. The Curious Gardener will act as a resource and database for farmers and groewrs in the territory by promoting the best methods and ways of growing food in the circumpolar north. The gardening series, hosted by Arlin McFarlane will showcase farms in the Yukon.

Meeting Minutes

Important Documents

Organic Federation of Canada/Fédération biologique du Canada (OFC/FBC)

The Canadian Organic Standard has been adopted. Certified organic producers in the territory may now include the Canada Organic logo on their product labels (as long as they are inspected each year). Joanne Jackson Johnson represents the territory organic producers on the council.

Copies of the standard can be obtained from Matt at the Yukon Agriculture Branch office or from Canadian Organic Growers.

Other great links related to certification:
Dalhousie University - Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada
USDA - Organic Extension Services

Projects and Ideas

We often have the opportunity to put up a display at a public function - farmers meeting, farmers market, trade show, visiting speaker, local food event.  We have agreed for years that we should have something we could set up at a moment's notice rather than trying to come up with an appropriate display for each event. Belinda Michaud, our winning logo designer is working on a series of three posters which will be ready in time for the outdoor summer market.

What's Up Yukon columnist, Joan Norberg, writes a farming/gardening column called Frost to Frost.

Tom and Simone Rudge maintain the Yukon Food website and welcome submission of articles or suggestions for updates. For a $50 contribution to the Growers of Organic Food Yukon, we'll host a page for your farm too.

If you live in the Yukon (or northern BC), come join other local farmers and gardeners who are interested in using organic growing methods.

You don't need to be big and you don't need to be certified. Find out how to get the best tasting, healthiest food from your garden or farm.

Farm membership $35/year, individuals $20/year.

Yukon Contact Information

Phone: (867) 633 4201
Email: lendrumross (at) northwestel.net

P.O. Box 20228
Whitehorse, Yukon
Y1A 7A2

Feeling out of the loop? There's a slew of great books out there. Many can be borrowed from the Public Libraries in the Yukon, or the Energy, Mines and Resources library on the third floor of the Elijah Smith building, or COG members can request books from the COG library. We now have our own library too in the office in Shipyards Park. Any member can borrow or contribute books, videos, or magazines.

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