I went to buy fresh garlic, something my kitchen feels empty without, and the garlic available at all groceries stores around me was from China. This got me thinking again about eating locally. It just seemed crazy to me to import something that can be grown in my home garden from the other side of the world - especially something I eat as often as garlic. In trying to learn a little more about the garlic growing season in Ontario, I came across a surprising number of resources. My favourite was the Garlic Growers Association of Ontario (http://www.garlicgrowers.on.ca/), because I learned about a garlic festival coming up in September that I am so excited for!
Beyond garlic, there are tons of resources for eating locally available online. One popular site is www.100milediet.org . The concept being that you eat foods that have come from within a 100 mile radius from where you live. There is a really cool feature that allows you to type in your address and produces a map that shows your 100 mile radius. The best tip on this site is to start small, which I learning I need to more of. I always try to do an 'all or nothing' type approach to things, but that approach to trying something new is difficult to maintain.
Foodland Ontario http://www.foodland.gov.on.ca/english/index.html is a government initiative to promote Ontario agricultural products. There are food facts, recipes and a list of fruits, vegetables, and products seasonally available.
For those who prefer to go out to eat, check out the restaurant finder from Savour Ontario http://www.distinctivegetaways.ca/general/sav-planner.cfm where you can find restaurants that use primarily local ingredients. The 360' restaurant at the CN Tower in Toronto is one of those restaurants.
Farmer's markets are a great place to find local products (I will always miss the Farmer's Market in Halifax that got me through university). Looking for a farmer's market in Ontario? check out: http://www.farmersmarketsontario.com/ I am also a big fan of roadside stands.
Not motivated enough to find a farmer's market yet? If you take a little time at the grocery store, it is not that hard to find products that are grown closer to home, particularly the basics like produce, eggs, bread and dairy. Do a little label reading.
I guess what I am getting at is that there are a ton of resources out there to help you eat locally. My first step is helping to plant a vegetable garden in my yard, what's yours?
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