Growing organic local food for over 20 years, our goal at McBride's Organic Farm has been to provide fresh, farm food to our customers with the smallest ecological footprint possible. Locally grown food saves energy and helps to reduce the effects of climate change.
Owned and operated by Sharon McBride, the farm runs as much as possible on biodynamic principles that are a leading example of sustainable agriculture. Our closed-circle approach to farming in Oro Township relies on cover crops and green manures in our gardens for soil fertility. Our produce is all certified organic by ProCert.
Sharon McBride and her late husband Doug farmed together since 1984. The road to organics began with a little farm in Campbellville, Ontario. A few years later they settled
in Oro Township and that is where McBride's Organic Farm as you know it came into existence. In 1994 they became full-time farmers and the following year they committed full-time to organic farming. They started farming organically for ourselves initially and later, we recognized a demand for local organic produce. McBride's Organic Farm was then certified organic in 1996.
With Doug's passing in 2021, the day-to-day farming baton has been passed to 3 new growers, who are more than capable of keeping the farm thriving. On our 10 (or so) acres of garden, they grow just about every type of vegetable: starting the organic seedlings while the snow is still on the ground and transferring them to our greenhouses when conditions allow. Our tunnels also allow for season extension to make the most of our growing season and provide you with local organic produce as late into the year as possible. In fact, our last root crops come out of the ground in November and are sold through the winter months at market.
From the greenhouse our seedlings are planted out to the garden, and harvested all summer long. We succession-plant our greens (spinach, chard, kale, lettuces and salad mixes) to keep the fresh produce coming! (The bulk of the remaining 95 acres of McBride's Organic Farm is dedicated to our beef herd as pasture land and space for growing hay and grain crops. All the food and bedding for the cattle is grown right here, and on nearby farms that have transitioned to organic certification.)
Although Sharon is no longer at the Barrie and Orillia markets, you will find McBride's Farm organic produce at the Barrie market through Behr Farm (Brendan), Orillia fairgrounds market through Camphouse Farm (Greg), and the Coldwater market through Ants Marching Farm (Mackenzie).
As the seasons progress, we will see how all this plays out - in the meantime, everyone is working hard, and ready to grow and market their crops!
Don't hesitate to contact us with any requests or questions.
Contact us by email with any questions about farm produce -
Every Picture tells a Story. If a picture tells 1000 words what will 1000 pictures tell you? Someday we at McBride's Organic Farm hope to provide you with that answer. Until then we hope that you enjoy our small selection of photos from the farm. Our Farm Gallery shows the people, produce, tools and conditions that bring you the food that we know you will enjoy!.