June 2015












As many of you know, the province held a Co-ordinated Land Use Planning Review to develop recommendations on how to amend and improve the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the Greenbelt Plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the Niagara Escarpment Plan.

 

The Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance presented to the appointed panel on May 27, along with members of other agricultural organizations.


Visit our recent blog post to view our response in full, including 8 principles we strongly support.

 

The Right to Local Food was the theme of a forum held by the South Niagara Chapter of the Council of Canadians at the Welland Community Wellness Centre on June 5. The forum aimed to get people in Niagara excited about local food, and for good reason.


Niagara Region states that 9.9% of Niagara households are food insecure. There's also concern shown for importing produce that is grown in Niagara soil. It is with hopes that they can combat these issues together!

The Council wants to develop a food strategy that will work toward supporting local food, and making that local food more accessible to those who may have a difficult time economically. Read more on the forum here.

 


 In an effort to support further green innovation in the local agriculture sector, the Town of Caledon hosted a Community Agriculture Sector Meeting at the end of May: Green Innovation and Renewable Energy Opportunities in the Agriculture Sector in Caledon


Specifically, the meeting explored biogas recovery opportunities for local farms, aiming to
increase the understanding of using biogas on farms, while also looking to gather feedback from the community about other green areas of interest and 
priority.

 

You can read more here, as well as view the presentations from the day.
 

photo from Dine Alone

Making their mark with local music and now local beverage, Dine Alone Records has released their own  100% organic Ontario Rye to commemorate their 10th Anniversary.

Ryan Spalding, VP of Marketing, said that they noticed a Toronto company - the award-winning Toronto Distillery Co. - doing something that no one else in the city was doing, and they wanted to get behind them.

"We are an Ontario based Independent label, partnering with an Independent Distillery, the first one in Toronto since 1933. It's a relationship between two growing companies, coming together to celebrate their success in a unique way," shared Spalding.


The organic rye used in their whisky was grown by Keith and Sharon Sheardown in Schomberg in 2014. The rye was milled by Mark Hayhoe at K2 Milling in Beeton, then mashed, fermented, distilled, and bottled by the Toronto Distillery Co. Read more on their story and this great collaboration on the Dine Alone website.

The local rye can be purchased online through the  Dine Alone 10 Year Webstore . Bars and restaurants can also order the 750 ml bottle from the LCBO on Queens Quay, or directly from the  Toronto Distillery Co .  

In the Hills Magazine has published wonderful  article on the success and history of George Sant & Sons Greenhouses, which help to "beautify not just southern Ontario but all corners of North America."

The family business sits on a 100-acre property at the edge of Bolton, with a classic inspiring Canadian immigration story, starting small and building a life and family out of hard work and dedication. 

Sants even have an independent seed wholesaler onsite - as they have become one of its top Canadian suppliers, a U.S. seed wholesaler has set up an office on their property. Read more on their magnificent story here.

The provincial award-winning cheese making company, Quality Cheese Inc. (based in Vaughan), has received a grant of $1.2 million from Ontario's Local Food Fund to upgrade its business.

A new plant in Orangeville is expected to be ready by February 2016.

The funding will assist Quality Cheese Inc. to meet increased consumer demand for specialty cheeses and other products, and help support them in competing with the increased imports from Europe. It will also create an additional 70 jobs.

Earlier this month, Minister Jeff Leal announced the funding of around $5 million for 14 different projects, including Quality Cheese. Read more from Better Farming here

It's farmers' market season and there's an abundance of farm fresh options. Find Farm Fresh across the Horseshoe here!

Contact:
Janet Horner, Executive Director,
Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance
janet@whitfieldfarms.com
www.foodandfarming.ca