An annual celebration of local food is underway.
As part of the Local Food Act, the first week of June is celebrated as Local Food Week.
While growing season is a little later in Northern Ontario, there are still delicious ways to support Timmins-area producers.
Here are a few ways to enjoy local flavours this week:
Acres of Dreams sells locally-raised and processed beef, chickens, turkey, pork and eggs. Stop by the On the Farm Market Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon at 1156 Mahoney Rd. It's held along Sunrise Orchard and Produce. For the market, people are asked to respect the six-foot physical distancing, and hand sanitizer is available. They accept credit cards, debit and cash.
Borealis Fresh Farms is modular hydroponic farm producing fresh greens year-round. Their produce lineup includes three varieties of kale, basil, parsley, lettuce, joi choi, and microgreens. You can pick up their produce in the community at a number of stores, including Pick of the Crop and The Urban Farm.
Graham Acres, 1725 Shirley St. N., offers locally raised beef, pork and poultry, as well as locally-grown seasonal produce. Eggs are available at the farmgate. Contactless pickup is available for prepaid orders. At the farm, only one client is allowed in the showroom at a time and they aren't permitted in the freezer. They are also disinfecting regularly. It's a working farm, so the gate doesn't have regular hours. If you want to make sure someone is there, call ahead at 705-268-5068.
Fromagerie Kapuskoise offers a variety of cheeses, mostly in the french style. You can find their product in Timmins at Loblaws stores, Dabrowski's Smoked Meats and the Urban Farm. Sunrise Orchards and Produce also sells their cheeses.
When you're putting together a local meal, don't forget the beverages.
Full Beard Brewing's tap room is closed due to COVID-19. Pick up is available Monday to Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. Local deliveries are also available daily from 4 - 7 p.m., and there is online shipping across Ontario. Find their online shop here. The brewery's latest batch is called Together, We Are Stronger and is bolstering the Timmins Chamber's Personal Protective Equipment Support Grant. People are encouraged to buy it through participating local restaurants such as Radical Gardens, Mike's Restaurant, and the Moneta Pub and Grub.
Compass Brewing is open for takeout. You can place an order online for pickup at 1300 Riverside Dr. Unit 20 during store store hours. Earlier in the pandemic, the brewery partnered with Glencore to produce hand sanitizer for the mine, with the surplus being donated to frontline healthcare workers, emergency response teams and longterm care facilities.
What's your favourite local producer? Let us know in the comments.
