It’s not unusual to hear the chirping of crickets when you’re in rural Peterborough County, but what is unusual at one Norwood farm is that the sound is coming from within the farm’s barns instead of the mooing of cows, the oinking of pigs, or the clucking of chickens.
That’s because Entomo Farms is redefining the future of farming and food by raising crickets as an eco-friendly and nutritious alternative to traditional protein.
Based in the Township of Asphodel-Norwood, one of the eight townships in Peterborough County, Entomo Farms was recently inducted into the 2024 International Green Industry Hall of Fame for its sustainable approach to nutrition, following several previous awards for innovation and sustainability.
As the owners of Norwood pet food supplier Reptile Feeders, brothers Darren and Ryan Goldin were already entrepreneurs in entomology when they read a paper about the health benefits that come from the practice of consuming insects. In 2014, along with their other brother Jarrod, they founded Entomo Farms, where they harvest crickets to produce nutrient-rich food while minimizing waste, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Not only does cricket farming require far fewer resources than conventional cattle, pig, or chicken farming, but crickets are more efficient at converting grain into protein compared to traditional livestock.
“If we took all the grain that we already grow and turn it into cricket feed, crickets could produce two to three times the amount of protein,” says Darren, who is Vice President of Farm & Production Operations.
What’s more, the entire cricket is used for food, with none of the waste by-products of conventional livestock farming. Even cricket manure doesn’t go to waste, with Entomo Farms partnering with Canadian Tire in 2022 to supply a plant fertilizer for consumers.
Today, Entomo Farms is the largest insect farm in North America and produces around 15,000 to 20,000 pounds of raw crickets monthly — over 10 million crickets per week — which are either roasted whole and packaged or dehydrated and ground into a fine protein powder that can be used in baking, pastas, sauces, smoothies, soups, and more.
The crickets are raised under the most ethical conditions possible, allowed to range freely in their enclosures, and are only harvested at the end of their normal lifecycle, when they are flash frozen to put them in a state of hibernation before they are roasted in small batches.
Entomo Farms supplies its products to more than 50 companies worldwide, including pet food and treat suppliers across North America as well as wholesale to retailers. Close to home, Peterborough Mexican restaurant La Hacienda uses Entomo Farms products to serve customers a unique, high-protein cricket taco.
A family-owned business, Entomo Farms wouldn’t have the international acclaim it has without the support of other local businesses, including a strong partnership with Reptile Feeders in Norwood and Campbellford Farm Supply Ltd., which has supplied feed for the crickets since the alternate protein company was first established.
As for the operations of the farm, Hastings-based fabricator John Kloosterman Equipment Sales made the 40,000 square feet of custom vertical infrastructure needed to sustainably farm the insects, and Peterborough’s Summit Mechanical has provided technical support for Entomo Farm’s dehydrator system.
Humans have been harvesting and eating insects for thousands of years and, from its home in Peterborough County, Entomo Farms has become a global leader in the insect protein revolution, changing perceptions and diets today for the betterment of the planet tomorrow.
For more information about Entomo Farms, visit entomofarms.com or email info@entomofarms.com.
The Local Advantage in Peterborough County is a branded editorial feature series about locally owned independent businesses in Peterborough County, created in partnership with Peterborough County’s Economic Development & Tourism Division.
As part of its response to the impact of U.S. tariffs, Peterborough County is showcasing the many unique businesses located in the county, both by sharing their stories of success and how they support both residents and other businesses in their communities.
Whether by shopping at local businesses, dining at local restaurants, staying at local accommodation, or enjoying local experiences, residents and visitors can enhance the economic resilience of Peterborough County during these challenging times and help establish a sustainable foundation for the future.
For more information about economic development and tourism in Peterborough County, visit www.ptbocounty.ca/ecdev and The Kawarthas Tourism at thekawarthas.ca.
