Why Sustainable Good Food Consulting?

The food we grow, purchase and create truly impacts our climate, biodiversity and culture. We can no longer be complacent about our food choices. Appropriate food selections preserve our soil, maintain our jobs, strengthen our wellbeing, stimulate our innovations, and preserve our traditions. Conscientious corporate and individual decisions today will lead to further beneficial food alternatives tomorrow.  

David Cohlmeyer’s broad experience in the food industry can help you contribute to Sustainable Good Food. He will work with you to actually make your contribution a profitable venture for you.

 

David's Approach

David provides a collaborative approach to agriculture and food consulting. His key purpose is to supplement knowledge to build the capacity for clients to dependably make thoughtful and sustainable decisions. He enables an educational process to profitably bring realization to business visions. David starts by identifying a clear and concise assessment of the problem. This typically addresses both the technical and organizational reasons why the problem exists. Working together with the client and the staff, they create relevant solutions. These must be fully understood and supported by everyone to assure effective implementation. Still working together, they evaluate success in resolving the problem.

 

Consulting Experience

David Cohlmeyer graduated from Purdue University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management. He started his career as an Internal Consulting Engineer for a large manufacturer primarily working in the “new” ecological projects such as recycling, tailings pond reclamation, and noise abatement. In the 1970’s, as a Systems Consultant , David worked with mid-sized manufacturers gathering input from the staff (from President, to clerks, to machinists) to create efficient and useful accounting and reporting systems.  

In the 1980’s he started consulting in the food industry by adapting natural ingredient recipes for co-packed retail sales. He also worked with The Big Carrot natural food market to create their first Vegetarian Café and to research a system for distributing locally grown organic foods. He consulted with Toronto hotels and restaurants to incorporate new vegetarian choices into their menus. In the 90’s, he assisted innumerable farmers help themselves enter local organic markets.

 

Sustainable Food Experience

After taking a night school cooking class with George Brown College’s renowned Chef Willy Brand, David fell in love with honest good food. He became owner/chef of Toronto’s acclaimed Beggars Banquet Restaurant. A few years later he began a catering business which made use of the quality garden ingredients he was learning to grow. To share what he was discovering about local good foods, David wrote a weekly column in The Globe and Mail. He also returned to George Brown College, this time to teach cooking classes. To further promote the concept of seasonal local foods and to create a network of local food professionals, he was founding president of the Toronto Culinary Guild.

Perceiving a demand for consistent supplies of high quality specialty local produce, David founded Cookstown Greens market garden in 1988. There was so much demand for the exceptional flavours and consistent service his staff was able to provide, that he determined the best way to grow a sustainable business was to expand the local supply by helping other farmers enter the market.  

David Cohlmeyer has now retired from the highly acclaimed Cookstown Greens business he built; to return to Professional Consulting. He continues his volunteer support of the local good food movement by being on the Advisory Council for Sustain Ontario, Borad Member for FarmSmart and Culinary Advisory Committee Georgian College.

Read more about David Cohlmeyer in this Edible Toronto article.

 

David’s generous contributions laid the groundwork for Southern Ontario’s local sustainable foods industry by:

• Speaking at many ecological agriculture conferences
• Helping found the first Feast of Fields farmer/chef celebration
• Helping create North America’s first Organic Farmers’ Market
• Writing magazine articles and appearing on TV and radio shows

Awards & Distinctions

Governor General’s Award

for Stewardship and Sustainability (2010)

The Governor General’s Award in Celebration of the Nation’s Table recognizes and celebrates the outstanding efforts of Canadians in improving the quality, variety and sustainability of all elements and ingredients of our nation’s table. Awards are presented to individuals who inspire, teach and delight us with their contributions. David was presented with the first ever Stewardship and Sustainability Award in June of 2010.

Environmental Award of Excellence

at the Green Toronto Awards (2010)

National Supplier of the Year Pinnacle Award

(2007)

Ontario Supplier of the Year

from The Ontario Hostelry Institute (2002)

Nabisco Canadian Food Writing Award

(1986)

• Why Sustainable Food Consulting Why Sustainable
  Food Consulting
• David's Approach David’s
  Approach
• Consulting Experience Consulting
  Experience
• Sustainable Food Experience Sustainable
  Food Experience
• Awards & Distinctions Awards &
  Distinctions

Green Business Strategies

• Enhancing the Triple Bottom LineEnhancing the Triple Bottom Line
• 

  Enhancing the Triple Bottom Line

  Enhancing the Triple Bottom Line is second nature to David. His broad knowledge of green business opportunities and sustainable food systems makes David an ideal candidate for helping to develop sustainable corporate strategies. As a forward thinking thought leader he has a practical intuition of forthcoming public desires. This can be beneficial for all stakeholders – the organization itself, the community in which it operates, and the environment which it protects.

   

  Triple Bottom Line

  Planet, People, and Profit is an inclusive way to value business. David can help corporations protect the environment, benefit local communities, and assure profits for all stakeholders involved.

• Social EnterpriseSocial Enterprise
• 

  Social Enterprise

  Social Enterprise is an excellent fit with Urban Agriculture. Many troubled individuals feel an immediate connection with growing food. This work is labour intensive while capital moderate, meaning that the social benefits can be cost effective. The products are something needed every day yet are derived from simple inputs of labour, water, air and sunlight. This can be a tremendous benefit to the local community. David’s deep-rooted understanding of sustainable gardening allows him to coach the driver of the project as well as explain the project for supporters. David’s experience can prevent problems and bring measurable long-term success to urban agriculture ventures.

   

  Benefit to the local community

  In addition to the inherent attraction of the work, participants develop skills in production, marketing, maintenance, record keeping, planning and research.

• Urban AgricultureUrban Agriculture
• 

  Urban Agriculture

  Urban Agriculture is a terrific way to introduce urban dwellers to the intricacies of agriculture. Fresh flavour from so close to home helps people to become aware of what they are missing . But also many new varieties and seasonal variations create enjoyment. With less than 3% of the population being farmers, it falls upon urban citizens to understand then politically support what farmers need to assure sustainable good food security. Actual food production in unused spaces right near one’s home or place of work not only makes it easy to know food producers, it also exposes urbanites to the enchantment of growing food.

   

  What they are missing

  Like the frog in the pot of hot water, most people have become unaware of the flavour choices and traditions which global foods are bringing to an end.

Market Gardening & Farming

• Environmentally Sustainable AgricultureEnvironmentally Sustainable Agriculture
• 

  Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture

  Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture is not only beneficial for the planet and your customers; it is also beneficial for local economies and financially sustainable farms. Healthy soil reduces pests and permits consistent production despite the weather. A result of ongoing experiments is that David has learned ways to sustainably work with nature. He is willing and able to share his ongoing experience on large, small, and international projects.

   

  Healthy soil

  Plants can produce crops with chemically derived fertilizers. But after millions of years in co-development, plants thrive with biologically active soil.

• Innovative MethodsInnovative Methods
• 

  Innovative Methods

  Innovative Methods, developed and shown to be reliable over many seasons, are David’s specialty. Extending the seasons (both in the spring and the fall) maintains supportive customers. He has learned how to gently stress the plants by generously feeding the soil with organic matter; while taking care to avoid excess nutrients and water. This maximizes both flavour and shelf-life. Monitoring Brix and Diffusion levels objectively confirms enhanced quality.

   

  Brix

  Brix and Diffusion measurements are a quick and simple indicator of a plant’s health. They provide objective prospect for flavour, nutrition and shelf-life.

• MarketingMarketing
• 

  Marketing

  Marketing has become an important element for successful farmers. “Putting your face on your food” is to build your Brand by simply telling your customers, a very effective way for growers to enhance sales. David can help you start this on your website, in periodic newsletters and CSA recipes, with social media and even on your product packaging.

