Tales from York is a blog series focused on the people and places that make York's Greenbelt great. The series will cover everything from local businesses, to seasonal events, to life on York farms. Look out for our upcoming posts to stay up-to-date and informed on exciting going-ons in York's Greenbelt. 

Explore York Region's Farmers' Markets

Spring has sprung! Summer is near! The Bees are buzzing and fresh produce is here!

It's the time of year again for fresh Ontario Greenbelt produce. Visit to your local Farmers’ Market and browse the leafy greens while sipping on some cold lemonade. You can’t get more local than in York Region! Meet your neighbouring farmers from just a half hour away.

Hang out in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and snack on delicious treats. On the last Thursday of every month, come join the street party with all the vendors as Main Street shuts down for pedestrians between 5:00 pm and 9:00 pm. Leave the kids at the art tent, and pamper yourself with some home-made all natural beauty products! Or stop by the Hillcrest Farmers’ Market in Richmond Hill to pick up some home-made jams and jelly made with berries straight from the farm. And remember, not all the markets are seasonal - the Village Organic Market at the Toronto Waldorf School is open year-round.

Tales from Durham is a blog series focused on the people and places that make Durham’s Greenbelt great. The series will cover everything from local businesses, to seasonal events, to life on Durham farms. Look out for our upcoming posts to stay up-to-date and informed on exciting going-ons in Durham's Greenbelt. 

The Taste of a Greenbelt Farmers' Market in Durham 

The farmers' market season has begun!

I visited my first farmers' market of the year earlier this month  - it was brisk out, but it was worth it.

There weren't too many vendors out yet (many don't come out until June), but the selection was still bountiful.

One of the best features of Durham Region farmers’ markets is the diversity in selection - everything from fresh local vegetables, to homemade pies, to maple syrup.

I made sure to buy and try something from every vendor, as well as talk to everyone. From sharing tips on recipes, to growing your own, I always find the local farmers to be happily helpful.

Bustling communities and scenic countryside meet in York Region. Pay a visit to an agricultural fair or stroll through the historic downtowns of Schomberg, Newmarket, or Stouffville. Take a break from the Greenbelt Route and experience the rich cultural diversity of retail and dining opportunities in these communities. With over 60 museums and galleries, and more than 125 performing arts festivals and events, York Region is a treasure to behold.

As you pedal across the working landscape of Durham Region, pay a visit to some of the many farm stops or farmers’ markets along the way to taste the local flavour of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, honey, and much more.  From Lake Simcoe to Lake Ontario, Durham is an agricultural powerhouse.

Northumberland is located on the eastern edge of the Greenbelt, halfway between the bustling city of Toronto and history-rich Kingston.  Spend some time along historic King Street in Cobourg before you set off to ascend through acres of rolling pastures and wooded trails of the Oak Ridges Moraine. Friendly locals from Alderville and Roseneath have tonnes to offer, or simply drape your legs off the docks of Rice Lake for a refresh before setting out for Port Hope, another lovely town and your gateway to the west.

Photo:Tom Elgersma www.encorephoto.ca

Tales from Niagara is a blog series focused on the people and places that make Niagara’s Greenbelt great. The series will cover everything from local businesses, to seasonal events, to life on Niagara farms. Look out for our upcoming posts to stay up-to-date and informed on exciting going-ons in Niagara's Greenbelt. 

A guide to Niagara's farmers' markets

As Ontario's tender fruit capital, Niagara is a hot-spot for farmers’ markets. There's a market in nearly every municipality and no shortage of options to buy Greenbelt-grown food throughout the year.

Check out the list below for details on where you can find the freshest food each week.

Local Leadership Matters profiles a mix of initiatives and tools 30 municipalities are using to strengthen Ontario’s Greenbelt, including enhancing valuable natural heritage sites, supporting agriculture, increasing tourism, and strengthening local economies. The report also addresses misconceptions about what the Greenbelt Plan allows or doesn’t allow you to do, highlighting where restrictions are actually coming from municipalities, not the provincial Greenbelt Plan.

Results from the survey of municipalities also reveals several motivations behind municipal initiatives including capitalizing on economic and tourism opportunities, and responding to public expectations. Local Leadership Matters identifies several challenges being encountered by municipal staff through their work, and most of those identified in this report are related to implementation (e.g. funding). Throughout your reading, you will encounter several suggestions made by staff to improve or enhance these initiatives with a view towards the larger goal of a protected, viable, and diverse Greenbelt, including actions from the Ontario government, municipalities themselves, and the public.

Tales from Niagara is a blog series focused on the people and places that make Niagara’s Greenbelt great. The series will cover everything from local businesses, to seasonal events, to life on Niagara farms. Look out for our upcoming posts to stay up-to-date and informed on exciting going-ons in Niagara's Greenbelt. 

Local Niagara fruit and herbs are being used to concoct something delicious.

Dillon’s Distillery has been using locally grown grapes, cherries, and pears, coupled with select botanicals to craft a new Niagara classic. No, it’s not wine, and no, it’s not a pie - it's small-batch unfiltered gin.  

Join the world-wide walking festival celebrating YOUR neighborhood and YOUR stories.

The Jane’s Walk Festival is happening this weekend (May 1-3)! The annual global festival of community-led walking tours is an opportunity to explore neighbourhoods, tell local stories, and make new connections. All the walks are free and all are citizen-led. There's something for everyone - stay local and learn more about your neighbourhood or venture out to a new city or town to discover new stories and celebrate walkable environments and natural heritage.  

And this year, for the first time, the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation has partnered with the Jane’s Walk festival to launch a new series of walking conversations across the Greenbelt. The Greenbelt-themed Jane’s Walks will take place predominantly in Burlington and surrounding series this first weekend of May. We’ve also partnered with other Greenbelt organizations to offer a guided walk in Kleinburg in early June.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21st, 2015

Greening Niagara's Sunday Blossom Tour 

Lovers of Niagara-grown peaches, pears, and other delicious tender fruit will soon have their chance to explore and learn more about the orchards from where their bountiful harvests of fruit comes from each summer.

Greening Niagara, a Niagara based non-profit focused on environmental education and community projects, is organizing a Blossom Sunday Tour on May10th – an event which will bring local residents and tourists together to witness the blooming of fruit trees, flowering plants and wildflowers, budding woodlands, and productive farms. Blossom Sunday’s were once popular events throughout Niagara, and traditionally held two weeks before Mother’s Day. Greening Niagara believes this tour will stir a new public interest in learning about the prime farmland and fruit growing in the area.