Since 2013, the first week of June has been designated as Local Food Week. It’s a time to celebrate our farmers and the locally grown food they produce.

Some consider ‘local’ as food grown just down the road at your neighbour’s farm or food that is grown or produced in the province of Ontario. However you describe local and when you purchase food grown in Ontario, you are supporting your neighbours who are often major contributors to their community. Ontario’s agri-food industry is a huge contributor to the provincial economy, employing 11.5% of Ontario’s work force in 2016 or just over 800,000 people.1

Ontario’s farmers grow and produce over 200 products. The list is long; milk, apples, strawberries, wheat, peppers, eggs, beef, pork, tomatoes, asparagus, fish and wine just to name a few. Something grown in Ontario is always in season.

Foodland Ontario has an Availability Guide showing what’s in season each month of the year. Check it out here:
https://www.ontario.ca/foodland/page/availability-guide

Summer is upon us and some of the best produce is bearing its fruit. We’re blessed to live in such an abundant part of the world. This Local Food Week, buy your food from a local farmer, processor or farmer’s market, look for the Foodland Ontario logo and #loveONTfood.

1. http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/stats/economy/labour_force.htm