Looking back, I have fond memories of fresh, locally grown
food: the excitement of finally seeing those bright cherry blossoms in my
backyard; picking raspberries from my grandmother’s garden; leaving an apple
orchard with a full basket and enjoying the fruits
of my labour. Without knowing it at the time, these experiences taught me the
value of self-reliance. It also gave me a passion for sharing our abundantly
available resources, as well as an interest in seeking out local organizations
and events that share this passion for local food.
Today’s 2013 Brewer’s Plate is celebrating local, sustainable food and craft beer for its sixth consecutive year. Better yet, they have chosen Not Far From The Tree again as this year’s beneficiary! This educational (and delicious!) event raises awareness and funds for local farmers and brewers, highlighting the social, environmental, and monetary value of keeping produce in the community. Encouraging people to invest in their community does wonders for the economy. The Brewer’s Plate aims to spread the word that “the future lies increasingly in regional self-reliance all over the world.” With this philosophy in mind, master chefs will be preparing a spring feast and brewers will be offering unlimited tastings of a wide selection of Ontario’s craft beer, cider, and mead.
Chef Brad Long of Belong Catering and the
Food Network’s Restaurant Makeover is
one of the participating chefs at this year’s event. The local, sustainable
food that Chef Long prepares reflects the value of “creating a connection
between the natural food from our land, the farmers that nourish and harvest
it, and ultimately, the people who enjoy it.” Good food brings people together,
and supporting local farmers by sharing their produce fosters a strong sense of
community.
Chef Lora Kirk of Ruby Watchco is also
preparing food at this year’s event. Her experience working on her grandparents’
farm influenced her passion for supporting local farmers and growers, who give
top chefs the highest quality products with which to cook.
Of course, even the highest quality of locally grown food is best enjoyed when served with locally brewed beer. Although it’s true that they do produce the best kinds of beer, I may be biased about the importance of supporting local breweries. When I’m not interning at LEAF, I work for Mill Street, a Toronto-based craft brewery, and one of the participants at this year’s Brewer’s Plate. Mill Street represents a celebration of all things local. The numerous recipes of Brewmaster Joel Manning are brewed in Toronto and Scarborough, using minimal but high quality ingredients to create the perfect pint.
At LEAF, we’re all about local (native) trees, whereas at Mill Street, local beer is of high importance. Hopefully after a night of enjoying delicious, local beer and food, attendees will be inspired to contribute to their community by planting edible trees or vegetable gardens in their own backyard through our Backyard Tree Planting Program! After all, the best tasting food ripens close to home, and this year’s event will benefit an organization that recognizes the value in produce that is grown right here in the city.
Not Far From The Tree, a Toronto-based not-for-profit organization, picks fruit across the city and shares the bounty. A team of volunteers picks and distributes the produce from urban, edible trees three ways: 1/3 is offered to the owner of the tree, 1/3 is shared among the volunteers, and 1/3 is donated to food banks, community kitchens, and shelters in that neighbourhood. Keeping the food local benefits those in the community by providing fresh, healthy food at a low cost or in exchange for a few hours of labour. Transportation-related costs and pollution are reduced as deliveries are made by bicycle. As they say at NFFTT, “It’s a win-win-win situation!”
Here at LEAF, we also want to highlight the abundance of
food growing in our own urban forest. You might not realize it, but numerous edible
trees are hidden throughout the city and offer a tasty snack to those who come
across them. Join us on August 24th as we partner with Not Far From
the Tree to take a closer look at some of our edible trees and shrubs in
Toronto during our Edible Tree Tour. Check out our other upcoming events
to learn more about how you can celebrate local food! If all this talk about
food has your mouth watering and you don’t have your own fruit tree to pick
from, it might be time to consider our Edible Garden Kits! These
kits include a selection of trees and shrubs that produce fruit or nuts and a
planting and care guide to help you make the most of your harvest.
Do you have other tips to keep food in the community or projects to support local, sustainable food? Let us know!