Celebrate Southwestern Ontario Farming, Food and Communities During this Four Day Special Event

This special event will connect southwestern Ontario farming, food, and communities together for a focus on the economic impact of the food economy in our region and share successful sustainable practices with residents, fostering collaboration to help strengthen our community.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
EFAO Farmer Field Day
Join us in the Labatt Room of Covent Market Garden for a farmer field day in partnership with Ecological Farmers of Ontario, Roger Rivest Marketing, Nature Lane Farms, University of Guelph and BioFert. This is a farmer to farmer session on organic farming, using organic inputs and agronomic learning and data being done in our region. If you are looking to get into farming, a brand new farmer, or an established farmer there will be great information presented in this session and networking opportunities with other like-minded farmers.
Time: 1:00 to 4:00 pm
Location: Labatt Room at Covent Market Garden
Note: Proceeds from ticket sales to go back to EFAO and their work
Friday, September 30, 2016
London Restaurants Dinners
Enjoy a meal at one of the following local London restaurants that on a regular basis are sourcing local where they can, building relationships with farmers and creating a stronger local economy through their menu development. Check out the menu items designed for this weekend featuring local family farms from the SW Ontario region.
Please call the individual restaurants for reservations as they have limited seats blocked off for this event and will take your reservation directly
Glassroots
Address: 646 Richmond St, London, ON N6A 3G7
Phone: (519) 850-8688
Website: For more information visit their website here.
The Root Cellar
Address: 623 Dundas St, London, ON N5W 2Y8
Phone: (519) 719-7675
Website: For more information visit their website here.
Saturday, October 1, 2016


Covent Market Outdoor Farmers Market
A staple in the city that was ahead of its time in working with and promoting local family farms in SW Ontario. Their outside vendors are some of the region’s finest and come on a weekly basis from May to December, bringing you their products and produce. Shop at the market and come check out the Regenerate Booth happening during the outdoor farmers market for a look at what we are planning for next year.
Time: 8:00 am to 1:00 pm
Location: 130 King St, London ON
Website: For details on the outdoor farmer’s market visit their website here.
Tickets: Free attendance at the Market
Children Engagement Through Education & Food
Growing Chefs! Ontario is an initiative launched in London, and it has spread across the region of SW Ontario. Bring the whole family, shop the Saturday morning market, check out the Thanksgiving-themed cooking demos, tastings, interactive booths and a stuffing making a competition where you can be the judge!
Time: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Location: 130 King St, London ON
Website: For details on the outdoor farmer’s market visit their website here.
Tickets: Free attendance at the Market

Culinary Workshop and Meal
Join the instructors from the Artisanal Culinary Program for this one of a kind event. A four-course meal for all participants will follow an afternoon workshop where attendees help create one course of the meal through guidance and instruction by professional chefs from the Artisanal Culinary Graduate Program. This will be followed by a sit-down meal where all 4 courses will be enjoyed together and listen to the stories of how the dishes were created, matched together and lessons learned through hands-on instruction.
A limited release beer not available at the brewery will be paired with the meal for all attendees from newly opened Anderson Craft Ales.
Tickets: $ 95
Time: 2:00 to 6:00 pm
Location: Fanshawe College, Building A (meet next to Saffron’s Restaurant)
Website: For more on the Artisanal Culinary Graduate program go to their website here.
Limited space as each workshop will have a smaller number to encourage more hands-on learning.
Note: Proceeds from ticket sales are to go back to a bursary set up for the Culinary Students at Fanshawe College
Food Documentary, Community Movie Screening
Attend the Canadian Premiere of Sustainable; a food documentary built around the work and passion of Marty, Kris and Will Travis from Spence Family farm in Fairbury, Ill. The narrative of the film focuses on Marty Travis, a seventh-generation farmer in central Illinois who watched his land and community fall victim to the pressures of big agribusiness. Determined to create a proud legacy for his son, Marty transforms his profitless wasteland and pioneers the sustainable food movement in Chicago.
View the Sustainable Documentary trailer here.
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Location: Fanshawe College Building A, Classroom A1056
Tickets:
$12 for Just the movie
$25 for movie, Q&A and beer tasting
Question and Answer with Cast of “Sustainable”
Join the cast of the Food Documentary “Sustainable” to learn about the story behind the story and the work being done by Spence Farm Foundation. How they helped to create the Stewards of the Land and Legacy of the Land working teams that are building the food economy in their rural farming communities and linking it urban consumers through some of the best restaurants in the city of Chicago and the whole state of Illinois!
Time: 8:30 to 10:00 pm
Location: Andreson Craft Ales 1030 Elias St, London, ON N5W 3P6
Website: For more on Anderson Craft Ales visit their website here.
Tickets:
$12 for Just the movie
$25 for movie, Q&A and beer tasting
Note: Very limited seating for this event.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Baking Seminar with Greg Wade
Join us for a unique seminar on the baking principles of working with heritage, whole grains with Greg Wade of Publican Quality Breads in Chicago. Come and have your five senses educated:
- Smell and see Comparison soakers
- See, taste and smell sprouted grains
- Demo a savoury recipe to taste along with the bread.
- Demo of waffles or crepes too
- Leave with a package that includes recipes and a bread starter for you and your loved ones.
- Tie it together through the supply chain learning and the understanding of a regional grain economy.
You will also hear how a successful farmer-to-baker partnerships have been formed and how they each help each other to become better at their respective trades. At this seminar, you’ll get a chance to hear how an artisan bakery features whole grains from local farms in the culinary scene of Chicago, IL helping to make a regional grain economy a reality.
Who is this for? We have set this workshop up for industry professionals and avid home bakers; Breadheads and home bakers are welcome also but should know some of the content will get quite in depth. If you love bread and baking this is the event for you!
Tickets: $ 45
Time: 12:30 to 3:30 pm
Location: Anglican Parish Hall, 16 Church St, Ridgetown ON N0P 2C0
Website: For more on Greg Wade and his industry influence visit his website here.
Note: Proceeds from ticket sales are to go back to support the work of Spence Farm Foundation.
Heritage Grain Tasting
It’s time to taste some delicious grains again! Building on the work we did last year with USC Canada and Bauta Seed Initiative come stimulate your senses and learn about the flavours of diversified grains in Ontario. This will be a one of a kind tasting event where you will be given samples of pasta, beer, and bread made with unique heritage grains and asked to rate them for texture, flavour and taste. Folks will also get a chance to interact and learn from the bakers, chefs, and brewers who are bringing these products from field to table. Building a regional grain economy is an important part of a secure (and delicious) food system – come support the farmers, bakers, and brewers that are making it happen!
Tickets: $ 35
Time: 4:00 to 6:30 pm
Location: Anglican Parish Hall, 16 Church St, Ridgetown ON N0P 2C0
Website: To learn about the work of USC Canada and Bauta Seed Initiative visit their website here.
Note: Proceeds from ticket sales are to support the work of USC Canada/Bauta Seed Initiative and Everdale Farm