Meet our Farm Partner: Ferme BonneTerre
Our sourdough breads begin as wheat grown on a farm. The back-to-the-land movement was one of the founding inspirations for Bread Alone, centering the positive impact that organic agriculture has on our health and the health of our planet.
Meet Ferme BonneTerre
Our largest mill partner, La Milanaise, fills our silos multiple times a week with thousands of kilos of organic flour sourced from regional North American farms. One of these farms–Ferme Bonneterre (or the Good Soil Farm)--is located in Saint Paul, Quebec, a short 4 hour drive from our Kingston production bakery.
Ferme Bonneterre was started by brothers in 1985, growing over the decades from a modest family farm to the 5000 acre farm they are today. In 2014 the family decided to transition to organic farming, a result of what felt intuitive in their own kitchens at the time and was confirmed by research on the negative health impacts of conventional farming. We learned about their work from the daughter of one of the founding brothers, Angelie, who is part of the next generation of the farm’s leadership along with her husband and brother.
Transitioning to organic
Transitioning to organic was a very personal decision for the family. Angelie’s father had been in the farming community since a young age. Around his 50th birthday, many of his friends and neighbors began being diagnosed with cancer. This prompted some independent research, which led to the realization and belief that exposure to many of the chemicals commonly used in conventional farming are linked with cancers and other diseases. Having his family and employees exposed to potentially toxic chemicals concerned him deeply, and made the decision to immediately transition the entire farm to organic an imperative.
Despite some of the challenges that come with transitioning, the entire farm team was excited to be a part of this meaningful shift. Farming organically can be a tremendous amount of work during the summer because weeds need to be removed mechanically across thousands of acres instead of simply applying herbicide. Angelie believes the tradeoffs are worth it to care for the health of people and the land. She said “A very motivated team and some great equipment helped make the change go smoothly.”
utilizing cover crops
At Ferme Bonneterre, they prioritize a mix of crops including soybeans, wheat, spelt, corn, and oats that improve the soil. They utilize cover crops to ensure the soil is always in use, which helps build structure and support the microorganisms within. They have noticed a significant difference in their soil compared to conventional fields in the last decade, with their practices ultimately leading to better crop yields.
family- oriented
The operation is very family-oriented, and they truly love working together to run their farm. Every Sunday the family enjoys corn flour pancakes, made with cornmeal milled at the mill they’ve built on the farm. When asked what it means to feed people good, organic food, Angelie shares “It's everything. It's why we do it, it's our pride.”
We appreciate the hard work of organic farms like Ferme Bonneterre, and are honored to help bring their grains to people’s kitchens. Our breads are only as good as the organic grains inside of them.
