They came. They ate. They toured. When the morning wrapped up, more than 2,000 visitors had walked through the farm gates to attend Ontario's first Breakfast on the Farm event in New Dundee on Saturday, June 22, 2013.
 

Organized by Farm & Food Care Ontario, and presented in partnership with Egg Farmers of Ontario and Foodland Ontario, the event was an overwhelming success.
 

The day started with a complimentary Taste of Ontario breakfast featuring donated eggs and sausage, blueberry pancakes with maple syrup, honey, milk and apple cider - all produced by Ontario farmers. Visitors then wandered through the dairy barns to experience the sights, sounds and smells at Heritage Hill Farms, owned by seventh generation family farmers - the Johnston and Doré families.
 

A team of 130 ag-proud volunteers helped run the event and gave visitors a chance to chat with farmers and ag-vocates one-on-one. Exhibits from many farm organizations showcased the awesome diversity of Ontario agriculture - from animals to crops.

For many visitors, Breakfast on the Farm was their first opportunity to see and touch calves, cows, chicks, pigs, hay, grain and so many more farm-related wonders. Even the Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, and several of her Queen's Park colleagues got in on the experience.
 

This event brought together national, provincial and regional organizations and businesses, whose support made Breakfast on the Farm such a success.
 

Breakfast on the Farm is an initiative based on a similar event organized by the Michigan State University Extension.

Complete photo albums from the day can be viewed on the Farm & Food Care website. 

Some of the 130 volunteers, including farmers, 4-H and Junior Farmer members, Farm & Food Care members and more who helped with many aspects of the day.	The host farm family is shown with  Ministers John Milloy, Liz Sandals and Premier Wynne. The farmers  (dressed in green) include, from left, James Johnston; Mary Ann, Nadine and  Joe Doré;  Claire, Frances, Amanda and Graham Johnston.
A visitor is very excited to hold a newly-hatched chick at the Egg Farmers of Ontario exhibit.	The Agriculture More Than Ever initiative provided fun word balloons for visitors to pose with.

Event sponsors included:

• Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada
• Agriculture More than Ever
• B-W Feed & Seed
• Cassie Maple Products
• Conestoga Meat Packers
• DuPont Pioneer
• Dairy Farmers of Ontario
• Egg Farmers of Ontario
• Einwechter Ltd.
• Foodland Ontario
• Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd.
• Gray Ridge Egg Farms
• GROWMARK, Inc. and FS Co-operatives
• James Dale Transport
• Jantzi Electric Inc.
• J Mar Meats
• McNabb family
• Ontario Apple Growers
• Ontario Beekeepers' Association
• Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers' Association
• Ontario Veal Association
• Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency
• Oxford County Federation of Agriculture
• P & H Milling Group
• pickOntario
• Plattsville Grist Mill/Embro Feed & Supply
• Stratford Farm Equipment
• Stonaleen Farms
• Tavistock Veterinarians
• Thomas Carberry Insurance Ltd.
• Turkey Farmers of Ontario
• Wilmot Orchards

A hard copy of the survey was mailed to Farm & Food Care members in early June.  We ask that you complete the survey on or before July 5, 2013 online, or by filling in the hard copy of the survey and returning to the Farm & Food Care office.