HURON COUNTY – Farm gates and stores where the bounty of the land in Huron and Perth counties can be found is now mapped out in the latest edition of Buy Local, Buy Fresh Huron Perth: Your Guide to Local Food.
“The map lists over 100 farms and food retailers in Huron and Perth where consumers can find locally grown and produced goods,” said Janice Dunbar, who is chair of the Huron Perth Farm to Table Network, the group responsible for producing the local food map. The 2012-2014 map has just arrived and is hitting shelves, markets and tourism locations across Huron Perth and beyond.
The map includes businesses with products ranging from fruits and vegetables to meat and bread to cheese and coffee. Many of these farms are open by chance or appointment – so be sure to call ahead regarding availability for the date you plan to visit and to be sure they have what you’re looking for.
Local producers and retailers listed on the 4th edition of the Huron-Perth Buy Local! Buy Fresh! Map can also be found online. On Facebook, you can “Like” “Farm to Table (Huron Perth)” or follow @HPFarmtoTable on Twitter for updates on local products, producers, recipes and more.
If you are a Huron County resident and would like to start buying locally, but don’t have time to visit the farm gates listed on the map to purchase local products, try ordering a Huron Good Food Box.
The Good Food Box is a volunteer-based program that provides a monthly box of local fruits and vegetables to Huron County residents for $15. The Good Food Box also provides an introduction to new products and recipes as well as an opportunity to support local farmers. Visit online for a full list of neighbourhood host sites.
“The Good Food Box is a wonderful way to access locally-grown food, to support local farmers and the local economy as well as the sustainability of a healthy community,” said Brittany Fry, who is the co-ordinator of Huron Good Food Box. “From June until December, we are able to provide 100 per cent from local producers. During the other months, we provide between 50 to 70 per cent local product.”
The map and Good Food Box programs are products of Huron Perth Farm to Table, a network of community organizations. Members share concerns about access to local, healthy food and the overall vitality of agricultural-related activities in the two-county region. Their new Opportunities Project, currently under way, works to create a sustainable food system and includes farmer training opportunities, market and infrastructure development as well as community engagement.
For more information on how to order a Good Food Box or where to get a Buy Local! Buy Fresh! Map, please contact Janice Dunbar at 519.482.3416 or email jdunbar@huroncounty.ca or visit online.
