Each afternoon I walk out the back with the dogs to check if the marsh marigolds are showing yet. Given all the uncertainty at present, one thing we can all do as well as getting out and walking in nature is to look at ways to support our local farmers. We can source much of our food locally and we can think about growing our own food. The Harvest Hastings Shop is a way to find out who is producing local food, products and services. You can call them, email and more and more often buy online.
It is the time of year to plan for the summer growing season. If you aren’t able to grow vegetables for yourself, you can join a community supported agriculture program with one of our local vegetable growers. You pay upfront and receive a box of vegetables every week through the summer and early fall. They usually provide the option of small or large boxes and have a way you can either get someone else to take your vegetables if you are away. This summer find your local farm gate store and support the farmer.
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Growing one’s own vegetables is something we can all do. How about growing herbs and salad greens on a sunny window sill? You can apply for a community garden plot. These are raised beds, which you can look after yourself or share with a friend. It might be a bit late to register for this year with the City of Belleville, but new gardens are being set up Do contact Community Development Quinte.
If you have a garden, you can order your seeds from one of the Ontario seed companies. If you are interested in growing heritage varieties, you can order and pay online for Terra Edibles for seeds and later on for plants. Then you can go to The Village Green in Foxboro to pick your seeds up, or Karen Wright can send them to you (613) 961-0654.
If you don’t plant seeds yourself, you buy them from plants from growers like Jennifer Nash at Prosperity Acres on Harmony Road,Bea Heissler at Natural Themes at Stockdale or Sunny Slope Market on Foxboro Franford Road. The vegetables plants will be ready by late May.
Community Development Council Quinte has both a Good Food Box and a Good Food Market program. We are hoping to get more local produce into these programs, but there are still ways of getting healthy fruits and vegetables at reasonable costs
You can go to the Shop and Click on Meat icon to find out where of source local meat. Farmers, like the Enright Cattle Company, are joining together to sell boxes with beef, eggs, and seasonal vegetables. You can order online or call (613) 478-3404 and have them delivered to your home. You can call or email others like Haanover View Farms (613) 396-6622 who sell beef, pork, rabbits, and maple syrup to place your order and discuss delivery. You can call ahead and pick up at the farm store on Harmony Road. You can also order beef from McCarrell Farms by calling (613) 438-3166. You can buy a variety of meat, bacon, and sausages from Hastings Meat Market in Moira (613) 395-0505, and Palmateers Abattoir in Tweed (613) 478- 3801. Again, please call ahead and find out how they are handling things.
Our local food store, Grills Orchard is fully stocked with apples, cheeses, root vegetable, meats, pork beef, and lamb, frozen soft fruit, bread and pies, and more. They are open as usual from 9 am to 5 pm all week. If you don’t want to come in, please call Diana, or Susan, (613) 968-6757 and put in an order. They can pack your order and leave outside for you.
We are here to help you find what you are looking forinfowww.harvesthastings.ca ( )infowww.harvesthastings.ca
