One sunny Sunday afternoon approximately 4 years ago, I found myself driving through a small section of rural Ancaster with
my partner in life. It was a Sunday not that much different from any other Sunday except for the fact that I was about to
discover something truly wonderful. As we meandered down one country road after another we were always vigilant in our
pursuit of local discovery. Today we would not be disappointed. Tucked away on the side of the road suddenly appeared a
small, unassuming farm market accompanied by a sign that read “fresh herbs”. Fancying myself as a long time foodie and
feeling the pangs of hunger setting in as the day unfolded behind us it seemed only logical that we stop and investigate. As we
pulled into the gravel driveway and parked the car I began to wonder if anyone actually inhabited this place as there was a
conspicuous absence of anybody in a traditional position of authority that you would expect to find in a “market”. Undeterred
we exited the vehicle and I was immediately struck by the pleasantly powerful aroma of fresh herbs, Rosemary, oregano, basil,
thyme and a plethora of other fragrances. These smells were a prelude to the visual splendour of rows upon rows of beautiful,
healthy, fresh herb plants, laid out before me in long, straight, green, leafy lines. I made a B-line for the closest plants and
plucked a leaf of purple basil and savoured its fragrance. It was instant aroma therapy and at that moment I knew I had to meet
the individual responsible for this wonderful creation. No sooner had the thought crossed my mind when a tall, rustic, grey
haired man approached me. “Beautiful, aren’t they” he said with a smile. I quickly concurred with his observation and
introduced myself. He replied in kind “Stan Jackson” at which point he extended his hand and said “nice to meet you”. Little did
I know that this was the beginning of a relationship that would impact my future in a profound way.
Stan Jackson, or Farmer Stan as I now call him, is a 66 year old professional agriculturist who loves food. His first
passion in life was photography and he obtained his Masters in the subject from the University of Guelph in 1967. It wasn’t long
after he graduated that an opportunity to acquire a small farm in Mississauga presented itself and he dawned his farmer hat for
the first time. He decided to focus his efforts on vegetables and quickly indoctrinated himself in the art of sweet corn, growing
over 15 varieties. “Variety is the spice of life” he would often say to me in the years to follow. Surrounding farmer Stan’s corn
patch you could easily find all the other vegetables you might expect to find in a poly cultural farm, and never just one kind of
anything. “I grow a lot of nothing but a little of everything” he would say while sporting a charismatic smile and a knowing
twinkle in his eye. This man fancied himself as a foster parent for wayward vegetables, produce that no longer had a place in
today’s perfect, nothing short of pristine, supermarket produce section. “Some of the best tasting food is also the ugliest food”
he would say while examining a pale white Heirloom tomato, sporting the shape of an unformed gob of dough baked in an
oven. His Mississauga farming adventure came to an end in the late 70’s due to urban sprawl and a need for another “Super
Mall” this one dubbed Square One. The next chapter in his life found him in his own bakery in the Town of Ancaster, where he
further cultivated his love of food. Staying true to his style, his bakery took on the same complexion as his old farm and he
developed numerous proprietary recipes and a large clientele to consume his creations. Unfortunately as the area grew into an
affluent, upper middle class region, the powers that be concluded that rents and taxes were far too low and with the stroke of a
pen, turned off his ovens for good. Wondering what to do next Farmer Stan turned again to the great outdoors and purchased
a small 20 acre farm on the outskirts of town and dubbed it “Posh Nosh Farm” where he has delighted his patrons with some of
the best sweet corn in the Province if not the whole country for the last 10 years.
When presented with an interview assignment in my “Sociology of Food” course I instantly thought of my friend
“Farmer Stan” and invited him over for a glass of my homemade wine so I could pick his brain and discover what changes in
food this 66 year old vegetable Sheppard had experienced.
While conducting my interview I stayed true to the questions suggested by my instructor adding my own probing
inquiries to uncover additional detail, and add colour and depth in the information that was to follow. Here is a summary of
what I learned....
First off, breakfast was a much simpler affair pertaining to selection than we experience today. As a young boy Stan often
consumed some of the mainstay cereals that still dawn our supermarket shelves today, such as Cornflakes, Rice Crispies,
Shreddies and Oatmeal. What struck me immediately was the lack of sugar coated products. The milk for his morning breakfast
was initially supplied by the “milkman” or fresh from a jersey cow when the neighbours had some to spare. A breakfast of
Bacon and eggs was something that was only consumed on weekends and even then only occasionally.
Lunch was comprised of a split between homemade and canned soups, the earlier gave way to the later when his mother found
herself with a full time job working in a banquet hall. Sandwiches were also common place at the lunch table.
For dinner, Stan and his small family would enjoy beef, chicken and pork, “lots of pork” he would say. Variety was ever present
at dinner, as his father travelled to Africa for work on numerous occasions and was always bringing back non traditional cuisine
from a far off place like fried plantain or “fried bananas” as he called them. Fresh was always at the table and in season
vegetables commanded sizeable real estate on the family’s dinner plate.
