Local Food
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Food production and transportation account for about 20% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. In Ontario, food typically travels about 5,000 km from farm to plate, and sometimes, as with lamb chops, more than 13,000 km. We can all reduce our carbon footprint if we buy food made closer to home.
Buying local also fosters a sense of community, helps people to get back in touch with where their food comes from (especially important for children), and protects farmland from urban development.
Several excellent options are available to Kanata residents for buying delicious local fruit, vegetables, and meat. Some of these include:
Farmer's Markets
Kanata Farmers' Market NEW!
420 Hazeldean Road
Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. until October 30th
Carp Farmer's Market
at the Carp Fair Grounds, 3790 Carp Rd, Carp
Saturday mornings 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Open until last weekend of October.
Stittsville Farmer's Market
at the Bradley's Insurance, 1469 Main Street Stittsville
Thursday 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
613 253 2640
Roadside stands and farm stores
Acorn Creek Garden Farm and Market
928 Oak Creek Road, Carp, just north of Richardson Side Road
Over 60 types of vegetables and fruits sold in farm store. Homemade preserves. Bedding plants. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. until November 1st.
Alpenblick Farm
8138 Golf Club Way, Ashton, ON (just off highway 7)
Organically raised goat, beef, and lamb. Educational programs. Open daily. Call 613 253 2640 or email alpenblickfarm@sympatico.ca
Dekok Berry Family Farm
1070 March Road across from St Isadore's Church
Pick your own strawberries and raspberries. Operates a road-side stand with picked berries, seasonal vegetables, and more. Open 10 a.m - 6 p.m. Closed on Sundays.
Elk Ranch
1271 Old Carp Road
Elk meat and products.
Farm store open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fitzroy Beef Farmer's Co-op
1973 Alywin Road, Fitzroy Harbour
Beef products to order. Delivery into Kanata.
Pinewood Orchards
100 Herzberg Road (at March)
Apples and apple products in the fall. Operates a road-side vegetable stand along Carling just west of the train bridge.
Shouldice Berry Farm and Market
3451 Richmond Road (near Baseline) and other locations
"Pick your own" strawberries. Vegetable, preserves, and picked berries.
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Another way to buy local food is to join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group, where you buy a share in a farmer’s harvest before the growing season begins. This gives CSA farmers a dependable source of income, even during poor growing seasons, and allows them to compete more effectively with industrial farms. CSA supporters, meanwhile, gain access to the freshest, most nutritious food available.
A typical CSA share for a family of four costs $600. Half shares can also be purchased. The supporter receives a box of good tasting, fresh, organic produce each week from May to October. The vegetables can be picked up at the farm or delivered to a central pick-up location. Most CSA farmers also allow supporters to help out with farm tasks, if they are so inclined.
CSAs often have a community newsletter with nutrition information on the week’s produce and recipes and input from members. Some CSAs also offer their members organic, grass-fed local meat, eggs, and honey.
Some KEN members are CSA supporters. If you want feedback on the experience, send us an email.
For a list of Ottawa-area CSAs and food box programs, visit the Canadian Organic Growers or Just Food (Ottawa). Another good website for information about sustainable food choices is Sustainable Table. The Canadian organic Grower's website also has useful information and links.