If the crowds at the weekly Jasper Farmer’s Markets are any indication, Jasper residents appreciate fresh produce.

Twin Meadows Organics, a family-run farm out of McBride, B.C., bring their organic heirloom produce to the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge every week and they’re hoping to pick up some extra customers this fall. 

Garry and Wendy Lowe have owned their off-the-grid farm in the Robson Valley for 10 years. They have been selling their product to Discovery Organics out of Vancouver, but recently they have been unhappy with the environmental footprint their business is leaving. The produce leaves the farm for Vancouver, and from there is distributed. Garry says he even has buyers in Calgary who receive his produce from Vancouver. 

“We’re trying to re-align our values as farmers,” Garry said. “The environmental impact is really negative.” 

The Lowe’s chose Jasper as their potential market, and are launching a project to bring boxes to 10 people in Jasper each week along with their Jasper Park Lodge order. That means the produce will be shipped at absolutely no extra environmental impact, because the truck is already leaving the Robson Valley for Jasper. Garry said Jasper is the only nearby market that is big enough to sustain their business, while keeping up with their values. 

“It’s really quite isolated,” Garry said of Jasper. “For us it’s the perfect market.”

One thing Garry says is important, is to not step on the toes of other local food initiatives like the Jasper Local Food Society and the farmers’ markets, but instead compliment their efforts.

“A lot of stuff we grow, they don’t grow anyway,” Garry said of the many sellers at the weekly markets. “We sure don’t want it to be negative to anyone’s local food initiatives.”

Twin Meadows Farms is certified organic by Pacific Agricultural Certification Society (PACS Organic), and Garry says the farm is the only one around like it. The farm is about 70 per cent bordered by the Fraser River, and is lucky to have great soil for producing their heirloom vegetables. An heirloom vegetable is one that is in no way altered genetically or otherwise. The result is a farm-grown seed that doesn’t rely on corporate seed companies or their fertilizers. 

Garry says that organic foods are the only way to have food security. Many major food businesses draw from a limited amount of seed companies for their produce, which creates an unstable market because changing climates and other factors could affect the seeds. Organic produce is not only more sustainable, but it is more nutritious, Garry adds. 

Heirloom vegetables have the highest level of nutrition and easily adapt to the ever-changing environment, Wendy says. 

Produce can be shipped to distributors in bulk at a much lower cost, and Garry says they have calculated the costs down to each bin that will be shipped to Jasper and hope to keep the price low. 

Another reason for the shift in business, is that Garry and Wendy want to connect with the people eating their food.

“Now we want to connect to the mom and pop, the couples that eat the food,” Garry says. 

He adds that they hope to shift their business to Jasper away from the Vancouver-based Discovery Organics by the end of next year. The pilot box program will help them figure out if selling to Jasper will be a sustainable way to do business. If the project takes off, the Lowes hope to expand and bring more boxes to Jasper every week. 

“We think it’s a win-win for everyone,” he said. 

Visitors are welcome and encouraged to visit the farm, located 30 kilometres west of McBride. There, the couple live off the grid with a generator and batteries to supply energy. The batteries are charged by a new water wheel. 

The new program will see 10 people receive a box of produce every week. The Lowes will tell each person what will be in the box two weeks in advance. The root vegetables are always harvested the night before delivery, and the rest are hand-picked the morning of delivery. 

“You can’t get it any fresher,” said Wendy. 

The farm even uses horses to seed crops and create their own seeds. 

“We’re trying really hard to get back to zero impact,” Garry said. “This is as much a lifestyle as it is a business.”

For more information on Twin Meadows Farms, visit www.twinmeadowsorganics.com