Stratford sets the stage for what other cities should be doing

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A strong connection between the city’s local farms and restaurants is creating a positive ripple effect, and the country benefits too

It’s a proud-to-be-Canadian show that has been around for decades in Stratford. But you won’t find it on any of their theatre stages. In fact, you may not even be aware the show exists.

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Yet it’s tied to an experience with multiple benefits, helping to make this country stronger and more resilient at the local level. The show I’m referring to encompasses initiatives ranging from Stratford’s farm-to-table experiences and two weekend farmers’ markets to its annual Sip and Savour program.

Through such efforts, Stratford shows us not only how we could, but should, be supporting our farms — a mindset particularly relevant against the backdrop of the current trade war.

I recently wrote about how one way to support the Canadian economy is by joining a farm co-op or frequenting one of the numerous farmers’ markets across the country. But as Stratford demonstrates, that’s just the start of what can be done to enliven our food experience.

Arguably, the foundation for the city’s thriving food experience is its two markets. The one on Saturday at the Stratford Agriplex (home also to the fall fair) is one of the oldest year-round markets in Ontario, featuring around 40 full- and part-time vendors of fresh meats, cheese, eggs, fruits, vegetables, baked goods, canned goods, and artisan crafts.

Then, not content with just one market, on Sundays from May through to mid-October a market is run behind city hall, which also serves as a vibrant hub for local producers. But as impressive as this dynamic duo of markets sounds, that’s only the beginning of Stratford’s food scene.

Backstage, if you will, there’s a strong connection between local farms and restaurants — a positive ripple effect, as restaurants support the livelihood of those farms. And by dining at those restaurants, consumers not only enjoy farm-fresh products but also indirectly support local agriculture.

It’s a dynamic that every community in this country should embrace if we’re serious about reinvigorating our farming industry. During a recent visit to Stratford, I ventured over to the Saturday market and crossed paths with Ryan O’Donnell, the executive chef at Windsor Hospitality, which oversees such local restaurants as Mercer Kitchen/Beer Hall, The Prune, and York Street Kitchen.

O’Donnell, in the process of purchasing flats of strawberries from the Three River Melons booth shared “I’m at the farmers’ market every weekend… I’m buying produce and fruit,” some of which will that same day end up on restaurant tables.

“And I see a handful of other chefs there,” on a similar mission. Apart from frequenting these markets, O’Donnell says his group works directly with many local farmers, big and small. For example, with Three River Melons “they produce predominantly melons, but they have all sorts of other produce and they do it on a fairly large scale,” selling at markets and directly to stores like Sobeys and Zehrs.

Commenting on the mindset many local restaurants have embraced, he notes “it’s obvious there’s a need to commit to these local market gardens and smaller operations… but also large-scale operators,” all tied to an overarching buy-Canadian mindset.

Essentially, Stratford has built a web of interdependence and support on the food front. Restaurants, weekend markets, and local grocery stores support farmers. Consumers in turn support those markets, restaurants, and stores. Visitors and locals alike can also buy directly from a growing number of on-site farm experiences.

Local operators such as Wild Hog have farm stores you can visit, while others like Lynn River Farm stage dinners at their location during the green season. Similarly, Perth County Farmhouse offers a Sip and Graze experience where you can sample wines and ciders along with a food box (from Lynn River Farm), visit the retail shop, and even hop on the walking trail they’ve created.

Back in town, visitors can also take part in the annual Sip and Savour Trail, using a packet of purchased tickets to visit retail outlets scattered throughout the community in search of everything from lemonade to sausage rolls.

On closer inspection, there’s not just a synergy but an energy tied to the farming sector here that —pun intended — is tastefully done. It’s an experience we can all learn from and with a bit of vision and willpower, replicate in our own backyards, towards celebrating and supporting our farms.

Mark Wessel lives in Ridgeway, Ont. and is a passionate advocate for living more sustainably at home and in the greater community. Visit www.markdouglaswessel.com