A new market in Delhi

[observer]

A new site for farm fresh produce is opening soon in Delhi - in the parking lot of the old Delhi Industries - on Hwy 3. Nightingale Farms, I believe.

Since Atkinson's closed a couple years ago - when Mr. Atkinson passed away - they had produce plus flowers etc - there's only been Van de Velde's for farm fresh produce. Of course, De Hooghe's on the edge of town is open for asparagus and strawberries when their own farms are producing those - and they've also added some (formerly) Dennis horseradish products, as they own that production now also.

Wondering how successful it will be??

[kishgo]

Wishing them good luck! I never realized how much I took local produce for granted until it became unavailable in our area.

[kishgo]

From the Reformer:


There is no excuse for failing to eat a balanced, healthy diet if you live in Norfolk County.

Norfolk has promoted itself as Ontario’s Garden for the past several years and now has the statistics to back it up.

Norfolk residents have long known that there is a dizzying array of fruits and vegetables produced on their doorstep. What wasn’t known until last year was how diverse and prodigious this output has become.

According to data gathered by Statistics Canada from the 2011 Census of Agriculture, Norfolk is Canada’s No. 1 producer of asparagus, cabbage, sour cherries, ginseng, peppers, pumpkins, squash, zucchini, strawberries and sweet corn. According to the same census, Norfolk is Ontario’s No. 1 producer of blueberries, rye and Saskatoon berries.

As well, Norfolk’s production of blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, Chinese cabbage, corn for grain and silage, ginseng, grapes, green beans, wax beans, green peas, mustard seed, onions, peppers, potatoes and soybeans has steadily increased over the past five years.

“That’s just amazing,” Larry Davis of Burford, the Norfolk-Haldimand-Brant representative to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said Thursday. “I knew Norfolk was a leader in this area, but not to this extent.

“It goes to the fact that Norfolk is in a climate that is compatible with these products. But you also need the soil, and Norfolk has the diversity of soils that are conducive to producing these crops.”

Nick VanGroningen of Fisher’s Glen Road, a former tobacco farmer and a vendor at the Simcoe Farmers Market, adds that Norfolk is blessed with good rainfall and abundant sources of fresh water.

“We’ve got the soil,” he said. “But we also have the water for irrigation. If we didn’t have the irrigation we couldn’t grow the crops that we do.”

VanGroningen added that the frost that devastated orchard crops in southern Ontario this spring will temper the impressive numbers from last year’s census.

A freak heat wave in March forced orchards to bloom early, just in time to catch the usual cold weather of early April. As a result, apples, plums, peaches, pears and cherries promise to be less abundant this year. Frost and dry weather through May has also hampered the asparagus crop.

Weather challenges aside, market vendor Herb Bodnar, of Villa Nova, said Norfolk’s strong showing in last year’s survey is largely attributable to the skill of area farmers.

“Farmers here are willing to work and spend,” he said. “They’re go-getters. Most of the farmers today have university educations and know how to put it to good use. There is more ambition in Norfolk County than anywhere else as far as I’m concerned.”

Norfolk’s tourism and economic development department has made the diversity and abundance of Norfolk’s agriculture a prime selling point beyond the county’s boundaries. This year’s official map of Norfolk doubles as a food guide highlighting the output and location of more than 80 growers and suppliers of local fruits and vegetables.

[kishgo]

Also in Norfolk:
http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2012/05/24/whistling-gardens-a-labour-of-love

[observer]

The unfortunate truth is that in spite of all this abundance of produce, the price can still be daunting for low income earners. Our cost of production is still so high in Ontario - and Canada - with our rules, regulations and restrictions on what can be used as pesticides etc - plus our labour costs - that it is still cheaper - unbelievably - in lots of instances to buy imported product. Of course, that product has none of the safeguards as to how it was produced - BUT if you're struggling to pay the rent and feed the kids - you probably choose not to even think about that!

[growler]

down near st.williams a gent is trying to get a trade show type event going showing equipment to make the production of various crops cheaper, so the farmers/growers can be more competitive,pricewise.
but he is not only getting little support from locals, but is facing a lot of destructive criticism from neighbors.
why can't they support him,instead of being jealous of his attempts to help the industry plus the county, to grow our bountiful crops !

[Catweb]

The unfortunate truth is that in spite of all this abundance of produce, the price can still be daunting for low income earners. Our cost of production is still so high in Ontario - and Canada - with our rules, regulations and restrictions on what can be used as pesticides etc - plus our labour costs - that it is still cheaper - unbelievably - in lots of instances to buy imported product. Of course, that product has none of the safeguards as to how it was produced - BUT if you're struggling to pay the rent and feed the kids - you probably choose not to even think about that!

I completely agree.....and the prices do seem a bit higher this year. I went out a few days ago and picked up some strawberries and asparagus locally.......$13.40 for 2 quarts of berries and 2LB's of asparagus. I really do try to support local whenever I can.......but prices like that are a bit too steep for me unfortunately.

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