Green Dating Service
I came across this great new website just after it launched last week. It’s called Greenbeltfresh.ca. Created by The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, it’s an online database of Greenbelt farm products designed to help meet consumer demand for local food and help Greenbelt farmers find new market opportunities.
Free and easy to use, this online tool supports the building of regional food networks in the densely populated Greater Golden Horseshoe and beyond. Commercial buyers can source their requirements by tapping into listings for over 600 farms, while individual consumers can use the Marketplace to find fresh food from local farmers’ markets, on-farm markets, pick-your-owns and more by typing in your postal code.
The site also features local and seasonal recipes by some well-known chefs, including Jason Parsons from Peller Estates and Jeff Crump, author of Earth to Table. There’s a farmers market within walking distance of my house all summer long, and one in practically every city across Canada. But, if you don’t have one near you, or you’re looking for something not usually found in your local grocery stores or farmers markets, this website offers a perfect solution. Why not see what else is around? Granted, right now the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation are an Ontario-based organization focussed on the local greenbelt here. But, there are more than likely similar organizations and websites springing up across the country. If you know of one, let me know; I’d like to compile a list, so that everyone can find fresh, local produce easily.
Burkhard Mausberg, President of the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, says, “This site removes some of the difficulty from local sourcing. It’s like a dating service for local food – it helps people with an interest in local food find each other.” Mausberg argues that “Eating local food is a powerful way to support family farms, to improve our regional economy, and to strengthen the Greenbelt.” No doubt. I recently posted some news about the power of local entertainment events to pour money and jobs into local economies. Supporting local food producers could be just as effective.
Are you always on the go? No problem. The site is also available in a mobile format. Follow the link from here.
Wrapping around the Golden Horseshoe, the Greenbelt is 1.8 million acres of potential to make Ontario a better place. Encompassing the Niagara Escarpment, the Oak Ridges Moraine, Rouge Park, hundreds of rural towns and villages and thousands of farms, Ontario’s Greenbelt is touted to be the largest and most diverse in the world.