Fresh! Simple.

Open Saturdays

I do my best to make smart food choices.  Sometimes the choices aren't always right in front of my nose, but other times, they become so obvious, I wonder why I haven't done it sooner (or more often).  See, my life has changed in so many ways over the past 10 years; I used to make choices only for myself, but, when you become entwined in family, choices eventually, if not immediately, become more selfless.  I'm the kind of person that wants the best for the people close to me (for all good people, really), so over time, some basic things around here have really changed and have had a significant impact on us.  Take food for example.  I'm the first one to admit that a quick meal at the local fast food joint is convenient, and in some cases, a matter of life and death when you're starving after a long day of whatever, and cooking is the last thing on your mind.  But, over the past few years, even this 'occasional' break-down has been completely weeded out, much like the dandelions in my driveway.  There are many reasons why, but when you live and work in an area that is brimming with incredibly talented farmers, there really is no reason not to eat fresh on a regular basis, especially, in the growing season.  Choosing farm fresh food supports the local economy, reduces the number of miles your food travels, has little or no packaging, and how about trying out something completely different, like bumbleberry pie or a locally raised bison burger! 

In the triangle (let's call them Perth, Carleton Place and Smiths Falls), a round trip of 92 km's, there are town farmers' markets open on summer weekends, besides a bevy of individual farms that can be mapped on the various side roads in between. 

I haven't been to all of them, but it is my goal this summer to discover as many as I can and to post what I find in a series of summer blogs, so stay tuned for interesting places, and maybe you'll find something you can try.  I hope to make it so that you have NO excuse not to go for a weekend drive if you live in the area - and certainly, if you are an Ottawa scenic drive lover, I will describe what perfect fresh destinations await! 

PS - I even plan to start my own full out home garden, learning from some of these local sages on how to better grow my own food.  I know, I know, LOFTY goals, but I just LOVE my containers of fresh herbs and tomatoes, surely I can graduate to in ground, cucumbers, beets and squash?

Perth Farmers Market

The first market I will tackle is - Perth Farmers Market, stay tuned.



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