The Times Advocate, 2004-01-28, Page 22
Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, January 28, 2004
Regional
wrap up
BIA sets
sights on
ice rink
GODERICH — After
years of discussion
and planning the
Business
Improvement Area
(BIA) has set its sights
on constructing an ice
rink in Courthouse
Park.
The Goderich
Signal -Star reported
the outdoor ice rink
has been proposed as
the BIA's next major
project.
The rink would be
an artificial ice sur-
face on a permanent
pad with funding from
the BIA, the town and
private donations.
Flu situation
improving
SE FORTH — With
four Influenza A -
related deaths and
numerous outbreaks
behind them, health
unit officials say they
may know in a week
if the worst of the flu
season is over in
Huron County.
The Huron
Expositor reported
there are fewer
cases now than over
Christmas and none
of Huron County's
long-term care facil-
ities are experienc-
ing flu -related out-
breaks.
Mid -Western
district Lt. -
Gov.
CLINTON — A
Clinton Optimist now
holds the post of
lieutenant -governor
of the Mid -Western
district, zones two
and three, after
business took the
current lieutenant -
governor out of the
jurisdiction.
The Clinton News -
Record reported
since he had already
been slated to serve
as lieutenant -gover-
nor for the 2004-
2005
season,
Optimist Dennis
Krysak will hold the
position for two
terms.
How to market the tastes of Huron meeting
Continued from front page
and use food," she said.
She said this trend is
driven by demographics
and the nostalgic yearn-
ing of the baby boomer
generation to return to
the way things were
when they were growing
up.
"People will reinvest in
their good memories
from childhood,"
Armstrong said.
She said this trend has
shown itself through the
growth of the slow food
movement and the
demand for organic
products.
Armstrong said it is
important for people
who work with food to
be educated about
where it comes from.
She said she has been
involved in training wait
staff at restaurants so
they can answer cus-
tomer questions.
She said the same
training should be done
at grocery stores.
"They are retailing and
retelling the food story,"
she said.
"We want people to
graze their way across
Huron County," she said,
referring to the tourism
aspect of marketing the
tastes of the county.
She said the notion is
there in the marketplace
that organic is worth
coming to find.
"We want to bring peo-
ple into the county
exploring the backways
and the byways."
Armstrong said one of
the best ways to get a
product recognized is
through a farm market
mentality.
She encouraged pro-
ducers to approach the
big -box stores in the
county and ask to set up
a booth at the store to
provide education and
sampling.
"People will begin to
look for the product,"
she said.
She also encouraged
producers to approach
local restaurants and
build alliances with
them to create menus
which offer local prod-
ucts.
"There are opportuni-
ties, depending on how
hard you want to work,"
she said.
fresh fromthe farm.com
Another marketing tool
is the Internet.
Armstrong said the top
two reasons people go
on the Internet is for
travel and recipes or
food ideas.
Expanding on this topic
was Wayne Knox, the
manager of the Grand
Erie Business
Development Centre,
who spoke about fresh-
fromthefarm. com, a Web
site which promotes
agri-tourism.
Knox said the Web site
project began as a way
to promote Haldimand
County and grew to
become an agri-tourism
guide of North America,
which will include list-
ings from across the
continent.
The co-operative
advertising site can be
updated by contributors
any time by anyone with
Internet access.
It will link to existing
Web sites or act as a
farm's only presence on
the Web with as much or
as little information as
the contributor decides
to give.
The premise behind
the Web site is direct
farm marketing, a tool to
bring the people right to
the farm gate.
The site can be used to
promote farms, farmers
markets, agricultural
festivals, fairs and
events.
"People will travel a
long distance for organic
food," Knox said, adding
Huron County is in good
position because of its
proximity to Stratford,
London and Kitchener.
Huron Good Food
Box
Another way to get
local produce on the
tables of consumers has
been through the Huron
Good Food Box, which is
distributed across the
county once a month.
Mary Wiley spoke
about the results of the
Huron -Agri -Food Market
Survey, which surveyed
chefs, suppliers and sub-
scribers of the Huron
Good Food Box in
November.
Wiley said 300 area
families subscribe to the
Huron Good Food Box.
According to the sur-
vey results, which had a
47 per cent response
rate, 81 per cent of
respondents said they
take part in the program
because of the quality of
the healthy foods they
receive.
When asked what they
like best about the pro-
gram, 43 per cent said
they like the variety.
Overall, customers
Huron -Bruce Conservatives
were satisfied with the
program and have
learned more about local
produce because of their
involvement.
The survey of restaura-
teurs and retailers found
the concept of buying
local was seen as an
effective marketing tool
with 90 per cent of
retailers and 83 per cent
of restaurateurs saying
they try to offer local
food.
Wiley said both restau-
rateurs and retailers
said delivery, availabili-
ty, consistency and
buyer -seller communica-
tion channels serve as
barriers to using locally -
grown food.
