The Rural Voice, 1998-05, Page 22Forward and back
A young Wingham-area family chooses
two different paths to lead to the kind of
life that makes sense to them
Story and photos by Bonnie Gropp
On one hand, they are joining a 1990s trend of taking
produce beyond the farm gate. On the other hand,
they're turning their back on the most elementary
tool modern farmers take for granted: the tractor.
Mike and Cynthia Beretta have their own agenda for
farming and for life.
For the couple farming is not just a way to make a living
— it's a matter of conscience. The Berettas have been
farming organically in Moms Township near Wingham for
five years. A graduate of the University of Guelph, Mike
says the decision to farm organically was made simpler by
the fact that the family started out that way. "There was no
conversion process," says Mike. From the time they came
to their 60 -acre farm at RR4, Wingham the choice to use
neither synthetic fertilizer nor pesticides on their crops, nor
antibiotics on livestock was immediate.
But, while the couple was comfortable with the choice
they had made for their product, they had struggled with
another issue. Mike's editorial in the fall 1997 newsletter
from the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario
(EFAO) explained his feelings. "At some point the so
called `organic movement' will have to start taking its eyes
off the soil. We cannot continue promoting sustainability
Mike and Cynthia Beretta (above) have their own way of
viewing life. They recently opened a modern butcher shop
in Brussels but they also have returned to horsepower on
their Wingham-area farm (below).
18 THE RURAL VOICE