On special occasions we would find Stan’s grandma in the kitchen, baking fresh breads and cakes of all kinds. These occasions
were often marked by rich stews of wild game such as rabbit, pheasant and Bob White quail. Preserves, jellies, jams and fresh
berries would adorn the table. “I loved thimble berries and could never seem to get enough of them” he would reminisce.
(Thimbleberry fruits are larger, flatter, and softer than raspberries, and have many small seeds. Because the fruit is so soft, it
does not pack or ship well, so thimbleberries are rarely cultivated commercially.) Other special treats consisted of canned
pineapple, tangerines and oranges which only appeared when they were in season.
Because refrigeration took the form of an “ice box” out of season foods were scarce during the winter months and canned and
dry goods would show up for dinner quite often. Potatoes, carrots, dried legumes and lots of stews and soups would be on the
menu.
During his childhood a trip to the grocery store would take him to the corner of his street. “Supermarkets as we see them today
did not exist, we went to the corner store to buy pretty much everything we needed in the way of food.” Stan’s supermarket
was a small family owned business where the purveyor was butcher, baker and grocer. In the summer/fall months they would
purchase fresh produce from the local farmers market to augment the produce grown in their back yard. “We would often
share our backyard harvest with our neighbors” he told me with them in turn sharing back across the fence which had many
benefits’ but the biggest one being variety.
Taking a giant leap forward in time I asked Stan to tell me what he observed as different in what the kids eat today. His answer
made me smile “Weird food” he replied “and everything is in plastic!” Packaging has changed dramatically since he was a boy,
glass, paper and metal cans giving way to plastic. He also noticed that portion sizes have changed, and he cited examples of
cheese sticks and yogurt tubes. “Cake mixes were the big processed food I remember as a kid” he concluded.
With parents that immigrated to Canada from England, dinner time was a somewhat a traditional affair. Occurring at 5 O’clock,
every day, Stan was expected to help prepare meals and set the table, “I enjoyed it” he would say, “It gave me time to talk to
my mother”. Corporal punishment was alive and well and “English dinner rules” were the name of the game. BBQ’s were a
special treat and a lot more effort that turning a knob and pushing a button like we enjoy today as they were constructed out of
brick and mortar and occupied a permanent space in the backyard.
Eating out in a restaurant was a very rare occasion for Stan as a boy, and as a rule only occurred when relatives would visit. “We
had too many good cooks in our family to go out to restaurants” he said proudly. Wine always accompanied these quasi festive
meals in the form of a homemade batch of dandelion or clover vino, and since the children were allowed to partake in a glass it
was a preference to eat at home. Fast food lacked the quality his family was accustomed to as well, so eating out was often
disappointing at best.
On the subject of fast food I asked Stan what establishments he remembered to which he replied, “Red Barn, A&W and Rocky’s,
there were very few chains like there are today”. The experience was also quite different as the food was brought to the car
and served on a tray that was supported by the car’s window.
One of the most interesting subjects we talked about was how he spent his allowance as a boy. I assumed that he would reply
with the logical response “I bought candy of course” and was taken aback to hear his response “I bought ammo for my gun”! It
would seem that Stan would spend his free time hunting for his treats which consisted of a variety of wild game like Doves, and
squirrels. “Stuffed squirrel was a favorite of mine” he recalled.
Finally I asked him to describe what he saw as the shift in today’s eater compared to when he was a child and he proceeded to
describe how today time seems to play a major factor in the way we eat, how everyone is stressed out. It was not uncommon
to spend 2 or 3 hours preparing and consuming a meal where today that would be unacceptable. He said “It’s not so much Fast
Food but that food is fast” He feels that to cook slow and enjoy food has become very much a hobby as oppose to the way of
life it once was. “Holiday cooking today is the same as everyday cooking in the past” he said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
He also observed a trend to go backward in time when it comes to meals, and he finds a humorous irony in the fact that this
trend is seen as unique and new, where he sees it as normal. His final observation was a sad one, “Convenience and gluttony
have taken the place of quality and family when it comes to eating nowadays.”
Conclusions and observations
As I watched Farmer Stan dawn his winter gear and prepare to leave my home and go back to his farm, I could not escape the
feeling that he and Michael Pollan are in many ways, very much kindred spirits, sharing many of the same observations and
ideals about our food. I also took great comfort and a strange sense of pridein knowing that I had just said goodnight to a real
live super hero, a true “defender of food” living just a stone’s throw away from my kitchen table. This brought a smile to my
face knowing that all the culinary experiences that await me as I pursue my education in this field, have food Super heroes like
Farmer Stan, working hard to put the slow back into food that has become ever faster, ever faster, ever faster still.