   

  “Putting your face on your food”

  An excellent way to market superior locally grown food is to simply tell your customers how you grow it. (Uniform imported food inherently lacks good stories.)

• Root Cellar StorageRoot Cellar Storage
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  Root Cellar Storage

  Root Cellar Storage is a terrific way to maintain customers and ensure cash flow throughout the year. David can help you learn how to select the best varieties to grow, determine the optimum planting dates, extend shelf-life with proven post-harvest handling procedures, and learn appropriate root cellar design and management practices.

   

  Post-harvest handling procedures

  Growing food with care is an important first step. But this care must continue after harvest to maintain the fresh flavours and long shelf-life customers expect.

• Greenhouse GrowingGreenhouse Growing
• 

  Greenhouse Growing

  Greenhouse Growing can extend seasons of cool weather crops right through the winter; plus they can extend the season for popular warm-weather crops. With little room for error due to high greenhouse overhead, David can help you learn the finer points of successful greenhouse production.

   

  Greenhouse production

  The artificial environment of a greenhouse makes it difficult to manage so many factors. It takes training and experience to proactively avoid problems.

• Farm ManagementFarm Management
• 

  Farm Management

  Farm Management starts with thorough planning. David can show you how to create effective spreadsheets for ideal planting schedules, optimal staffing, and accurate cost accounting. From all this he can help you learn how to set fair prices. He can help you setup an effective computerized accounting system; and show you all the useful information it can provide. If you are not already maintaining a Business Plan, David can help you create one and show you how to keep it current.

   

  Business Plan

  A thorough business plan is an important document for profitably operating any business; monthly monitoring and periodic updates are vital to a sustainable business.

• Government SupportsGovernment Supports
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  Government Supports

  Government Supports have become an important part of a successful farm business. David is qualified to prepare a Farm Financial Assessment, Cost of Production Study, and Business Plan that qualifies you for 50-75% reimbursements from the Federal and Provincial Growing Forward program. On-Farm Research is an ongoing part of ecological farming. Learn how to plan for SR&ED projects so you can be reimbursed with substantial tax credits for this work. David can also help you take advantage of the various federal, provincial, and local supports you may be eligible for.

   

  SR&ED

  Due to ongoing “cheap food policies,” our governments are aware farmers require supports. Farmers need to take advantage of these supports.

Teaching & Speaking Featured Speaker

• Group SessionsGroup Sessions
• 
   

  Group Sessions

  Group Sessions are a great way David can share his extensive experience and knowledge. These can be adapted for culinary classrooms, team building, business meetings , and agricultural conferences. His most popular sessions are:

  • Winter Greenhouse Growing and Root Cellar Storage 
  • Soil Building for Reduced Pests and Weeds
  • Micro-Nutrients for Superior Flavour and Extended Shelf-life
  • Marketing – Informing the World How You are Special
  • Business Plans, Bookkeeping and Accounting for a Sustainable Farm
  • Creating Recipes to get the most from Seasonal Variations
  • Lead Comparative Tastings of  Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables
• Conference WorkshopsConference Workshops
• 
   

  Conference Workshops

  Conference Workshops are a tremendous way for David to explain specific subjects to larger groups. His informative photos provide a colourful backdrop for his fascinating stories. David’s intimate knowledge of food production  and distribution systems qualifies him to effectively speak to many groups. 

• Television AppearancesTelevision Appearances
• 
   

  Television Appearances

  Television Appearances are something David is very comfortable with. He can quickly explain issues for newscasts; and provide more extensive information for food shows.

• Tour LeaderTour Leader
• 
   

  Tour Leader

  Tour Leader of farmers’ markets, urban food projects, and farm visits is a way David can expose the intricacies of food production to both urban and rural folk.

Chefs & Food Services

Restaurant & Hotel Chefs

Restaurant and Hotel Chefs who focus on ingredients are always on the lookout for superior flavoured ingredients.

