Ontario’s annual Agriculture Week celebrates Ontario’s farmers and the over 200 commodities they produce. Organized by Foodland Ontario and Farm and Food Care, this year’s Agriculture Week runs from Monday October 5 to Sunday October 11.
To mark the occasion, we’re going to be spending the week talking about, thanking, and celebrating the many growers and producers that make Ontario’s Greenbelt great. To follow along with the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation visit our Facebook page or follow our Twitter Handle @greenbeltca and tag relevant posts with the hashtag #loveONTfood.
And be sure to celebrate off-line too! After all, the best way to show appreciation for Ontario food is to eat some!
To get you started we’ve put together our 7 top tips for spending the week celebrating Greenbelt farmers and the fresh local food they put on our plates!
1. Visit a local farmers’ market to meet the people who grow your food - find the closest farmers’ market to you here. Here are our top picks from the Greenbelt Regional Offices: Port Perry Farmers’ Market, Saturday 8 am to 1 pm, Newmarket Farmers’ Market, Saturday 8 am to 1 pm and Grimsby Farmers’ Market, Thursday from 3 pm to 7 pm.
2. Take your family to a local pick-your-own to purchase apples or pumpkins.
3. Begin a virtual farm tour to learn more about how your food is grown and raised. From chicken farms to fruit farms - there are plenty of options to choose from!
4. Buy fresh local products at a farm near you. Find the closest farm to your home here.
5. Incorporate more in-season local food in your everyday meals. Read our October in-season guide to get tips on how to incorporate more in-season local food in your day to day life, with information on what is in-season now.
6. Learn about the Sowing the Seeds of Success research findings on Friday October 9 at the Halton Region Museum. The report profiles nine Greenbelt farmers and examines the makings of successful farm businesses. RSVP here and be sure to check our reports page after October 9th to download your own copy.
7. Attend local events that celebrate local food in your area. The following are a few of our top picks from across the Greenbelt:
September 14 to October 31: Halton Pumpkin Trail, Halton Region
September 19 to October 31: Harvest Festival at Springridge Farm, Milton
September 26 to October 4: Pumpkin Pie Trail, York Region
October 3: Holland Marsh Soupfest, Ansnorveldt
October 3: Georgina Harvest Dinner, Georgina
October 4: Harvest Halton, Milton
October 5: Willow Springs Winery Thanksgiving Open House, Stouffville
October 8: York and Durham Environmental Farm Tour, Newmarket
October 9 to October 12: Ball’s Falls Thanksgiving Festival, Lincoln
October 9 to November 8: Taste of the Harvest, Halton Region, Peel Region and Dufferin County
October 10 to October 12: Apple Harvest Festival, Blue Mountain, Thornbury & Clarksburg
To learn more about agriculture in the Greenbelt check out our latest agricultural study. Agriculture by the Numbers: Understanding the Greenbelt’s Unique Advantages captures the changes in agriculture from 2001 to 2011 and highlights the natural and locational advantages of farming in Ontario’s Greenbelt.
To follow the conversation with the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation visit our Facebook page or follow our Twitter Handle @greenbeltca. And be sure to tag any of your relevant posts with the hashtag #loveONTfood.
For more information on Agriculture Week and Ontario-wide events visit Food and Farm Care’s page loveontfood.ca.
– Andreea Nicoara
