This question has been asked before among the U.S. members of the forum. What might I encounter here in Ontario if I were to set up a roadside stand for veggies or put out a sign for eggs? And I know the big dairies are not allowed to sell milk privately, but what about the small time homesteader?

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), August 21, 2001

Answers

If your setup is like ours in Australia (and it seems to be) then ask your provincial Department of Agriculture extension officer first - their interest will be in helping you do things, rather than stopping you. When you've got pointers, then you could approach local government officers, but they're likely to be the first line of enforcement of health matters, and so if you strike one with a wrong attitude s/he might have more interest in enforcing regulations (thus either justifying their job or helping their power trip) than in helping you. Possibly better if you can walk in off the street and ask for printed material, or at least ring in advance and use a name which you feel you could justify (maiden name? Ask on behalf of a relative?), but which they won't find on property records or in the phone book. Possibly also say you're interested in buying property in the district (true, yes?) and ask them to post it to you at a relative's address (no lies, nie?). The best approach here is to tell the truth and nothing but the truth - but only as much truth as suits your purposes.

I would expect that you wouldn't be allowed to sell raw milk for human consumption. You may be able to get away with large notices saying how well you treat your milk, even that you do pasteurise your milk if you do, price it accordingly, but label it as not for human consumption because of health regulations. I don't think I'd be prepared to sell raw milk these days because of legal liability - even if your milk isn't the cause of problems, not pasteurising it leaves a loophole through which you are vulnerable, and can you afford a lawsuit against a legal firm working on a contingent-fee basis? As far as sale of produce goes, if you have produce you'd like to sell in small quantities, but regulations go against you, can you work out a barter locally - says eggs for ....? bacon? fruit? cloth?

-- Don Armstrong (from Australia) (darmst@yahoo.com.au), August 21, 2001.

Cathy--we farmed in Ontario many years before moving to b.c. The info you need is under the min. of ag. (farm gate sales) We used to be able to sell veggies, eggs, topsoil, plants. Most everything except milk. Your Min of Ag. office locally can give you up to date info. Good luck and welcome to the forum. Tomas

-- tomas (bakerzee@hotmail.com), August 22, 2001.