Muddy Crops started in 2012 under the name Berry Fresh selling Ontario same day picked strawberries under a 8x8 tent in Roncesvalles. In 2018 a Californian company named Berry Fresh litigated us, forcing us to change our name. In 2019 Muddy Crops was born.

After opening 8 different markets across Toronto the Covid-19 pandemic forced us to move our business online. Since then we have embraced the pivot and shifted our focus to carrying more rare and delicate fruits and vegetables from Ontario.

Our primary belief has always been to support regenerative farming and provide the freshest, healthiest, and most unique produce our amazing province has to offer. Which is why we deliver farm fresh produce like strawberries, peaches, pawpaw and veg to your home every day.

In 2021 we launched a new product line of tree-ripened tropical fruits to help our customers gain access to the healthiest fruits when Ontario fruits are not in season.

Finding interesting varieties of fruit has become more and more difficult. Many farms shifted to growing one thing (i.e. strawberries, peaches, corn, apples) because it was more economic and profitable.

Finding farms that grow a wide variety of crops has become slimmer over the years for this reason; amongst a few others. We work with over 10 fruit farms that grow organic and regenerative rare fruits. We hope this will help keep the biodiversity of Ontario farming alive.

Have you ever purchased strawberries from a grocery store and noticed the entire inside is white? It is very common for grocery store fruit to be picked under ripe so it can travel long distances and still look good on grocery store shelves. At Muddy Crops we sell only vine and tree ripened fruit.

What does this mean? It means all of our fruit is full of flavour and more importantly, full of nutrients and vitamins from the nutrient rich soil. These amazing qualities don't come without a cost though. Vine and tree ripened fruits have a shorter life span which is why we source our fruits in smaller quantities multiple times a week so everything is as fresh as getting it from the farm.

Regenerative Farming

This means the ground is constantly replenished, thus the soil stays healthy and nutrient rich. Think of it like a straw in a snow cone: If you suck all the delicious sugar water out of it you are left with a hard piece of plain white snow. If farmers never regenerated the soil it would turn into dry, hard earth. Supporting regenerative farming means supporting the future of farming and a healthy Earth.

Farming in Ontario

We believe that a lot of food labelling can be misleading. We also believe in more than one method of farming. We let you decide what farming method works best for you and your practices.

Integrated Pest Management

Integrated Pest Management is a holistic method of pest control that creates a controlled ecosystem that favours crops and deters pests. IPM manages the entire plant ecosystem by benefiting the soil, water, pollinators, beneficial insects, the farm workers, and of course the crops! IPM's goal is to reduce the reliance on pesticides and reintegrate holistic practices back into farming.

Organic

Contrary to popular belief, being organic is not just about pesticides. Organic farming was originally defined as a biodiverse, self-sustaining system that served the local community.

In a nutshell, the term "organic" really stands for a holistic system of farming. That's why, while some of our produce isn't Certified Organic, we know that all of our farms strive to embrace these principles.

Biodynamic

Often considered the highest standard of sustainable farming, the biodynamic approach is all about land stewardship. Everything you use to grow a product must be from your land. No outside sources and a lot of manure. A LOT, of manure.

All of the methods above are most importantly following regenerative farming practices. So whether it's strawberries, peaches, pawpaw, berries or organic vegetables that you enjoy you can eat it knowing you are supporting regenerative agriculture.