By Cecilia Nasmith
Victoria Hall Volunteers have announced Oct. 10 as the latest date for a series that has proven both educational and popular.
Food, Farms, Tour and Tastings combines two great events – a day-long guided bus tour to selected Northumberland Farms, followed by an evening Tastings event at the Victoria Hall Concert Hall in Cobourg.
Peter Brotherhood and Paul Burnham will serve as your guide for a first-hand look at local farming practices on an unusual group of agricultural operations that produce maple syrup, honey, black currants and hops for local craft beer – plus a chance to learn about growing saffron, which is quite a new product in the county.
The tour will leave Victoria Hall at 9 a.m. Organizers remind everyone that particpants must be ambulatory, as they will be climbing onto and off the bus at the various stops. Parking passes for the day will be available for bus tour participants at the Town of Cobourg’s tax office.
This event originally grew out of a collaboration Victoria Hall Volunteers undertook with the County of Northumberland to arrange speakers for a Food, Farms and the Future forum with local farmers and producers.
In 2009, Thomas Pawlick (author of The End of Food) was paired with local dairy farmer Gaye Hoskin. In 2011, Sarah Elton (author of Locovore – How Canadians Are Changing The Way We Eat) was paired with local farmer Paul Burnham. In 2013, Lori Stahlbrand (founder of Local Food Plus and co-author of Real Food For A Change) shared the stage with Eric Graham.
Previous tours have been very popular, and additional guests join the participants afterwards for the opportunity to sample wonderful varieties of sweet and savoury tastes from local chefs. This year, for example, palates will be piqued by the smoked trout from Linwood Acres Trout Farm of Campbellcroft, as well as the apples from Hamilton Township’s Moore Orchards (whose apples win regularly at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto). The Tastings portion of the event runs at Victoria Hall Concert Hall from 5 to 7 p.m.
As with all Victoria Hall Volunteers events, proceeds from Food, Farms, Tour and Tastings will support the group’s work in maintaining and enhancing the magnificent heritage building.
Tickets are now available through the Victoria Hall Concert Hall box office (905-372-2210 or www.concerthallatvictoriahall.com) at $75 for both events and $20 for the Tastings event alone.
Food, Farms, Tour and Tastings is supported by Northumberland County’s Economic Development Department.
For more information, call 905-372-9204.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
