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Homestead Organics of Berwick is moving to Morrisburg. 

Homestead Organics took over ownership of the former Chinook building along Allison Avenue in Morrisburg, Friday, December 6.

The new site for the Berwick organic processing operation, is the focus of a $2.4 million project that will eventually see all of Homestead’s operations moved from the former feed mill site in Berwick to this Morrisburg location.

The 27,000 square foot building, is more than triple the size of the Berwick operation, which has only 8,000 square feet of space, including trailers and a tent.

“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t stay in Berwick,” said president Tom Manley who did point out that the company will be staying in SDG and that all of the company’s 14 employees will eventually make the move with them to the Morrisburg site.

The two part move will be phased in over time.

This week, Homestead already started to make use of the building’s warehousing space.

 The bulk of the first phase will involve moving the soybean cleaning operations of the business. 

The cost of moving that part of the business is about $900,000 including the purchase of the building and the necessary site upgrades. 

The cost of phase one is being covered by about 30 private investors.

By March, that part of the project should be operating from the Morrisburg site, with about two employees.

Manley says that Homestead will be a two site operation, over the next couple of years, but eventually they plan to move all of their 12 staff, processing and administration to Morrisburg, and maybe even add a retail area.

Manley is extremely pleased with this new location, which offers ample warehousing  and processing space for Homestead, but also has enough extra room to offer leasing to other small organic processors. Manley has a vision of the site becoming “organics central”. 

“Morrisburg could be a hub of organic food activity in the near future,” he said.

For three years, Manley has been in search of an appropriate new location for Homestead Organics, which is growing incrementally, year after year. 

Just 16 years ago, Homestead was processing about 500 tonnes annually, and now, in their 25th year, they annually process over 7,000 tonnes of organic whole grains. 

“Organic is becoming very mainstream, just walk down the aisles of your grocery store and you will see it,” said Manley, estimating that the organics sector is growing at a rate of 10-15 per cent annually.

During the search for an appropriate facility to house their growing business, Manley looked at a number of options including large facilities in Chesterville, Long Sault, and two buildings in Morrisburg before purchasing this Allison Avenue facility. 

“We had a number of false starts over the years,” said Manley, adding that capital is often difficult for a business to access.  

Homestead Organics was founded by Tom Manley’s father Murray. Tom, the current president, returned to the family business 16 years ago. Three years ago, Tom’s son Yannik, joined them. 

All three were at the press conference hosted at the new facility last week. Joining them were project supporters, local dignitaries and media.

“We are very pleased that you found the right fit for your business here in Morrisburg and we are happy to have a new business in our municipality,” said Chuck Barkley, president of the South Dundas Chamber of Commerce.

“I will be glad to see this facility up and running,” said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds, adding that this new venture for this community fits nicely with the community’s backbone, which is its agricultural base. 

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“Over the past week or so it’s come to our attention that the Morrisburg Dock is unfit,” said councillor Evonne Delegarde at the May 15th South Dundas council meeting.

“As a second part to this,” she continued, “there’s a boat tour that’s scheduled several different dates throughout the summer starting mid-June.”

Mayor Steven Byvelds acknowledged the situation, saying that chief administrative officer Stephen McDonald had already been in contact with the captain of the boat cruise.

“I made him aware that although it’s a public dock,” said McDonald, “it’s under the township and he shouldn’t be promoting its use without permission.”

“Captain Andy went on his own,” said Byvelds. “He didn’t inform anybody. The dock is now unsafe and there’s nothing to be done.”

“They need to realize it isn’t a free dock. We’re not here to stop commercial ventures, but they need to come work with us.”

Councillor Jim Graham said, “I think we should work with them. It’s a very good draw for tourism. I’d certainly support anything we could do.”

As for dock repairs, council is waiting on an engineer’s report before moving forward.

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Ontario Power Generation advises hunters, anglers and recreational boaters on the St. Lawrence River that ice booms will be installed in narrow stretches of the river starting Monday, November 14, 2011. 

These booms, which will be placed in the river off Galop Island, in the North Channel, near Johnstown and at Prescott, are chain-and-wood devices used to assist the build-up of ice during the winter. 

They ensure an even ice formation on the river, helping to improve power generation during the winter months.

All users of the river should take extra care in the narrow reaches where the work is being undertaken to install the booms.

Ice booms are placed in the same narrow reaches of the St. Lawrence River each November before the river freezes over and removed in the Spring when the ice has melted, before the St. Lawrence Seaway shipping season commences.

Ontario Power Generation would like to remind boaters to take every precaution around its dams and generating stations, and to practice safety on Ontario’s waterways.

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