Producer Profile: Wheelbarrow Farm

When you enter the Sorauren Park fieldhouse for the Farmers’ Market, one of the first, welcoming aromas that meets you is the smell of warm, freshly made pulled pork sandwiches.  Wheelbarrow Farm’s Tony Neale happily serves his hungry customers the homemade sandwiches, made with the heritage, pastured pork from his farm.  Tony has always had a passion in farming and food.  Before operating Wheelbarrow Farm, he worked in Toronto restaurants for twelve years, was active in food politics, and always had his own garden.  When asked why he made the jump to being a farmer, he replied, “Farming is one of the few jobs in which you can do some good in the world.  You grow food, become sustainable, feed people, and educate at the same time.”  

Tony has been running Wheelbarrow Farm for the past four years, and each year continues to get better and better.  This past year was their best year to date.  “I think our success can be attributed to a combination of great helpers and great growing conditions.”  He takes on a number of workers at a time to help out on the farm – this upcoming year he will be taking four apprentices and two WWOOFers.  Together they will be learning hands-on techniques and theory at Wheelbarrow Farm, but they will also get experience from other farms that participate in the CRAFT model of exchanging educational workshops and field trips for farm interns. 

Wheelbarrow farm is located in Uxbridge, just one hour northeast of Toronto.  Every week they bring a variety of organic vegetables, chickens, soup hens, and pastured heritage pork to the Sorauren Farmer’s Market.  Each year, they try adding new varieties of fruits and vegetables to their fields.  Some of their diverse crops for this year include grapes, goji berries, hazelnuts, mini-kiwis, and Asian pears.  

Wheelbarrow Farm focuses on permaculture, while trying to use low-energy inputs.  “We try not to irrigate or till too much,” says Tony. “And we like to incorporate the animals as much as possible in our production. “ Permaculture aims to use all parts of a growing system to work together as a whole.  For example, rotating their pigs on to the vegetable fields allows the pigs to have enough space to roam and weeds to eat, while they also help to fertilize the soil where the plants grow.  

“I like being outdoors and working with all things that grow,” Tony goes on to say.  “This is a good job for creative types, you have your independence but you never know what’s going to happen.  You need to be problem-solving everyday, and go with the flow”.   This kind of positive, flexible attitude helps Neale to find creative strategies to issues when they do arise – his father plans to sell Wheelbarrow Farm in a few years, but he has a plan.  He’s been collaborating with other young farmers to possibly start up a farm co-op.  “There are lots of young farmers out there, but a shortage of access to land.  A few farmers can go in on something together.”

Tony is already great with collaborative efforts – last year he and two of the farm apprentices formed a band called the Sandy Pockets, which performed last year at the Sorauren Farmers’ Market.  In the band, Tony sings and plays guitar, and he hopes they’ll play their 1950s Do-Wop style music again at the market in the warmer weather.  We’ll be keeping an ear out for them! 

You can also hear the Sandy Pockets online here.