Both Ann Lannigan and Simpler Thyme Organic Farm are becoming well known for their beauty and down-to-earth charm

This is one of the pleasures I'm lucky enough to enjoy both in my work and as part of my involvement with Slow Food... I love being here.

On this day I was shopping with my friend Ruth (at right, Ann is in the middle). We needed rainbow chard. There was none in the store. Minutes later, we had the freshest stuff you could imagine, to be turned into savoury tarts and served piping hot that evening. The workers there are clearly proud of their produce.

You've never had this kind of fun at the supermarket!

City meets country...

Do your spirit good: do some of your grocery shopping with Ann Lanigan and the amazing folks at Simpler Thyme Organic Farm. Do consider being part of the action: participate in their yearly CSA program --

it's like a weekly subscription to good eating.

(Notice my very detailed shopping list?)

You'll find fresh eggs, produce, maple syrup and more, much of it produced on that very farm. Ann believes in bio-diversity, so that means a staggering variety of cultivated and wild plants flourish across their acres. Inside the farm store there are some imported organic foods, as well as jams, preserves and dry goods of all kinds.

Check with Ann about placing orders in advance for large items or extra quantities of seasonal goods.

The shady store provides some relief from summer's heat.

Ann works with two business partners and a dedicated team of farm hands, some of them WOOFERS (young international agricultural workers, who are combining learning about new cultures and languages while gaining agricultural experience, some of them travelling around the globe).

Try the amazing eggs. Supermarket 'farm-fresh' labelling is meaningless once you've enjoyed the brightly coloured, nutritious and flavourful little gems that these birds produce!

This beautiful guy is such a show-off!

If it's not easy for you to get up to see the farm in person, you can always get that 'straight from the farm' experience in the heart of Downtown Hamilton.

The Simpler Thyme farm stand is a regular feature of the

James St. North "Makers Market"

which is held occasionally throughout the summer (there's a new mini-market on some of the non-market saturdays -- details of both markets are online).

P: 905.529.2323 E: themakersmarket@gmail.com

To reach the farm directly:

Simpler Thyme Organic Farm, 1749 Hwy #6 RR#2, Hamilton, L8N 2Z7, 905-659-1576

Please note the change in their hours. Simpler Thyme is officially open Thursday and Friday 12:30pm-3pm and 4pm-6:30pm. This is for box pick up and market customers alike. All the rest of the time is the honour system. Please feel welcome at all times.