Although the town of Verona, Ontario may not be on the top of everyone’s visiting list, I certainly find its name euphonious and was delighted to find myself nearby last week. We had driven through it a couple of times before curiosity made us stop and have a closer look at a warehouse-like building on the main drag. It had a righteous name – Local Family Farms – but its exact purpose wasn’t completely clear from the outside.
Step inside though and you soon find something to fix on.
It is a charming and cheerful place. The owners are among the founders of the Frontenac Farmers Market and annual garlic festival. Without question it’s a great supporter of local producers, being part gift shop,
part grocery store, featuring lots of fresh produce plus local meats and cheeses, preserves and condiments, heritage grains, and an assortment of locally-produced food items including chips, chocolate and spice rubs,
and part local farm action hub (the shameful closure of Canada’s prison farms and the recent controversial sale of their dairy herds has caused major friction in this area of Ontario).
It’s also a pie shop.
They have recently acquired a pastry roller, which Kim the piemaker said had saved her wrists and her sanity this summer.
Also on offer were a few second hand books and knick-knacks, some handmade cards, and enough curiosities to make for a satisfying afternoon’s browsing. A very entertaining place to pass some time and cash across the counter.
Back in BC, anyone in the Sooke/Victoria area who wants to enjoy a top class meal and some fun-raising with Farmers Without Borders should plan to come along to a fund-raising dinner at Sooke Harbour House on Sunday September 19. Proceeds go towards a water supply for a Zambian farming community.
