Category Archives: News

Crickets Make Your Trail Mix a Hopping Experience

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Pack some protein in your trail mix by adding in some insects

What do you put in your trail mix? Nuts? Dried Fruit? Crickets?

Yup. That’s right, I said ‘crickets’.

Nick Hiebert, Founder of Ecotone Foods out of Manitoba, has created a delicious twist on an old trail tradition. He has popped roasted crickets, mealworms and super worms into a trailmix along with dried fruit like cranberries and blueberries, and an assortment of nuts and seeds.

Those who are curious and adventurous tasted the crunchy mix and quickly discovered that the bug laden power food is as delicious as it is nutritious. Cheryl Holmes, the reporter for CTV News in Winnipeg, happily crunched a big spoonful of the super snack.

So, what does Ecotone Foods have to do with Next Millennium Farms? Good question.

Next Millennium Farms supplies Ecotone Foods with their scrumptious insects for their trail mix. Click on the video in the article and check out 1:26-1:50 to hear Ryan Goldin, co-founder of Next Millennium Farms, talk about part of the process that is used to provide us with our crunchy critters.

I love trail mix. It is actually one of my daily standards, especially now that I’m making a concerted effort to eliminate unhealthy snacks from my diet (those that are the culprits know who they are!).

I blend in some raw sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, unsweetened coconut, and cranberries. So, after this article came out, I asked some other Next Millennium Farms team members how long they think it will be until food made with insects is the norm- not ‘specialty’ or ‘niche’ or ‘novelty’.

I say 1-2 years.

Hopeful? Maybe… Anyone care to make a wager?

#InsectProtein #CricketFlour #Entomophagy

BBC’s ‘From Our Own Correspondent’ Talks About Eating Crickets and Next Millennium Farms

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Next Millennium Farms on BBC

Sian Griffiths, reporter for BBC’s “From Our Own Correspondent”, talks candidly about eating crickets, her visit to the cricket farm and worm farm of Next Millennium Farms in rural Ontario, and meeting the Goldin Brothers, Jarrod, Darren and Ryan, the co-founders of the company.

Click to listen to the podcast, and scrub to 4:45, to hear Griffiths talk about the impact that eating insects can have on global food security as well as the nutritional and environmental benefits of eating insects.

Griffiths points out that 2 billion people on this planet already consume insects as their main source of protein; from Asia to Africa, to South America. She bravely tries the ginger cookies made with cricket flour, and the brownies made with cricket flour, (and states how delicious they are!) but passes on the chocolate covered mealworms.

Maybe next time, Sian!

#InsectProtein #CricketFlour #Entomophagy

 

 

 

 

 

Eating Insects and Cricket Flour Make the News in the United Kingdom

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The Daily Mail had a huge spread in their online and print paper today about Next Millennium Farms and the reality of insect protein becoming the new viable source of protein for humans as we skyrocket towards a global population of over 9 billion people.

Next Millennium Farms is the first farm of its kind in North America that raises crickets for human consumption.

The article in the Daily Mail clearly outlines the health benefits of humans consuming insect protein, as well as the environmental aspects of raising insects for protein consumption versus other more readily accepted (in North America) forms of protein that put a drastic strain on the Earth and its resources, such as fresh water and land.

Read the article and share with your friends and family! Change is a-coming!

#CricketFlour #InsectProtein #Entomophagy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eating Insects with ASAP Science

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Eating Insects from Bug Bistro

Last week I was taking a little break at work, chatting to one of my friends at her desk, when suddenly, another one of my friends came running out of his cubicle when he heard my voice, phone in hand, saying something like, “They’re eating crickets, they’re eating crickets!” (My co-workers at my 9-5 job are all VERY intrigued by my new-found interest in eating insects) I looked at him and asked, “Who’s eating crickets?” He responded with, “The ASAP Science guys! They’re eating crickets, and posted a pic on Instagram!”

We had just heard of ASAP Science through one of our instructors during a course we were all taking together at OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design), and many of us started following them through different social media channels.

So, of course I take the phone from his outstretched hand and look at the picture, and sure enough, not only are they eating insects, they are eating insects from THE BUG BISTRO! I totally freaked out, shrieked, and said, “OH MY GOD, they’re eating our bugs! They’re eating crickets from Next Millennium Farms!”

Well, that was just the beginning.

A few days later, there were two videos posted by ASAP Science, AKA Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown.

There are two videos: “Should We All Be Eating Insects” discusses the nutritious value and environmental component related to eating insects, and “How to Eat Bugs” offers the new insect eater some great ideas for including insects in their daily diet.

