Meet YYC Growers & Distributors
YYC Growers is an alliance of Urban/SPIN (s-mall p-lot in-tensive) farmers and entrepreneurial food producers, all of whom are on a mission to make Calgary more food secure. They've grown in a short time to include ten members producing and distributing everything from a wide range of vegetables to loaves of bread and B.C. fruit in thoughtful ways.
SPIN farming is an entrepreneurial method of agriculture that has exploded in the urban farming world in recent years, turning thousands of backyards and other small plots of urban land into productive, environmentally friendly, commercial micro farms. SPIN farms are close to markets, use organic methods, require little investment capital, and are probably popping up closer and in greater numbers around you than you might realize.
Skills, knowledge, and tools are shared between members of YYC Growers, creating a supportive network that is often lacking for new farmers, such as these, who are pioneering business models that will change the shape of our food system. The group also shares the cost and effort to market and distribute their produce, further simplifying business in a way that would be impossible for them as individuals.
YYC Growers consists of The Dirt Boys, Double Elle Bakery, The Eden Project, Grand Trunk Veggies, GreenBerry Microgreens, Happiness By The Acre, Hillhurst Microfarms, Leaf and Lyre, The Salad Spinners, and The Apple Lady. The collective pools their harvest and offers not only produce for sale at various farmers' markets around the city but also CSA shares, meaning that you can purchase a share at the beginning of the season and collect your portion of their harvest weekly throughout it, ensuring you a steady supply of fresh, high-quality veg. Many of the varieties they produce are uncommon and unavailable at supermarkets, and challenge you to try new flavors and broaden your diet. Highly recommended!
Read more about the collective and about the individual members on their website www.yycgrowers.com
