Wallenstein organic producer finds itself in the spotlight
3Gen Organics is one of the stops in the second season of Farm to Fork series hosted by chef Nick Benninger
YOUNG FARMER BRETT ISRAEL KNOWS pigs are not particularly fussy, but even they prefer his organic food, he insists.
“They’re not the pickiest eaters, but you’ll know when they’re really happy,” said the 27-yearold, who feeds his hogs only crops he grows without synthetic fertilizer or pesticides.
The 3Gen Organics’ farm and store near Wallenstein, run by three generations of Israels, is being featured in a second season of the TV series Farm to Fork, which is hosted by former St. Jacobs chef Nick Benninger and highlights six great producers from the region.
The others are Canada’s only crab apple farm, Appleflats in Wellesley, as well as the Stevanus Family Farm in Bloomingdale, Church Hill Farm in New Hamburg, Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life in Bright and Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery in Ayr.
Brett, who works alongside his father Jamie, 51, and grandfather Carl, 82, says the organic pig-raising methods they switched to in 2018 are actually very similar to those used by the oldest member of the family in his youth before farming practices everywhere became more intensive.
“It was a tremendous benefit to dad and I to have grandpa as a great teacher, because he farmed that way and knew the husbandry techniques needed to be successful,” he said.
“And while it certainly is a learning curve for both me and dad, I think that you really get a much greater insight into how unique these animals are, and the personality that they can bring to the table, particularly when you’re raising pigs from birth right to market size.
“How you treat the animal affects how they treat you. If you provide them with the best quality environment, the best quality feed, they’re going to be resilient.
“They’re going to be highly productive animals, and they’re going to create some delicious and nutritious pork that we get to serve our customers.”
More than the corn and soybeans traditionally used to fatten hogs, they grow a variety of all-organic crops for the pigs to eat, including wheat, barley, kale, oats, peas, alfalfa, clover and hairy vetch.
Brett, who also works with his brother Luke, says that growing and feeding the hogs more forage instead of grains is both better for “dietary diversity” but also necessary because without synthetic pesticides “you can run into weed problems” and that requires more crop rotation.
As organic pigs, they not only have to eat organic, they also have to be allowed to roam outdoors and, when indoors, have about two and a half times the interior space of typically raised hogs, plentiful straw bedding and no use of antibiotics.
Jamie said Brett inspired the conversion to organic after returning from Queen’s University in Kingston, where he studied commerce but discovered his true calling in life was farming.
And, since making the change and prioritizing quality and profit margins over volume, the middleaged Israel says he’s found his “why” and that his father Carl has also rediscovered his passion.
“When Brett returned from school with an innovative idea, and new vision of the future for the family farm, it ignited a new level of learning for dad, which created a whole new set of challenges and learning opportunities for him, not only with the land, with our soil, but also with our animals,” said Jamie.
“And, you know, I would say it’s brought us all closer together. There’s nothing better in life than working with your family.”
With their new model of business doing well, the Israels, whose farm has actually been in family hands for five generations, decided to open up a retail store in 2021.
Most of their products are made from the crops, vegetables and meat they farm, including their own homegrown corn tortilla chips and preserves but also sausages, bacon, ham, pork and a range of meat pies and artisanal wood-fired pizzas made by Those Pizza Guys of St. Jacobs.