LOCAL FOOD

I am inspired by local food. I'm a nerd for it! When I first started visiting the Leslieville Farmers' Market seven years ago, I was on the lookout for ingredients that I'd never heard of. I brought them home and the kitchen experiments began! That's how I discovered crisp purple mizuna, the beauties of stewing callaloo and purslane salads! Everything I put on the plate for dinner parties I've tried and loved. Some of the ingredients I now grow in my own garden.

I've also developed strong relationships with local farmers.  I have spent time volunteering on farms, taking tours and getting to know the people who are growing delicious food in Ontario. Here are of some of the amazing local producers I work with!

Wheelbarrow Farm

I first met Tony, the farmer who founded Wheelbarrow Farm,  at the Leslieville Farmers' Market in 2016. I was drawn to the Wheelbarrow Farm booth both for the unique produce and the friendly farmers who worked it. Each week we had conversations about vegetables, cooking and music. In addition to being an innovative organic farmer, Tony plays in a band!

It wasn't until I visited the farm for the first time in 2018 to volunteer that I got a clearer picture of what it takes to grow organic vegetables. Located just outside of Uxbridge, the farm is a mix of cutting edge and very old technologies. From the state of the art electric tractor to the simple wood racks used to dry garlic, the property is a testament to innovation and sustainability. Most importantly though, the food they grow is delicious!

This year I purchased some seedlings from the farm to plant in my garden. And guess what? I harvested some of the yummiest heirloom vegetables I have ever planted!

Graze and Gather

Graze & Gather is a virtual Farmers' Market with a really great story. When the pandemic hit, Dave and Emily of Kendall Hills Farm realized that their business was in jeopardy. After years of experimentation their organic mushroom farm was very successful.  They are truly some of the best mushrooms I've ever tasted! Sadly their business model of largely selling them in Farmers' Markets was severely disrupted in March 2020.

Instead of panicking (well maybe there was a little bit of that...) they reached out to other local farmers who were in the same boat. They created a distribution hub and delivery service for Ontario vendors that operated out of their farm. Graze and Gather now works with hundreds of producers to make it easy for farm fresh produce to be delivered to your front door! Because of the diversity of their vendors I order from them year-round, not just in the traditional Farmers' Market season of June through October.