Sandra Winfield is the proud owner of a half-acre organic farm in the town’s north end. She produces a combination of fruit, vegetables, fresh herbs and farm fresh eggs and, when available, provides her product year-round, all in an effort to promote environmental awareness. She sells them from her Sunset Drive North farm every Thursday evening during the growing season.

When you drive by Winfield Farm, don’t expect to see workers operating heavy equipment. Instead, a majority of the work is done by Winfield and her four young daughters. Her husband, Greg, is a full-time electrician and on the road an average of 12 hours a day.

Winfield started the new form of farming on the former site of Fort Erie Dairy in 2001, but until May 2005 when she officially opened, growing was mostly trial and error. With young children at home — two-year-old Taylor, four-year-old Hanna, six-year-old April Jane, and 10-year-old Robyn — Winfield admits it’s been difficult to farm to sustain a full-time income. Whatever she makes is spent on extra-curricular activities for the children and other bills such as utilities.

All four children were born in the height of the growing season — April, May and August — but motherhood didn’t slow Winfield down.

“They spent their time on my back in the middle of the garden,” she said. “It’s been a challenge but I can see it becoming very prosperous because my customers are so dedicated. They love it.”

While her children learn growing techniques, they are also picking up on a global lesson from their mother’s get-green mission.

Winfield advocates recycling and taking on other initiatives such as offering public workshops and in-home consultation on how to go green.

“It’s not just about the food we eat — it’s about anything that affects our air, water and soil.”

Winfield offers tips on how to detoxify homes by using environmentally friendly cleaners, for example, and using a multitude of organic products.

“Even in the town of Fort Erie, if every single household switched from the commonly used dish soap, which affects our water quality, to something that is natural, just think about the impact that would have on the environment — even if one community did that, nevermind the whole country or world.”

That message resonates with most people, said Winfield, who also promotes eating local.

“If you just buy local apples, it’s a start.”

Winfield said with more government support, farmers who have been using the same products for generations can learn about how to become more environmentally friendly to keep pests away from crops.

While she admits growing organically is a challenge, she has found ways through trial and error to keep her crops healthy naturally.

In an extra environmentally-conscious effort, she mostly maintains her crops by hand and uses a tractor, which has been in the family for three generations, only when absolutely necessary.

The property, located at 2357 Sunset Dr. N., has been in the family since the 1800s, but for the last several decades, hasn’t been used as a farm. In fact, the land has been in idle since the last time Greg’s father peddled milk in glass bottles.

“Greg’s grandparents had three daughters and they didn’t carry on anything,” said Winfield. “There’s a lot of family history and heritage here. Greg’s mother was born and raised in this house and now she lives in the house next door. Greg was born and raised in the house next door and now we’re here. And we’ll probably never leave.”

Winfield said she isn’t sure how many generations her farm will carry on, but in the meantime her four daughters are enjoying themselves.

“They absolutely love it. They may go on and do other things, but out of four of them I can see two of them for sure having something to do with the farm.”

This year, the family purchased their first horse and dog. They are also looking for another horse and perhaps a cow.

“We’re growing, but we’re just not that well established yet,” she said. “We believe in our products and cause and the word is slowly getting out.”