They also require consistent supplies. David can help forage for sources and locate suppliers who can meet these needs.

With his farming experience he can help your favourite farmers improve their quality and service.

Customers who care about the food they eat want to know about where the ingredients come from. David can help identify fascinating narratives for menu and media purposes.

 

Produce Distributors

Produce Distributors who carry premium ingredients are the ones who typically deliver this good food to chefs. Unique quality ingredients keep these chefs intrigued.

David’s comprehensive knowledge of produce seasons, varieties, sources and history can certainly suggest ways to encourage chefs to purchase something “new.” 

 

Broader Public Food Service

Broader Public Food Service operations are being encouraged to serve more local foods.

David can help locate reliable suppliers. But more importantly, he can inform purchasers of ways to successfully work with local suppliers; and coach farmers to understand the necessity for consistent supplies and delivery times.

David can help make local food initiatives successful.

 

Artisanal Food

Artisanal Food producers also require consistent local food sources. David can help locate and learn how to work with specialty producers. He can help you build relationships  to obtain consistent supplies of reduced price cosmetically challenged seconds or easy-to-use “perfect” sizes.  

David is also experienced in creating scalable natural foods recipes that can be adapted for co-pack facilities.  

He is also very capable in helping you track costs of production; and then use this information to assure sustainable pricing.

 

As Supplier of the Year

As 2002 and 2007 Supplier of the Year, David is very familiar with the exacting requirements  of the food service industry.

With over twenty years of growing and delivering produce for this industry, he knows what is required to boost farm-to-table connections.

If you like working with a particular farmer who needs help with consistency, help yourself by putting this farmer in contact with David.

 

• Restaurant Hotel Chefs Restaurant
  & Hotel Chefs
• Produce Distributors Produce
  Distributors
• Broader Public Food Service Broader Public
  Food Service
• Artisanal Food Artisanal
  Food
• As Supplier of the Year As Supplier
  of the Year

Writing About Food & Farms

David’s recent articles:

• Onions - Winter 2012
• Chili Peppers - Fall 2012
• Cucumbers - Summer 2012
• Fava Beans - Spring 2012
• Root Cellars - Winter 2011
• Garlic - Fall 2011
• Edible Flowers - Summer 2011
• Asparagus - Spring 2011
• Jerusalem Artichokes - Winter 2010

Newsletters

Terroir Toronto VII

The 2013 Terroir Hospitality Symposium struck me as being the most insightful of all. Arlene Stein spent last summer in Europe to invite several of the continent’s most acclaimed chefs to share their stories, memories, and cultures. They eloquently expressed the joys of simply good food.

I took the opportunity to speak with several of them to determine if there was something we could learn from their farmers who make their ingredients so special. (I was looking for tips to share with my clients.) The answers were not as I expected. The farmers were near enough and friendly enough that they could easily visit or telephone to share what was good to cook. These conversations provided menu ideas with stories to share with servers, who then enchanted customers.

It was only later that I comprehended the essence of what these chefs were sharing with me. Their farmers knew how to cook, and cook well. This is not usually considered to be a skill that farmers need. But upon thinking about this, my most successful farm clients are the ones who understand and appreciate a well-cooked meal. This farmer/chef communication is yet another skill required to build our industry. (In my consulting I also help with this.)

Maybe someone could compose a cookbook (or perhaps prepare a course) designed for farmers? At the symposium Alison Fryer, owner of Toronto’s Cookbook Store, stated that cookbooks are more popular than ever. When she opened her store in 1983 there were about 500 cookbooks published (in English) each year; despite all the free web-recipes there are now about 20,000 published (in all languages) each year. All this interest in good food illustrates there is more to it than mere calories and vitamins!

