Celebrating 20 Years of Farm Fresh Food
As 2023 comes to a close we have a great deal to look back over with pride – a twenty-year history to be precise.
The Kawartha Choice FarmFresh (KCFF) program has been serving the communities of the buy-local region of Peterborough County, City of Kawartha Lakes and City of Peterborough for over two decades. Right from the beginning the goal has been to bring the attention of consumers to the abundance of local farm-produced foods. In turn, this offered local sales channels to producers to sustain and grow their businesses.
While the outset of the formal program in 2003 was triggered by the discovery in Western Canada of a case of Mad Cow disease which shut down Canadian beef exports, the region has a much longer history of local food marketing at farm gate and through farmers’ markets.
In 2003, Kawartha FarmFresh was initiated in the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Kawartha Choice Farmland Foods was started in Peterborough, each as a way to feature where to find local food from local farms. Not long after, the programs were joined to form Kawartha Choice FarmFresh. One larger program across the region served to gain efficiencies and other benefits from working together and also offered a more robust offering of products.
The KCFF program is delivered in partnership between the City of Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. The primary focus areas are creating awareness of local food and farm products grown in the region and creating a hub for members that offers member development including networking and training.
Over the years Kawartha Choice FarmFresh participated in several local events and many times took a booth at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair to bring the members and their delicious foods to the City. The mainstay of the KCFF program is marketing through the www.kawarthachoice.com website, and the very tangible printed map and guide to help consumers find local food across many sales venues in the region.
As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary, we want to shine a spotlight on our longest-standing members who have been integral to our journey. These members have witnessed the evolution of our community. They have seen the challenges and triumphs, and their stories are a testament to the power of local support, collaboration, and commitment to a sustainable food system.
McLean and Buckhorn Berry Farms
Over the past two decades, Kawartha Choice Farm Fresh membership has grown to include 127 farms, farmers’ markets, restaurants, food service and retail all producing, using, or offering local food.
It is because of the members and local food buyers that the KCFF program has reached this remarkable milestone, and we look forward to continuing our journey together. We are excited about the prospects of the next 20 years and beyond. We want to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all who have played an integral role in making Kawartha Choice the thriving and supportive local food community it is today.
Thank you for being a part of the Kawartha Choice FarmFresh family, and here’s to the next 20 years of growth, community, and delicious local produce!
