THUNDER BAY — "It's nice to be recognized," says Debbie Burgsteden, who along with her husband Darren operates a Thunder Bay-area potato farm that's won a provincial award.
B & B Farms is among eleven Ontario farms chosen for the 2019 BMO Ontario Farm Family Award.
They'll be honoured at the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo next month near North Bay.
The award is handed out by BMO Bank of Montreal in cooperation with the Ontario Plowmen's Association.
It celebrates families "who take an innovative approach to growing their business, demonstrate a commitment to traditional values and maintain an exceptional standard of sustainabiity," stated a news release Tuesday.
Burgsteden said the award may help raise her farm's profile although it already has an established list of customers including local grocery stores, hotels, restaurants and institutions.
Besides whole potatoes, the farm distributes fresh-cut french fries as well as peeled and cubed potatoes to some of its clientele.
"We're trying to get our name out there" Burgsteden said, adding that she believes her father, retired farmer Henry Breukelman, "is going to be so proud."
The award-winners will receive a personalized farm gate sign and will be treated to a day of events at the upcoming international plowing match.
The match, held in a different Ontario community each year, attracts about 80,000 people annually and is the largest event of its kind in North America.