Scarborough Hospital Chef Joshna Maharaj said that the allocated cost for a day of hospital patient meals is $7.33 with 40% returned uneaten. Using local foods (such as from The New Farm above) resulted in a cost increase of 33¢ with very little returned. — Image from Renee Suen

New Farm Support Programs

An announcement of the details for the new Growing Forward suite of agricultural supports has been delayed yet another month. Press releases have stated there will be a focus on “innovation, competitiveness, and market development” and the Growing Your Farm Profits business development programs“ will remain essentially the same”. The details are now scheduled to be released near the end of May. I have not yet heard anything about renewal of the Environmental Farm Plan program. (For my clients awaiting this funding, I will advise you as soon as I learn the details.)

The largest portion of the supports ($100,000 per year for Ontario) will be going to the already announced Risk Management Programs. For my ecological farmer clients, these are still of no value. The growing practices of organic and ecological farmers provide a self-insurance that negates any need to rely on these heavily subsidized insurance policies. Risk Management is one portion of the public money that allows industrial farmers to take great risks to grow cheap food for exports and to compete with heavily subsidized imports.

If $100,000 to support our farmers seems excessive, keep in mind that percentage of Canadian supports are a third of the US and fifth of Europe. Let’s thank our farmers for helping to keep the Canadian economy so buoyant.

Learn more about Rouge Agriculture

Agreements to agree on land transfers to the new Rouge National Urban Park are still being worked on. Progress remains painfully slow; but interest in the incredible possibilities is rapidly growing.

Green Neighbours of Ward 21 have invited William Lishman to show an extended cut of his stunning video about the Rouge agricultural lands. He has invited Geraldine Dempsey to discuss the amazing agricultural activity now going on in the Cuyahoga National Park next to Cleveland. He has also invited me to discuss the vision of an innovative Agri-Food Hub next to Toronto. Please come join us on May 6 at 7:00pm at St. Mathews Church (St. Clair and Bathurst).

Garlic knows that Spring is just around the corner.

A Restraining definition of “Local Food”

I attended the 1988 conference to initiate An Organic System for Canada. This led to a series of meetings that culminated in a definition for “organic” which was quickly accepted by Consumer and Corporate Affairs in 1989. Then the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) set out to legally define the word. Little did anyone know that it would then take another 20 years of relentless discussions for the Organic Products Regulations to be proclaimed in 2009.

Given this experience, it is understandable why the CFIA would choose a less demanding process to define “Local Food”. We most often hear about 100km or 100 mile food. But these bring about limitations for those trying to join the spirit of the concept. Ontario’s 50 counties are likewise too small. Ontario’s 15 Tourist Regions make some agronomic and cultural sense. For clarity, practicality, and something consumers understand and support, the proposed provincial Local Food Act defines “local” as within Ontario. (In many ways this is too extensive.) So I think we need to keep the discussion going until we reach some consensus.

On April 4, 2013, the CFIA ordered Bistro Burger Joint in Alliston (ON) to cease calling their meat “local”. The nearest supplier the chef felt could be sufficiently consistent is Field Gate Organics (near Exeter, 200km away). CFIA informed the restaurant that the legal definition of local is from the same or an adjacent “government unit.” The government unit they have chosen to use is Townships or 50km, whichever is less. For this reason Bistro Burger Joint must cease using the term “local beef” on their menus, signs and website. (Catherine Porter wrote about a similar startling order issued to Real Food for Real Kids.)

Since marketing local food is an important part of my consulting work, I called CFIA in Ottawa to learn when (and why) this policy came about. Their response was surprise that CFIA would even be concerned about this. I was then directed to the Ontario office in Guelph where I received the same response. Then I called the Barrie office (which had issued the order) to receive the explanation that CFIA had adopted a 1970’s Food and Drug Regulations definition of “local”. So I went on the CFIA website to find that this definition has indeed been added as part of their labeling requirements. [Who knew?]

This new policy is most unusual. Politicians have carefully explained to me that the function of government is not to lead; but to follow. Rules they make are to acknowledge and clarify the consensus of the public. From all my decades of work promoting “local foods,” I have never heard anyone allude to anything about 50km or “adjacent government units.”

