I'm Darren, our Chief Ideas Man! After almost graduating from York University in Toronto, Ontario with a Bachelor in Environmental studies, I moved out to British Columbia to protest against the clear cutting of old growth forest. During my studies I had become passionate about saving our remaining forests, sustainable living and reducing my personal carbon footprint.
After a year on Vancouver Island I met Caryn, who would EVENTUALLY become my wife, and together we started a small percussion drum manufacturing company that grew and brought me back to Ontario and my family. Within a few weeks my brother, Ryan, joined me in the company, which we grew together. Our instruments were distributed around the world and were praised by recording and touring musicians.
Our next company, Reptile Feeders has grown into a fantastic company feeding birds of prey, reptiles and amphibians all over North America excellent high quality food. Clients include pet stores, Universities, labs and zoos. By following our previous business model of offering superior quality products at a reasonable price, we grew very quickly and soon became the largest producer of insects in Canada.
Then things started to evolve for me, as they do naturally. Why stop at feeding reptiles? I was becoming very interested in aquaculture and aquaponics in the end, insects form a large part of a fishes natural diet. I have been an organic gardener for 20 years and the more I started to research organic aquaculture and global food production, the more concerned I became. After pouring over tonnes of research, I knew I was on to something. It was time to enlighten others about the devastating truths about protein production and consumption, and to expand Reptile Feeders beyond our wildest dreams into a larger vision….an alternative protein source that could feed the hungry, and make a global difference.
So here we are, launching NextMillenniumFarms.com and we are excited to bring these opportunities to you.
We can't wait for you to see our amazing ideas and sample our delicious tasting protein flours and products that will blow your taste buds apart! Check out my wife Caryn's recipes and let us know what you think!
Caryn and I are supported by our sweet angels, Abby and Zoe, who make life amazing every single day! It was in the end my infinite love for them that lead me to pursue a cleaner healthier protein source!
I'm Ryan, and I'm known as the 'Logistics Man'; dotting I's and crossing T's. I am a "yes" man, meaning I try to turn "no, we can't" into "yes, we can!" After graduating from York University in Toronto, Ontario with a combined degree in Environmental Studies and Education, I went on to partner with Darren in Mountain Rythym and launch a proprietary hand percussion tuning system.
After selling that business, Darren and I founded Reptile Feeders, which has grown into a sizeable company with 15 employees and a gorgeous modern farm in Norwood, Ontario, just outside of Peterborough.
Together with my wife, Ora, I want to leave an impact on how my boys, Ayjay and Jesse, see food, the environment's relationship with food and the impact of the choices they make. Plus, I love watching them eat any bug I put in front of them, usually, without hesitation! Wow, we can learn so much from our children!!
As a Chiropractor and Chiropractic educator for 17 years, I have been witness to the impact that food can have on our health. Now we know it's not only about the food we put in, but the impact that the farming of the food has on our environment. I was blown away, disgusted and disheartened, to learn how pathetically inefficient, 'entitled' and ludicrous it is to farm beef, hog and chicken protein. With the opportunity to bring my science background to the table, and to join my brothers and their families in this new (or not so new) venture, I jumped at the chance! I became so excited at the opportunity and have never looked back.
I joined the team and can't wait to help change the world.
I hope to impact iron deficiency and anemia with our "iron stick" product. Next Millennium Farms has the propensity to help feed the hungry with our protein pancake flours and our exceptional and totally unique product (L) lines!
We are already working with great Canadian universities on some awesome projects and invite the opportunity for more research and studies on our products and concepts. Please contact us at [email protected] to inquire!
Thanks to my wife for editing all of our content, and my two amazing daughters, Aria and Kaya for their support and for never being shy to try Caryn's recipes!
Jason grew up in the small town of Warsaw, Ontario. As a teenager, Jason worked hard and played hard. His strong work ethic drove him to spend many hours helping out his neighbours with different odd jobs, and just as many enjoying the outdoors in every way possible with his friends. From camping, to hiking, fishing, swimming, and loving reptiles, Jason was always drawn to nature.
As a young man Jason first worked at a pipe manufacturing company, then in construction, earning a supervisory role in a short time due to his strong work ethic, problem solving skills and leadership qualities. His love of reptiles never faltered, and is what brought him to know Darren Goldin, and then his brother, Ryan.
Jason started producing his own food for his own many pets including his leopard gecko and Burmese Python, due to the difficulty he had finding others as passionate as he about his snakes and reptiles. Not long after meeting Darren, "Reptile Feeders" was born with Jason, and the two younger Goldin brothers as partners. Together, they lead the reptile feeder industry as one of the biggest suppliers of live insects and rodents in Canada.
Jason's experience in growing and producing insects along with his earlier experience in manufacturing and construction make him an integral member of the Next Millennium Farms team.
