The Rural Voice, 2004-02, Page 251
Armstrong said, producing a Globe
and Mail story on the expensive
meals. "People are willing to pay a
whole lot of money for a hamburger
if someone can tell them a story of
where it came from."
One of the trends in food is the
Slow Food Movement which
began in Italy and has spread
around the world. It supports artisan
growers who bring back heritage
breeds of fruits and vegetables and
promotes an appreciation of the
preparation of foods using natural
herbs and spices.
The movement is growing in all
sort of ways in North America
among people who value good food,
Armstrong said. These people
support local food producers and feel
good natural food is worth valuing.
There are opportunities for bed
and breakfast operators or hotels to
offer classes in food preparation from
baking good breads to making savory
soups to attract these food lovers, she
said.
The key to adding value to food is
to tell a unique story, Armstrong
said. One of the challenges over the
years has been to get that story told
to customers in high-end restaurants.
A chef may make the effort to search
out local producers of high-quality
fresh food and develop recipes to
make the best use of those products
but often the serving staff doesn't
convey the story behind that food,
what makes it special.
Restaurateur Alun Elias of The
Riverboat Restaurant in Wingham
illustrated that lesson with a story
from his own business. He grows his
own vegetables in summer on a farm
near Belgrave and created a fresh
field tomato salad using seven
varieties of tomato, many of them
heritage varieties. But often servers
don't tell the story of what makes
that salad so special, he said, such as
the fact those tomatoes are at their
peak of flavour because they are
never refrigerated.
Armstrong urged creation of short,
medium and long range strategic
alliances to help take advantage of
the trends that can mean more money
for rural areas. "In order to keep our
communities viable we have to
support food producers and
entrepreneurs," she said.
Bruce County native Mary Wiley
UNIVERSAL TRACTORS
45 - 105 HP
KIOTI TRACTORS
19 - 65 HP
POULAN
Lawn & Garden Equipment
Sales & Service
BOYD FARM SUPPLY
Owen Sound 519-376-5880
Come and see us in
Paisley
A good selection of
New & Used Cars & Trucks
BUD RIER
CHEVROLET - OLDSMOBILE LTD.
Paisley
519-353-5651 1-800-461-0505
A Solid
Foundation
For Your
Future
AIM
1 Fiji"K
The deadline for
contributions is
March 1"
IT'S RRSP TIME
AGAIN
So Come In And Get The
Credit Union Advantage!
• No annual administrative fees
• Maximize your tax deductions
• Ensure yourself a secure investment
• Instant tax receipts*
• Take advantage of our best
interest rates
• Fixed and variable rate plans
available
- Fixed plans earn interest similar to term rates
for 1 - 5 years
- Variable plans earn interest subject to change
with the market and can be withdrawn at
any time
• check at your branch for availability
CREDIT UNION SECURITY!
Check out the advantages at these local participating Credit Unions
Saugeen Community
Credit Union Ltd.
Durham Holstein
519-369-2931 519-334-3460
Elmwood
519-363-2305
Mitchell & District
Credit Union Ltd.
Mitchell Stratford
519-348-8448 519-271-9083
Shakespeare Sebnngville
519-625-8400 519-393-6670
ATM's - Mitchell, Stratford
www.mitchellcu.ca
HEPCOE Credit Union
Hanover
519-364-3473
Port Elgin
519-832-9011
Kincardine
519-395-3122
Owen Sound
519-371-7355
Member Deposit Insurance Corporation of Ontario
/47
St.Willibrord
THE CREDIT UNION
Stratford
519-271-4883
Wingham
519-357-2311
www.mycu.com
OTHER OFFICES IN Arkona, Blenheim, Forest, London.
Sarnia, St. Thomas. Strathroy, Waterloo & Watford
FEBRUARY 2004 21