I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty excited when I heard the news that J.M. Fortier (and team) were putting out a market garden magazine, called Growers & Co. 

At first, I really wasn’t sure what the magazine was going to be all about. Was it going to be more informational, such as what tools are best, strategies to a weed-free garden, and other such topics? OOhhhh, the mystery!

To be honest, I wasn’t too concerned with the subject matter, I was just happy to have another resource out there for market farmers. 

Being brand new in the market farming game, the creation of Growers & Co magazine made me feel like I was a part of something, a community if you will.

Of course, when the time came to order the magazine, we did!

First Impressions of Growers & Co. 

First of all, Growers and Co. came in an envelope, so I didn’t even know it had arrived until I opened up the mail. 

This was a nice touch because the magazine is really a beautiful work of art and quite nice, so there would have been a huge risk of it getting damaged in transit if it were not safe in an envelope. 

It is very high quality, no doubt about it. A lot of time and care went into the making of this magazine and you can tell. It’s beautiful.

The magazine is a large square shape, as opposed to traditional rectangular magazines. Don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, just something to note.

The paper used is thick (definitely not newspaper), almost like a cardstock. It feels very smooth and oozes superbness. 

Overall, it’s a high-quality magazine, definitely getting your $20 worth just in quality alone!

Inside Growers & Co. Magazine

When I did an initial flip through the magazine, there were some features that I liked right away.

The font they use is really nice and easy to read; and there are a plethora of big, beautiful pictures showcased throughout the magazine.

If I had to choose one thing to nitpick at, that would be the table of contents. It’s a little strange and not all that easy to read but, is definitely not a deal-breaker! Heck, I just might get used to it and start to like it in the future, who knows!

The table of contents is truly the one thing I liked a little less than the rest of the magazine, so that’s not bad if you ask me. 

Growers & Co. Content

So, what’s this magazine all about? What are the topics of the articles?

Well, the tagline of Growers and Co. is 

Celebrating the movement of small-scale organic agriculture

This first issue is all about the small-scale farmer. It highlights 16 small-scale farmers, including flower growers, toolmakers, and even a Grammy-nominated singer! 

There are lots of variety in the stories as it seems like everyone has a different path that led them to the market garden life.

The articles are really interesting and honestly, really motivating. Reading how each person has arrived at this lifestyle is very invigorating and gets the juices flowing.

It cements the reason for starting a market garden, especially as a beginner, when everything is new and difficult. 

The stories in this magazine continue to inspire me, and my husband, to take action and keep working toward our goal, even in the dead of winter!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this magazine. I feel a real sense of community, even though the articles stretch around Canada and even to the U.S. Our reasons for starting a small-scale farm is what we have in common. Our morals and values align. 

If you’re like me and live in a place where people have no idea what in the world you’re talking about when you say you are starting a market garden, it’s encouraging to know that’s the way it is for most people and you just have to go with your gut and start!

Knowing that there are people out there succeeding when they come from a place similar to myself is encouraging and motivating to say the least. 

As far as advertising goes, Grower’s and Co. do a great job of blending it into the magazine. They aren’t hocking everything under the sun, mostly Growers & Co tools and products, as well as other small-scale growers products.

The ads are not obtrusive and quite honestly, they shed light on some products and people that I otherwise would not have known about, not a bad thing in my book. 

Bottom Line

No surprise here, I love this magazine! I was excited when I first heard about it and when it arrived in the mail, it did not disappoint!

Honestly, if you are in the small-scale farming space or want to be, in any capacity, subscribe to Growers & Co. magazine. It’s $20 and I believe it comes out quarterly. The next issue is due out in April 2021. 

They donate 2% of sales and 1% of employee time to organizations and food advocacy groups, so rest assured you are supporting a company of high ethical standards that truly believes in the power of the small-scale farm movement.

This magazine is an excellent coffee table accessory that if we are ever allowed to have people over again, will make for interesting conversation and maybe a smidge of education for you and your guests to discuss.

I highly, highly recommend subscribing to Growers & Co. magazine!

Have you subscribed to Growers & Co.? What were your first impressions? Let us know in the comments below.

Stay Local,

Kathy & Jon

your friendly neighbourhood growers