ASAP Science cred Youtube

 

ASAP Science cred to Youtube showing you how to eat insects

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All A-Buzz at the Peterborough Farmers’ Market

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Eating Insects at the Peterborough Farmers’ Market

Who are those handsome young men sporting the Next Millennium Farms shirts #Entomophagy? Why, they’re the Dereks of course! Derek Sedgwick and Derek Delahaye, members of the Next Millennium Farms family, represent at the Peterborough Farmers’ Market.

They made their debut last weekend, and were over-whelmed by the wonderful response from the many people who came by the Next Millennium Farms booth at the market.

Next Millennium Farms Booth at the Peterborough Farmers’ Market

Every Saturday, from 7am to 1pm, hundreds of people browse through the stands of the Farmers’ Market at the Memorial Centre parking lot at Lansdowne and George street.

According to Derek S. (shown on the left), there were many passersby who were curious, and who started talking to the ‘Dereks’ and asking them questions about the products, eating insects, and other pressing questions, such as- ‘Ya, but how do they taste?’

Many people were really open to the concept and trying the product. Mothers, without any hesitation, were allowing their very curious children to sample a seasoned cricket or a mealworm from the newly launched Bug Bistro line of edible seasoned insects.

Lots of insect sampling!

Everyone who tasted a cricket or mealworm was pleasantly surprised to find that they are really quite delicious! By the end of the first day, it was clear that the most popular insects to crunch on were the crickets, and the best seller of the day was the 113 gram bag of cricket flour.

If you live in the Peterborough area, or love spending your summer in Ontario trawling from one farmers’ market to another, stop by the Next Millennium Farms booth for a sample of bugs bursting with flavour!

Insects for Humans on the Inside Scoop- Emerald Planet

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Co-Founder Jarrod Goldin on Emerald Planet

Jarrod Goldin, Co-Founder of Next Millennium Farms, spoke to Dr. Sam Hancock about eating insects for health, taste, and the sustainability of the planet as we skyrocket towards a population of over 9 billion by the year 2050, on Sunday’s edition of Inside Scoop- Emerald Planet.

This show, based out of Washington D.C. typically draws an audience of 5 million people.

This episode of Inside Scoop- Emerald Planet, is almost an hour long, and focuses on the vision and mission of Next Millennium Farms.

There are some wonderful slides with graphics just before the 5 minute mark that highlight the amount of resources it takes to grow different kinds of protein.

If you are interested in how insect consumption can greatly reduce your carbon footprint, tune in just before the 10 minute mark.

For many of you, you might not be necessarily interested in the environmental impact of your food choices, rather your driving force for the foods that you choose to eat, might simply just be straight up nutrition. Check out the video just before the 11 minute mark to hear Jarrod talk about the nutritional information that correlates to one serving of insect protein; carbohydrates, protein, fat and calories.

The conversation continues, and at 17:20 you can get a glimpse of the Norwood, Ontario farm, the benefits of farming, and how Next Millennium Farms processes their insects.

Nicole Kilburn, professor of anthropology at Camosun College in British Columbia joins Dr. Hancock at 23:00, and discusses entomophagy as it relates to nutritional anthropology in different societies.

The last segment that runs from 45:30 to the end, features Jarrod discussing the possibility of setting up global insect farms, and the benefits this will have not only from a nutritional point of view, but also from an economic point of view as well considering it could conceivably create many jobs. There is also conversation around who are the early adopters to eating insects, and insect flour as RUTF (Ready to Use Therapeutic Food) for populations that are involved in disasters, and are unable to provide their own nutrition.

Now that you’ve watched to show, I’m sure you’re going to want to sample some of the insects yourself.

Check out our newly launched Bug Bistro, where you can taste some crunchy and flavorful mealworms and crickets, or try some insect flour in your cooking!

“The Next Bug Thing”, on The Lang and O’Leary Exchange

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Darren Goldin talks to Dianne Buckner of The CBC’s Lang and O’Leary Exchange

Have you ever been in a studio’s Green Room? If you haven’t, the Green Room is where you wait before you go on the air, and if you are a guest on a show, there will typically be some kind of refreshments for you.

Well, today on The Lang and O’Leary Exchange on the CBC, Next Millennium Farms’ own Co-Founder, Darren Goldin, brought the refreshments to them instead of the other way around. What snacks were those, you might ask? Well, chocolate covered mealworms, of course!

The 5-minute interview with Dianne Buckner was wonderfully executed. The responses flowed from one into the other seamlessly, allowing Darren to showcase the exciting growth that has been taking place at Next Millennium Farms at a rapid pace; they have already outgrown their newly acquired 9000 square foot facility!

