Did you know that Earth’s General Store supports several local farming operations and businesses? We purchase vegetables and fruits from these local grocers and offer them to our customers. We are a local independent business and we love local! We also love Organic and ethics.

The majority of our local products are fresh vegetables and fruits but we also carry local grains, wool dryer balls, soaps, coffee, herbs, herbal teas/infusions/tisanes, cheeses, meats, milk, eggs, pasta, pierogies, probiotics, mushrooms, and treats.

Walking around the produce section the other day I saw the following fresh vegetables from Alberta:

• Mini-Cucumbers
• Long English Cucumbers
• Garlic Scapes
• Eggplant (Aubergine)
• Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green Bell Peppers
• Turnips
• Bulk Beets
• Green Onions (Scallions)
• Turnip Greens
• New Potatoes
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Beefsteak Tomatoes
• Tomatoes on Vine
• Roma Tomatoes
• Satina Potatoes
• sprouts
• basil

I think this is an impressive list so far, especially since the harvest season is not really yet upon us. As the local produce gets harvested we have a wider variety to offer you.

Soon, we will have carrots from everyone’s favourite carrot supplier – Leffer’s Brothers.

Some of our local suppliers are:

Sparrow’s Nest Organics (Opal, AB) – Graham has been supplying us for several years with a large variety of locally grown vegetables. Graham also does a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program where you can subscribe to a weekly basket of vegetables delivered to the city. Graham also has a booth at the Strathcona Farmer’s Market and at the 124th Street Market on Thursday evening.

Daniel Organic (Sangudo, AB) – We get a variety of products from this family run farming operation – new potatoes, turnip greens, and green onions are what we currently have from them. They also offer a U-Pick operation so if you feel like taking a trip and pick your own produce and save some money check out their Facebook Page.

Man’s Organic (Coaldale, AB) – They are one of our largest local suppliers. They have an exceptional organic greenhouse operation and can supply early tomatoes, peppers, and long and mini-cucumbers for us. They also grow watermelons, melons, squash, pumpkins, onions, shallots, and garlic in their fields.

Vital Green Dairy (Picture Butte, AB) – Milk, yogurt, chocolate milk, kefir, and everyone’s favourite – the 52% heavy cream!

Fairwinds Farm (Nobleford, AB) – goat milk, goat milk yogurt, hard goat cheese, and feta

Urban Reclaim Farms (Edmonton) – this operation grows food on lots throughout the city. One of the lots is just half a block from our Whyte Avenue store. They also grow some of their microgreens inside during the winter. They are not Certified Organic (they don’t own the land and therefore it would probably be quite expensive for them to certify small parcels of land that they may lose access to in a few years – organic agriculture is a long-term relationship with the soil.) Ryan and gang are one of the vendors at the downtown City Market on 104th street (Saturday 9am to 3pm).

Gold Forest Grains (Morinville, AB) – ancient grains (einkorn, Park, Spelt, Red Fife), Pioneer Pancake mix, brown and golden flax, wheat berries, flour, and farro grains. This family farm is making sure we have a source of excellent wheat grains. You will not believe the taste and heartiness of your pancakes once you start using this flour or mix. Gold Forest Grains has a booth at the Strathcona Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.

Purnima Farms (Breton, AB) – small scale egg producer. Certified Organic, Free Run and Free Range chickens.

Serben Farm (Smokey Lake, AB) – pork sausages and bacon. They were the only locally Certified Organic pork producer that I could find. We only carry this at the downtown store. The Serbens are one of the vendors at the downtown City Market on 104th street (Saturday 9am to 3pm).

Sunworks Farm (Armena, AB) – organic meat and egg supplier (we don’t carry their eggs since they do not have enough quota to supply us and other operations in Edmonton). We carry several chicken products and ground beef at our downtown store. Sunworks has a booth at the Strathcona Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and several other markets in the city.

Sailin’ On Food Truck (Edmonton) – one of the products that these people developed was a coconut bacon that they used in their popular BLT wrap that they served up from their vegan food truck (Edmonton’s First). We were the first store they partnered with to offer their packaged coconut bacon. If you haven’t tried this local gem then you are missing out. They set up at festival, large events, have a spot at the 124th Street Farmer’s Market, and oversee the food at The Buckingham Pub.

Sunny Boy (Lacombe, AB) – flours (unbleached and whole wheat), Sunny Boy Cereal, Pancake Mix.

Plantiful’s Wool Dryer Balls (Edmonton) – locally made wool dryer balls with wool from Carstairs, AB.

Alberta Natural Products (Calgary) – a variety of soaps made in Calgary.

Natural Life (Edmonton) – Probiotics

Wild Yarrow (Sherwood Park) – teas, herbal remedies, many items focused around mothers-to-be and mamas

Polish Pierogies (Edmonton) – simply the best pierogies I have tasted. Agnes uses local flour from Sunny Boy, Canadian organic cheese, Coconut Bacon from Sailin’ On, and vegan cheese from us. They support local suppliers.

Genghis Grill Foods (Edmonton) – Edmonton’s original green onion cake and still my favourite. We grill these up at the City Market Farmer’s Market on 104th street on Saturdays in front of our downtown store. We are constantly told that these are the best tasty green onion cakes people have had. Come on out and try them at the market or take a frozen pack home to enjoy.

Honest Dumplings (Edmonton) – We only carry their vegan variety pack and only at our downtown store. They operate booths at the several farmer’s markets throughout the city. Check out the Edmonton Journal article about this small company that makes great artisan foods.  They make great local foods and they use lots of local ingredients in their products.

Winding Road Artisan Cheese (Smokey Lake, AB) – Classic cheeses made from Vital Green Organic milk. They also have a booth at the City Market on 104th Street on Saturdays.

Truffula Cashew Cheeses – Plant-Based, organic, three varieties and REALLY tasty. They sell their products directly from their booth at the 124th Street Farmer’s Market.

Green Lentil Hummus (Edmonton) – We make this 100% organic hummus at our downtown cafe and put it in tubs for people to pick up and take home. We offer this at both of our stores. We have been told on numerous occasions that this hummus is the best that people have had. Try it and let us know what you think.

I think people would be hard pressed to find a store in Edmonton that carries more local products than we do. I think perhaps we need to do a better job of highlighting this aspect of our store and mission. What do you think?

Most of us consume products are that are not just local. We eat things that can’t get grown or produced in our local growing region. Earth’s General Store recognizes this and chooses products that follow or include certain criterion – local where possible, certified organic, Fair Trade Certified, reduced food miles, whether it has any ecological benefits, whether it has some social justice benefits, whether it tastes good, etc.

Our fruit is starting to come from orchards in BC. I  believe this substantially improves the flavour since there is less time being transported and more time eating!

We carry one of the largest selection of Fair Trade and Organic products in Edmonton. We even roast our own coffee so you can’t get more local than that with social and environmental integrity.