When you are in the country it seems that everyone knows each other, everyone is friendly, and smiles are plenty. This was definitely the case at the farm of Vicki Emlaw and Tim Noxon this past Labour day weekend for their Tomato Hurrah, an event that celebrates the glorious vegetables they grow, with a focus on heirloom tomatoes. This yearly event drew people from as far away as Montreal and Toronto, it wasn't just a gathering of folks from the Black Creek area of Prince Edward County.
"One year", as Vicki remembers "we had the craziest bounty of tomatoes, and didn't know what to do with them all. So, we decided to have a party, and the Tomato Hurrah was born". This has become an annual event, and is quite the spectacle, as is Vicki if you have met her. A table in the middle of the front yard boasts about 120 of the 240 varieties that they grow at Vicki's Veggies, as well as other homegrown produce like corn, melons, onions, potatoes, squash, zucchini, and many varieties of peppers. Also, Vicki invites some of her friends along to peddle their goods, and fix some snacks for her guests. There we locally produced sausages being grilled, a panzanella salad being assembled, of course featuring the tomatoes, and even some preserves and jams from one of Vicki's neighbours, and much more.
Cars lined the street, and the energy was palpable as we arrived. The farm was full of people, and supposedly we had missed the rush when we got there around 2 on Saturday afternoon. The farm is absolutely enchanting, and everyone is welcome to walk the property and see where the magic happens. I fell in love instantly. "Vicki, that's it, next summer I am moving in for a few weeks", I quipped. Vicki just smiled, and agreed that it was a great idea. I hope she and Tim know I'm very serious. I went home with a beautiful basket of heirlooms, one of the tastiest watermelons of the season, and some wonderful ground cherries. While you are at the farm, you should also consider a visit to Black River Cheese right around the corner, for an ice cream and to pick up some wonderful locally produced cheddar or mozzarella. I highly recommend their six year old cheddar and the garlic mozzarella.
Vicki's Veggies is family owned and operated organic, a LFP certified farm, and you can find their produce in Toronto at Brickworks and Wychwood Barns Saturday farmers markets, as well as a few of the cities top restaurants. They also offer a CSA, you can find more information on their website. As with so many farms and local producers around the province, Vicki welcomes guests at all times, and they have a roadside store, should you happen to be passing by.
“Our priority is to produce food for people concerned with their health and the environment. We nurture the soil with methods that help plants capture the nutrients that they need to be healthy. We use compost, green manures, & bio-dynamic preparations along with a lot of hard work and love to help enrich our soil so it can be ever more fertile and alive with micro-organisms that help contribute to the over all well-being of the farm as a whole.”
Culinary Tourism is a great way to travel and see the counties that surround where we live, and a great way to put money in to the local communities. So much to see and explore, it is just as easy as picking a direction, or an end destination and hopping in to the car. On this trip we decided to take our time and made our way along the Waterfront Trail, which took us from Cobourg all the way out to Picton, and is some of the most scenic and beautiful area on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario. We managed to stumble on a charming bakery and farmers market in Cobourg, Fifth Town Cheese, many wineries and the County Cider Company in PEC, and on our way back to the highway we even found some delicious tarts at a market in the middle of nowhere. You never know what you will find, give it a try and support your local farmers, fter all, they are the ones growing your food.
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Joel Solish is an tireless blogger, tweeter, and supporter of all things local. You can read more on his new bvlog, Community Foodist.
