'Farm in the City' celebrates farm life during Downtown Windsor Farmers’ Market
Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island and the Essex County Federation of Agriculture are bringing farm life to the city during ‘Open Farms: Farm in the City’ on May 25 to the Downtown Windsor Farmers’ Market.
Situated at the entrance of the farmers’ market at the corner of Pelissier Street and Wyandotte Street East, the free event will give patrons the opportunity to get a glimpse of farm life while heading downtown and supporting local.
“Farm in the City is a one-of-a-kind event bringing farm life close to home, and a perfect tie in with the much celebrated Downtown Windsor Farmers’ Market in downtown Windsor,” said Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island.
He added, “This will be a great opportunity for the entire family to learn about farm life in a fun way, and connecting directly with food producers. We thank the Essex County Federation of Agriculture for their commitment to the W.E. Heart Local program, and helping educate visitors and locals alike of the abundance of farm-fresh options we have in Windsor Essex.”
Farm in the City is supported by Libro Credit Union, ADM Agri-Industries Company and location sponsor The Hive, with visitors getting the chance to get up close and peek into farm life where they’ll get to learn about agriculture, animals and where their food comes from.
Scheduled activities include:
- Grain wagon and mini on-site grain elevator demonstration from ADM Agri-Industries Company
- Dairy calf from Bally Bright Farms
- Children’s pedal tractor course
- Antique steam tractor and cider pressing from Essex Steam and Gas Engine Museum and John R. Park Homestead
- Antique and new farm equipment display from Canadian Transportation Museum and Southpointe Equipment
- Kids’ activity zone including seed planting and farm animal face painting
- The opportunity to meet the farmers from Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards, The Fruit Wagon and more
“I think they're gonna really enjoy it,” said Leslie Balsillie, co-owner of The Fruit Wagon in Harrow. “We really want people to be aware of this huge industry in Windsor-Essex and the opportunities that people have to get delicious, healthy, nutritious food locally.”
Balsillie said they have more than 70 places across Windsor-Essex where people can get local food from farmers, restaurants or stores.
“We have such a rich tradition of agriculture in our region,” added Vice President of Destination Development Lynette Bain. “We've got our first crops kind of making their debut, the asparagus has been out for a few weeks and strawberries now on the shelves. So it's a time to get people thinking about supporting local. We all know what grocery prices are like too, you know, reducing your carbon footprint by shopping local, supporting the economy.”
Bain explained that agritourism is all about experiencing life on a farm.
“Agritourism is growing in popularity,” Bain continued. “People want to have a more unique taste of place when they visit somewhere. It really reflects your true terroir of your region. Because something that we grow here might taste completely different than something that's grown in another part of the province.”
“We believe that supporting local agriculture is key to a thriving local economy. Whether it’s eating at farm-to-table restaurants, buying fresh produce from your local market, or buying directly from farms, supporting your local farmers and producers has a positive impact on our communities,” added Lori Atkinson, Libro Credit Unit regional manager.
Users can also experience more farm life in Windsor-Essex by registering for the W.E. Heart local digital pass, a self guided passport that connects users directly with more than 65 farm stands, farmers markets, growers, producers, craft beverages and more.
“As the region with the longest growing season in Canada, we are blessed with fresh produce all year long. Using the W.E. Heart local digital pass as a tool to connect you to each road side stand, market, winery, brewery and more will keep your dollars local, but also offer you a unique journey along the backroads to discover new tastes, and incentivizes users to do so at the same time,” said Orr.
Additional details can be found on the Farm in the City website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6933299.1718847928!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Gunman in Toronto shooting was not evil, but 'broken' by fraud dispute: wife
The wife of the gunman in Monday's double murder-suicide in North York says she doesn't consider her husband an evil person, but one who was 'broken' by a lengthy fraud dispute that saw their family savings drained.
Feels like 40: Heat wave sticking around in Ontario, Quebec, Maritimes
A heat wave that's washed over eastern Canada is sticking around for a little while still.
Why olive oil is so expensive right now, and the impact it's having on restaurants
Canadian restaurants that rely on what is being called 'liquid gold' as the backbone of their menu are being forced to eat a massive extra cost during a worldwide olive oil shortage.
Ont. mother loses $6K during Facebook marketplace transaction
An Ontario woman is sharing her story after she lost $6,000 by clicking a fraudulent link disguised to look like an e-transfer during a Facebook Marketplace transaction.
Russia obliterates Ukraine's front-line towns faster with hacked bombs and expanded air base network
Russia has accelerated its destruction of Ukraine's front-line cities in 2024 to a scale previously unseen in the war using the glide bombs and an expanding network of airstrips, according to an Associated Press analysis of drone footage, satellite imagery, Ukrainian documents and Russian photos.
Police look to identify 'nudist runner of the woods' caught on camera in western Quebec
The MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais police say the owner of a Val-des-Mont business discovered security camera footage of someone running naked across his property on June 8 around 1:30 a.m.
Can a marriage survive a gender transition? Yes, and even thrive. How these couples make it work
A partner's gender transition does not necessarily mean a death sentence for a marriage. Data is scant, but couples and therapists say that in many cases, a relationship grows and flourishes under the light of new honesty.
Has your car been stolen after a visit to a mechanic?
There may be connections between vehicle thefts and recent visits made to body shops in Canada, according to some victims. Have you been a victim of car theft? What were the circumstances? CTVNews.ca wants to hear from you.
Marge Simpson's likeness found in ancient Egyptian coffin. What does this discovery mean?
Coffin lids during the New Kingdom era are known for their intricate designs, but this particular cover was remarkable for another reason from the perspective of social media users and fans of the longtime Fox animated sitcom 'The Simpsons.'