When Jason isn't busy running the day to day operations of Reptile Feeders he can be found on his personal farm spending time with his wife and their 3 young children. Jason enjoys his leisure time teaching his kids how to fish, swim and any other outdoor activity they can come up with. He raises his children with a similar work ethic as his own because in his words, "There is always something to do on the farm". Jason and his wife have 3 young boys, 3 horses, 3 dogs, 3 pet rats and more reptiles than they can count.
I was raised with a deep appreciation and fascination with the natural world. From wildlife, to the night sky, to the food we grow I look at it all with a sense of wonder.
Though my life has gone in many directions, it is my current trajectory that has me truly excited. The opportunities presented by entomophagy , be it the environmental or social impact, are giving me a chance to change the world.
With my combined focus on animal husbandry, and internet technology honed through decades of reptile and rodent keeping, and more than a decade deep in the belly of the internet as a network administrator for a large pet community Next Millenium Farms seems the perfect fit.
With my wife and three children by my side, I'm ready to feed the world into the next millennium and beyond.
I love food. Who doesn't? I mean real food, not "wish-I-was-food" food, but the real thing. I love growing it, cooking it, smelling it, sharing it and discovering it. I have always cooked for friends and family and have met several of my oldest friends at a random shared meal; a start of things to come. I was even lucky enough to have met my husband at a random get-together where I was doing what I love most; cooking, sharing and getting to know someone while lazing about nibbling on the labors of culinary love --the treasure trove of foods our planet has given us.
It has always been a personal vision to somehow incorporate my passion for food with my love for the environment. Enter...Entomophagy .
Much to my surprise, several years ago I began circling the corral around "real' real food. Be it a Paleo lifestyle choice, or Entomaphagy, there seemed to be truly logical and sustainable concepts brewing in the world of food.
Amy, an integral member of Reptile Feeders since June 2012, has a love for animals and the outdoors that began as a young girl growing up in New Brunswick. At the age of 12 she found herself looking after a Hereford cattle farm, which evolved her love for the farm life.
At the adventurous age of 16, Amy moved to Ontario with her cat, horse and anything that would fit in the car. At 17, due to her strong work ethic, dedication and love for animals, she was made manager of an Equestrian Facility with 65 horses. She spent 6 years fulfilling her dream as a Veterinarian Technician, and learned everything she could about the wonderful world of animals.
Together with her husband Kevin, Amy has a very large family of critters on their farm, including dogs, horses, cats and pigs. Amy embraces every day as a new learning experience.
Amy's interest in the future of the Earth and the capacity to sustain humankind, has brought her to see Next Millennium Farms as an exciting adventure that allows her to work with different means to feed both people and animals with delicious and nutritious food!
Stewart is first and foremost a father of two wonderful girls. During his 20 years as a T.V. cameraman shooting news and commercials Stewart also ran a sucessful photography business. Stick Shots Photography covered sporting events of every type throughout Ontario. Stewart's passion for photography also led him to travel throughout North America photographing wildlife and natural landscapes.
This love for animals and wild places has inspired Stewart to volunteer for several wildlife rehabilitation centres, and led him to Reptile Feeders where, among other duties, he manages the high-end Python and Boa breeding colonies. Stewart's proven track record with Reptile Feeders made him a natural choice for the NMF team.
Next Millennium Farms is pleased to announce our collaboration with, Dr. Doug Yungblut Ph.D., P.Ag. the President of Yungblut & Associates Consulting.
After growing up on a farm in Ontario, he received his education at the University of Guelph and Purdue University. Doug has over 30 years experience with multinational and Canadian companies in the animal health, biotechnology and animal nutrition sectors. Dr. Yungblut also has been president of several non profit organizations including most recently, the Ontario Institute of Agrologists. From 2009 to 2011 Doug served as President of the Agricultural Institute of Canada (AIC).
Next Millennium Farms is working on licensing to grant the ability to sell insect protein to Canadian farmers. Never before has a farm or farmer in Canada had the legal right, opportunity, or ability to farm and distribute insect protein as eco-feed for livestock. Next Millennium Farms has made it a mission to do just that—bringing this opportunity of a much needed eco-feed for livestock to Canadian farmers. Dr. Yungblut is the primary consultant on this project with Next Millennium Farms.
Building upon the loyal team and existing supplier partnerships, Omniverse has brought together specialists with over 50 years combined experience from a range of industries such as packaging, food, private label and OEM product development, contract packing, automation and design. We bring together our wealth of experience and knowlegde to build the synergies found in the Omniverse Group.
Glenford is an Ontario food lawyer, who works with businesses and organizations that engage in food policy and create a positive social impact, encouraging businesses to work ethically, environmentally, and sustainably. With these objectives, working with Next Millennium Farms has been an exciting project and natural fit.