Wiley said 78 per cent
of restaurateurs see
opportunities for mar-
keting new or different
locally -grown foods, say-
ing they are willing to
celebrate Huron County
foods, offer more game
meats and locally -grown
lamb, year-round pro-
duce, specialty cheeses,
new produce varieties,
locally -grown fruit and
couscous or pasta made
from local grains.
Similarly, 80 per cent
of retailers said they
could see the opportuni-
ties for offering organic
foods, processed meats,
food gift items, pre-
serves, year-round veg-
etables, locally -baked
specialty breads and
consistent quality in -sea-
son produce.
Panel discussion
To end the meeting
after everyone had
enjoyed a lunch which
explored Huron County
flavours catered by
Sandra Turner of Varna
Country Store and
Catering, a panel discus -
prepare for spring election BounwAter
HURON — On Jan. 19, members of the
new Huron -Bruce Conservative Party
met to elect their new board of direc-
tors, executive, and candidate nomina-
tion committee.
Good attendance was reported, despite
the inclement weather. In a spirit of co-
operation, members selected a new 30
member board of directors. President of
the new Conservative Association is
Brian Treble of Wingham, and vice pres-
ident is Gary Haak of Clinton. Other
members of the executive are Sherry
Anstett, Mary Donnelly, Ken McCowan,
Doug Fines and Steven Sparling.
"The new board is a strong, experi-
enced and dynamic team of individuals
who will ensure that the Huron -Bruce
Conservatives are ready for the next
Federal election," said Treble.
Candidate nomination committee
members are: Steven Sparling, Mark
Heaven, Mary Donnelly, Denise Wilkins -
Treble and Nelson Boals. According to
Haak, board members agreed the asso-
ciation will have to work hard over the
next few weeks to make substantial
progress. A candidate nomination meet-
ing is expected to be held no later than
early March.
"Candidates interested in running in
the upcoming election should contact
any member of the board of directors
right away," states Wilkins -Treble.
Continued from front page
whether there were any
options to offset the cost,
Ross said "It is a long term
investment and the last
time you invested was
1975."
Deputy Mayor Paul
Klopp said it was time to
move forward "and you've
given us options to work
with."
The motion was then
passed to consider the
upgrades in the budget
discussions.
sion took place.
The panel included
Dick Burgess of
Seaforth, Alun Elias of
the Riverboat
Restaurant in Wingham,
Tyler Papple of Papple's
Garden Centre and
Produce in Seaforth and
Jackie Rowe of the
Garlic Box in Hensall.
Elias said he has seen
a huge shift in what peo-
ple are eating. He said
his customers are con-
cerned with where prod-
ucts come from and they
are not so much price -
conscious as they are
value -conscious.
Burgess, a retired
teacher, said he has
been actively involved in
the Huron Good Food
Box program and does-
n't understand why
more than 300 families
in the area don't take
advantage of it.
He said he thinks it's a
misconception that the
program is a charity. He
said it is not a food bank
or targeted to low-
income families. He said
it is distributed by the
health unit to promote
healthy eating and local
produce.
Rowe said a valuable
tool for her business,
which started out as a
mail-order catalogue
company, has been her
Web site,
thegarlicbox. com.
"We take our business
very seriously," she said,
adding part of her man-
date has been brand
awareness and the pro-
motion of Ontario garlic,
which she said is the
best in the world.
"We should be scream-
ing from the mountain-
tops what we have,"
Rowe said.
1st & 2nd Mortgage
MONEY AVAILABLE
at 6.5% interest or less
Personal Loans Totally
Unsecured if you qualify,
Monthly payments
as low as
Amt. App. Mthly Payt.
$5,000 $27.68
$10,000 $54.16
$15,000 $81.25
UP TO $400,000.
We Specialize in difficult
mortgages.
Local 364-0448
1 (800) 387-1932
Astral Funding Inc.
EXETER
AUTO SERVICE
235-0160
YOUR 1 STOP
AUTO SHOP!!
SAVE NOW ON REGULAR MAINTENANCE
&, n0e
_r -.A.) ,-,e
e
#
01So
Vbctio0%
CoVe1-fieO �$,
�fi50
O0 gp4OC.
S0
ti
� p0
1'
CALL FOR YOUR
APPOINTMENT!!
235-0160 EXT#1
Preventative
Maintenance is the
best way to SAVE $
on car expenses!!
100 Thames Rd. E. 235-0160
Glenn Edward Enterprises Inc.
PROUDLY CANADIAN OWNED AND OPERATED
Mon-Thurs 8:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Fri 8:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sat 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sun 10 a.m. -5 p.m.
AMERICAN
EXPRESS
e�
O0S
,0e
EXETER
AUTO SERVICE
235-0160