Wild Parrot Delectables
Sandra Salmins
Clayton, ON
256–8080

What she offers: Weekly orders of lettuce, and Asian greens for restaurants and individuals (using organic principles). Two seasons: late March to early June; and late September to late December. Call to order.
Where: Restaurants in Ottawa. Individual sales by order.

Wild Parrot Delectables
It might seem unlikely to many that a Toronto inner-city kid should wind up in a rocky, swamp- and tree-covered corner of Lanark County. Take that another step further and ask them to believe she is growing food, and the eyebrows start rising. My previous assumptions about what farming is, who farmers are, and what a farm looks like have long fallen by the wayside due to the diversity (hooray) of approaches, personalities, backgrounds and ambitions that I have encountered while interviewing people for these farmer profiles. Still, arriving at Sandra Salmins’ home near Clayton, I was delighted to see yet another individual’s creative and personalized approach to the task of growing food.

Here, now in her mid-40’s, Salmins is living a life that’s integrated her biggest passions: growing good food, and forest management.
Sandra and her partner Lise Ladouceur live on 70 acres of cedar bush and swamp. While growing up in the city, Sandra’s keen interest in nature and agriculture was piqued by hikes along the Bruce Trail that her mom began taking her on when she was 7 or 8. Later, as a teenager, she attended a unique farm school in upstate New York (Brook Lea Farm Project). By the time she was 17 Sandra knew she wanted someday to grow food. She worked on several farms, gaining experience with horses, sheep and organic vegetables as she went along. One woman in particular was particularly inspirational. Elize, who at the time was in her 70’s, had the desire to produce food that nurtured people. She used production methods that honored the earth, and farmed on a scale that maintained an integral connection to the land. It was her philosophy and practice that has remained with Sandra ever since.
She followed this up with a degree in wildlife resource management, and then a Masters in plant sciences from Macdonald College in Montreal. Finally, in 2002 she found herself in a position to buy land. The “wild, rocky paradise of Lanark County felt like home”, she says. Having greenhouse production in the back of her mind, it suited her to get a sizable piece of (uncleared) land for a good price that she could work with — both in the forest, and for food production.
The house, which Sandra designed and helped to build in 2002, sits in a clearing carved out of the forest and overlooking what she has named “Wild Parrot Swamp”. Beyond the house one catches a glimpse of a small greenhouse (that she built in 2004). After a couple of months of winter “rest” this space will come back to life this month, transforming the floor from a dull brown to an eye-popping green in a matter of weeks. Already, her living room is hosting thousands of germinating seeds that will soon be transplanted out to the greenhouse.
Sandra has been selling specialty lettuces and Asian greens (presently about ten varieties of each) for sale to restaurants and individual customers for a couple of years now. Though not certified, she uses all organic growing methods. The (unheated) greenhouse enables her to produce for the “shoulder seasons” — the time after, and before, outdoor crops are available. She has two growing seasons, spring (March to June), and fall (September to December). During this time she has two harvest days each week. Lettuces and greens are delicate plants and require careful and often time-consuming harvesting and handling. They also need to remain cool to stay fresh. Finding an accessible pick-up depot that has refrigeration is a constant challenge.
Her off- season — when many other producers are in full swing — is the time Sandra uses for developing new/old projects, studying and practicing sustainable forest management (harvesting cedar), doing paperwork and planning, testing new varieties of greens, developing new products she hopes to sell in the future, and when possible, sitting and observing life around the swamp, or kayaking. This summer she aims to rebuild her greenhouse — doubling its footprint to about 1800 sq.ft. — to make room for an expanding business. Further plans include using dead and damaged wood harvested while maintaining her bush to fuel an outdoor wood furnace that would in turn pump hot water through tubing under the greenhouse soil. Keeping the soil above six degrees during the coldest months could extend her growing season even more. However, Salmins is careful to admit that it is not her interest to expand beyond her ability to manage the work herself. As it is, she sells to a number of prominent Ottawa restaurants including E18teen (in the Market), The Rideau Club, and Sweet Grass Aboriginal Bistro and is looking to find some others closer to home.
Sandra’s quiet focus and patience have paid off. As she puts it, “I'm pretty determined by nature and when I decide something I generally forge ahead. So I forged, and basically learned as I went along — one step at a time.” It is inspiring to see how one woman is manifesting the profound effects that early experiences with nature had on her.

Simple Saute of Asian Greens
Heat 2-3 Tbsp sesame oil in a large pan.
Sauté a chopped onion
Add mixed greens (ie. tatsoi, red and green mustards, choy sum, arugula, etc. (spinach and any lettuces even))
Sauté briefly until gently wilted
Salt lightly
Mix in approx. 1 tsp. good quality Mirin (available in Asian groceries and natural food stores; it imparts a wonderful flavour)
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve