My April column for CBC Radio One’s Alberta at Noon was all about a new website called Soil Mate.
The Soil Mate website acts like a match making service between consumers and farmers. Just as internet matchmaking services helps people find their soul mate, this site will help you find your “soil mate”. But, it’s all brand new and Soil Mate needs help building a directory of farmers, farmer’s markets and wineries that will span North America. We can all help. Here’s a bit more information and my podcast.
There are many farm directories across our continent but this is the first that promises to overcome fragmentation by region or special interest. Farmers can register for free and are instantly listed. Consumers can set up an account for free. Advertisers will be screened for philosophical alignment.
As the website grows and more and more farms are added, you’ll be able to search by area or by product from all the farms that will pop up when the system identifies your 100 mile radius of “local”. You’ll be able to construct a “trail” of farms and a map to plan out your visit. You’ll be able to look for farms, farmer’s markets and wineries as agri-tourism destinations to add a culinary component to future vacations across North America AND you’ll be able to review them all as you would on Urbanspoon or Trip Advisor.
Here’s the podcast from my radio broadcast with Alberta at Noon’s host Donna McElligot.
I hope you’ll tell the farmers you know and help build this data bank. A bank filled with our farmers – our soil mates – is something that will help us savour it all for years to come.
