EAT RIGHT. EAT LOCAL.

With the organic movement gaining momentum, there's no better time than now to source right at local farms. Destin Tay shows you where.

At this point, the benefits of going organic are definitely clear cut; not only is it a more sustainable way of agriculture, it’s also much healthier for the body. That being said, a product is only as good as its demand, and the increased cost of organic produce may be a turn-off for some.

However, things have certainly changed in recent years. According to a 2019 survey by Rakuten Insight, as much as 54 percent of Singaporeans are willing to pay up to 25 percent more for organic food. The numbers certainly do not lie, with many supermarkets and retailers such as NTUC reporting an annual growth of more than 20 percent in organic food sales. The increase in demand has also paved the way for the rise of organic farms and farm-to-table concepts in Singapore.

Take Open Farm Community for example. A collaboration between Spa Esprit Group and Edible Garden City, the community food project has been an ardent supporter of the urbangrowing movement in Singapore, and has continued to push the boundaries of sustainability since its opening in 2015. Head chef Oliver Truesdale-jutras himself has seen the growth first hand.

“We’ve begun to see much more interest and engagement with our customers, especially with many of our Pluck and Play events, where guests come down to get their hands dirty, learn about farming, and most importantly, drink and eat,” he shares. “People care a lot about where their food comes from now; be it its place of origin or how it is grown. I do hope that since the demand has been proven, the stakeholders can see that it is a viable business and seek to improve the supply chain, making organic food cheaper and more accessible.”

Recently, Open Farm Community has also started the new OFC Provisions, a new resilience grocer aimed at supporting local farms. Its Community Support Agriculture Box ($35) is their pride and joy, containing 3kg worth of mixed vegetables from an array of local producers, including Kin Yan Mushrooms and MEOD. Beyond fresh food boxes, its DIY Pasta Kit ($34.30) is also a great way to experience sustainable, organic food from the comfort of home.