Research from The University of Guelph indicates that in 2008, 77% of Ontarians intended to purchase Ontario grown food if it was readily available and cost no more than imports. Research at Iowa State University indicated that in 2008 the multiplier-effect of local food in regions with smaller farms (such as Ontario) benefits the overall economy 2.6 times as much as imported foods. With an eager market that could significantly benefit all our society, one would think that our governments would start to reduce impediments (such as allowing imports to be sold into Canada for less than they are sold in their own countries [i.e. illegal dumping]) and rebuilding our agricultural infrastructure (such as encouraging our youth to enter agricultural careers [which could be profitable without the competition from illegal dumping]).

The new CFIA definition means that central Toronto will no longer be able to consider the prime agricultural regions near Niagara, Caledon, Bradford or Peterborough as “local”. This will also negate many beneficial policies contained in the proposed Local Food Act. And it ignores the public consensus. Who is driving this campaign to diminish local food? This sinister action against small producers must be stopped!

Spinach that has survived a winter is absolutely scrumptious.

The 2^nd Canadian Food Summit

It was with some misgivings that I decided to attend the Conference Board of Canada’s 2013 Canadian Food Summit to participate in creating their Canadian [Industrial] Food Strategy. My initial observation was who was not there. There were essentially no artisans, chefs, home economists, nutritionists, small farmers, obese or hungry. As in the 1st Summit, any questions about Supply Management were immediately suppressed [because the topic is too controversial].

Even the food industry chief executives were absent. Their underlings were present, but they asked virtually no questions after presentations, I overheard no on-topic discussions between them, and I found it difficult to strike up conversations with them as we waited in food and coffee lineups. Civil society attendees (who had managed to receive reductions in the $1225 fee) asked most of the questions and generally animated the breaks.

Nearly all the plenary speakers advocated agri-food exports, large-scale agri-food processing, and corporate agri-food prosperity. Healthy food, food safety, household food security, and environmental sustainability were afterthoughts. I noted two exceptions:

• Robert Dent from Weight Management Clinic at The Ottawa Hospital addressed the contribution of empty-calorie mass-market foods to the obesity crisis.
• Debbie Field of FoodShare eloquently pressed the Conference Board to accept Food Strategies already prepared by Food Secure Canada and the Ontario Food and Nutrition Strategy. They include re-development of local and regional food markets, support for the rapidly growing small and medium-sized food business sector, developing environmental sustainability, and (most importantly) building community prosperity to reduce hunger and improve health.

Other exceptions (notably University of Guelph’s Ralph Martin and 100km’s Paul Sawtell) spoke in Concurrent Sessions, so I could not hear them all. However, the evening before many who should have been invited to the main summit appeared at the Alternate Canadian Food Summit.

I was most eager to attend the final 40-minute session where I would be able to actually see and comment on one element of the Draft Canadian Food Strategy. Normally one would have to “invest” $11,400 annually to see these details; to have input in the planning and decision making one would have to “invest” $50,000 annually!

I chose to see the Environmental Sustainability element. My first thought was that this had been written as a high school assignment. It was both incomplete and repetitive. Upon closer inspection this was somewhat explained by the peculiar assumption stated in its Strategic Challenge. “Sustainability” referred to steady food production and exports; while “environmental” referred to comparing environmental performance with competitor countries. This element was so far off the mark that the participants at my table had no idea where to start.

On my drive home I could only think about the warnings Jane Jacobs presented in her perceptive book Systems of Survival. She divides human ethics into two totally distinct groups:

• Guardians, which include soldiers and police, governments, and religions who protect the traders and the poor (those cast off by the traders).
• Traders, which include businesses, banks, entrepreneurs, artists, and farmers who support human activities.

Throughout human history, whenever one of these groups assumes a function of the other, serious trouble ensues. Creating a Food Strategy is clearly a Guardian [government] function. Traders [business executives] attempting to create a Food Strategy are doomed to fail.

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