Frustration and a sense of helplessness seem to be predominant emotions cresting on the unending wave of news from the south of us.
The scale of this societal shift tempts us to think we are too small to make a difference.
We do have the ability to resist that temptation however. We need to reframe the possibilities of what we can do.
Collectively our choices in everyday decisions add up over time, and can move us in a direction that will not only enhance sustainability but build a greater sense of community in the process.
Thirty years ago we purchased a vacant lot in semi-rural Niagara -on-the-Lake. Our dream was to build a bed and breakfast that would showcase the abundant bounty of our local farms. In 1999 I invited other B&B owners to join the Fresh Start initiative, where we guaranteed a minimum of 85 percent local produce in our breakfasts. At the time the 100-mile diet was a popular concept, but for those of us in Niagara it was more like the “10 mile” diet.
We have continued that mission at Applewood Hollow B&B for the past 26 years. On the days we serve our homemade juice we can claim it is 100 percent local. It has been an excellent and tasty opportunity to educate our urban guests about the importance of supporting local agriculture. Before heading home they are eager to stock up with wine, jams and products from local farm stands. (Many of them also order a pie from the Pie Plate in advance to savour at home.)
The choice to support local was a natural extension of growing up in Niagara.
Our eggs were purchased weekly at Pelissero’s farm on Lakeshore Road. Bushels of fruit and tomatoes were hauled in from farms belonging to relatives and friends. My mom canned, putting her daughters to work sorting and peeling, slicing and dicing in a steamy kitchen every August.
A garden salad of tomato, cucumbers and fresh lettuce would be enjoyed only while in season. In fall we switched to coleslaw and hearty soups with vegetables from the St.Catharines market.
In the 1960s jellied salads were served at our dinner table, much to the amusement of my future husband. He refused to be tempted with my mom’s lime jello, with chopped cabbage and celery embedded its shimmering depths.
Our times and taste buds have changed.
We also recognize it is time to revert back to the importance of the 100-mile diet for many good reasons. I remember a conversation with Renee Schmitz from Palatine Fruit and Roses almost a decade ago when he stated that we have to ask for local at the grocery store, and be willing to put it back on the shelf if it’s not.
We may not have the time to can preserves, but most of us have room for a freezer. Preparation can be done in a snap with a Ziploc bag, and the flavour is tantalizingly fresh as can be verified around our breakfast table. Listening to my guests' enthusiastic comments as they dig into a warm peach crisp or cherry platz made with frozen tart cherries from Cherrylane Farm is a reward in itself!
We have one of the largest growers of sweet peppers and eggplants right on our doorstep in Niagara-on-the-Lake. If we absolutely have to have strawberries in the middle of winter we can purchase superior tasting, greenhouse strawberries grown within a three-hour drive, as opposed to a 3,000 km drive from Mexico. We have local apples available year round bursting with flavour, as if they had been picked days earlier.
It has been a tradition to refer our B&B guests to restaurants such as Treadwell Cuisine, where local produce has been the foundation of their exceptional cuisine for almost 20 years. Their rave reviews over the breakfast table the next morning affirm our tradition of supporting these businesses.
The resurgence of community gardening and growing veggies in our backyards have also created more opportunities for neighbourly friendships to thrive, as well produce to share. This has led to a growing number of seed exchanges which encourage us to experiment with the many varieties of vegetables that can be grown in our temperate climate.
If we experience a surplus in our backyards, there are places to share and network.
In recent years people have been sharing produce with their neighbours from the Caribbean and Mexico, who toil long hours in our orchards and vineyards. If you don’t know of any of these hard working individuals you can connect with the Farmworker Hub. In recent years a table laden with produce has been set up one night a week when they are open and has been greatly appreciated. It’s also a wonderful way to say thank you and help their food dollars to stretch.
Making these small, sustainable changes may require a little preplanning in our menus and weekly shopping trips, but it is scarcely a hardship for us living in the ‘fruit basket’ of Canada!
Cherry Platz ( Mennonite recipe)
Line a 9x16” pan or two smaller ones with parchment paper.
2 ½ Cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp soda
½ tsp salt
½ Cup sugar
¾ cup shortening
Mix together and save ½ cup for crumb topping.
Add enough milk/yogurt to 1 beaten egg to make ½ cup and add to dry mix.
Mix into dry ingredients and pat lightly into pans.
Top with fresh fruit or cooked cherry topping and add crumb mix on top.
Note: For cherry topping I use about 4 cups frozen tart cherries from CherryLane farms in Vineland (available year round). Add 2 tablespoons cornstarch and ½ cup sugar to the thawed cherries and juice. Cook until thick, about 5 minutes in the microwave. Let cool before spooning on top of unbaked platz.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until done in the centre.