HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-07-25, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019.
Huron offers broad, unique farm-to-table options
By Nancy Fisher
While pondering the details of this
article, it occurred to me that the new
interest in local food is the least
trendy of trends. In fact, if you time
travelled back to your grandmother’s
or great-grandmother’s kitchen you
would have found that most of the
foods came from close to her door.
Many of the items delivered there
came from the very people who
grew, raised, caught or created them.
Somewhere along the way we
started to look for food to be faster
and easier. In more families, both
partners were working, the big food
companies got really crafty with
their marketing (Who has time to
cook from scratch? Why not open a
box or bottle?) and we traded local
connections for cost and
convenience. Sadly along the way
we lost many of the skills and
practices that our grandparents took
for granted.
But in the last few years
something has changed, people are
actively looking to expand their
palates and create new experiences
with what they consume.
While there may be quite a few
reasons that people are looking for
local – concerns about environ-
mental impacts, taste and quality,
and knowing where and how your
food was created to name a few – I
think it is a desire to connect to the
land that we live on that maybe the
strongest pull of all.
Here in Huron County, we are
blessed with so many options to
bring local food back into our lives,
starting with the most local of all:
food grown or raised yourself.
Even the most modest dwelling
might have a spot for a tomato, or a
flower pot of lettuce, or may be just
a sunny window for some herbs, but
the convenience, taste and pride
derived from growing your own
salad is well worth the effort. Before
you know it, the lawn gives way to
raised beds, or you’re starting a local
garden allotment society.
Or maybe the best option for you
is a community supported
agriculture (CSA) produce box
subscription from your local market
grower. You don’t have to venture far
from your doorstep to find more
tasty local food; from your backyard
to your local bistro our choices have
never been so plentiful.
Over the past few years, more
farmers’ markets have appeared,
offering a selection of many
different kinds of food and other
wares as well. Not just on the
weekends either, evening markets
can be a convenient, quick stop on
your way home. I find that markets
are also social places where friends
catch up on news and share tips
about the freshest of produce. The
vendors are friendly and helpful and
since most of them grow or produce
their offerings, they are happy to
offer cooking and storage tips and
may even venture into suggestions
for local beverage pairings.
Depending on the vendors who are
set up, you may be able to purchase
a complete meal. Locally-made
sausage, a few new potatoes and
some cabbage to slice up into a fresh
slaw and you’re set to impress many
an appetite. Grab a loaf of bread,
some pickles for a side dish, slice up
some fruit, drizzle with honey and a
feast is born.
Once you know a few of the local
growers and producers, you may
find that they also sell directly from
their home or farm gate. A drive
Hillsview FarmsHillsview Farms
Organically Home Grown Produce and C.S.A.
since 1996
519-529-3653
Three Convenient Locations
Seaforth - Clinton - Goderich
Call for hours and availability
Goderich Farmers’ Market - Saturdays
on the Square from 8 am - 1 pm
MASSE FRUIT & VEGETABLE FARM
C/O MIKE AND DIANNE MASSE
35291 Zurich Hensall Road, Zurich, ON N0M 2T0
Phone: 519-236-7907
Email: massepumpkins@hay.net
Open daily
Like us on Facebook for up-to-date info
PICKED FRESH FOR
YOU DAILY
Sourcing locally
Sourcing local products can be made much easier by selecting the right places to shop.
Community outdoor markets and farmers’ markets can be an ideal place to find locally-
sourced produce while also providing a great chance to walk, have fresh air and see what else
is offered at these gems of rural life. (Denny Scott photo)
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