The mission and vision statements of Next Millennium Farms were organically brought to the forefront through the interview; producing great tasting and highly nutritional insects for human consumption, which are beneficial for people, but also for the globe, as the carbon footprint produced by raising and producing insect protein is much lower compared with other protein sources like beef or chicken.

Before you know it, eating insects WILL BE mainstream in our society. It will be common to see someone snacking on crispy crickets on the subway, or pulling out a pack of sea salt and pepper mealworms from their lunch bags. Just yesterday, City News aired a spot shot in Norwood, Ontario at Next Millennium Farms’ headquarters, where news reporter, Audra Brown was given some wax worms from one of Goldin’s daughters, and she remarked, quite surprised I’d like to add, “These are GOOD!”

Check out our new Bug Bistro to get your own!

 

 

Eat Insects at the Bug Bistro

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Eat Insects at the Bug Bistro

Bug Bistro. Yup, that’s what I said. Get your edible bugs right here at Next Millennium Farms’ own Bug Bistro. Eating insects has never been more delicious or easier for you to start or continue doing!

We have a bunch of different flavors for you to choose from: honey mustard, barbeque, sea salt and pepper, fire and brimstone and Moroccan spice. You can also choose between crickets or mealworms. If you’re not sure if you prefer crickets to mealworms, or the other way around, you can try our assorted snack pack which gives you both crickets AND mealworms, and a sample of all the flavors. With the assorted pack of 6 2 gram bags, you get barbeque, fire and brimstone and sea salt and pepper mealworms, and Moroccan, honey and mustard and barbeque crickets.

All the insects are cooked to perfection so they are crispy and crunchy, which makes them the snack that you want to reach for at any time of day- pre or post workout, the mid-morning nibble or the 3:00 pm snack attack.

Chock-full of protein, essential amino acids and iron, these cricket and mealworm snack packs from Bug Bistro can be enjoyed right out of the pack and down the hatch, or sprinkle them on your favorite salad, burrito, or sandwich.

The other cool thing about this snack, is that for those of you who have fussy kids, who barely eat foods with protein and iron (mine were like that for many years, and it used to drive me absolutely crazy), your kids will absolutely love these- they’ll be their new favorite snack, and you’ll always say, “yes”, because they are nutritious, delicious, and low in calories and fat.

If you’ve never tried eating insects before, this is a great way for you to get started. Don’t be scared. You’re doing yourself (and the planet) a favor.

Let us know which ones are your favorites!

Eating Insects in Capetown, South Africa

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Photo by Esa Alexander

Bianca Capazorio of Capetown, South Africa wrote a fantastic article about a display at the Good Food and Wine show that took place in Capetown last week.

The company, Rentokil, which is known as a pest control company, set up a tasting table that they called the “Pestaurant”, where they served ‘crackers with cream cheese and sweet chilli topped with a locust, chocolate-covered ants, meal worms and several other six- legged and slithery taste treats.’

Capazorio reported that at first many people were very reserved and were wary about trying the insects, but as the show wore on, those who were more ento-curious and adventurous were excited to try the different insects that were being offered.

Those who tried eating insects at the show were pleasantly surprised, and commented that the insects didn’t taste anything different from anything else they had eaten.

Are you ento-curious? Even just a little bit? Check out the Next Millennium Farms store and start with something like cricket flour that you can add to some great recipes!

Introducing: Geoentomarian

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Eat Bugs, Help Heal the Planet

So, you’re on a first date.

You’re at some nice restaurant with tons of atmosphere, and you’re trying to get to know the person sitting in front of you; trying to look like you’re not really trying.

You ask each other questions about your past relationships, hobbies, habits (good and bad), and then you ask, “So, are you a Geoentomarian?”

At this point in time, no one would be able to answer that question because no one knows what that means, except for the few of us who work at Next Millennium Farms.

A Geoentomarian is simply someone who eats insects to help better the health of our planet. Broken down, it’s “geo”, for the Earth, “entomo” for insects, and “arian” someone who engages in something.

The day will come, and we’re hoping sooner than later, when this question will be mainstream- just one question on a list of many to help you get to know someone better, or for someone to use as they describe themselves, as in, “I run, do yoga, and I’m a Geoentomarian.” But at this point in time, we are just launching the term, Geoentomarian into the stratosphere, hoping that it will gain as much momentum as Vegan, Vegetarian, Humanitarian, or Environmentalist.

Thank you to Nutritional Anthropologist, Nicole Kilburn, and those at I Am Eco Warrior .

Read, the article, share with friends, post to your fave social media outlet, and let us know, Are you a Geoentomarian?

I am.