Taste the Freshness of Local Produce!
Ontario is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. Produce Made Simple is your go to resource for information about Ontario’s local produce industry, tips and tricks and inspirational recipes.
October in Ontario: A Bounty of Produce
Ontario is the perfect place to be in October, when harvests are plentiful and so many hearty staples are in season. Apples are rich in abundance across the province this month, perfectly crisp and in season, with so many delicious varieties that will appease any appetite. Easily found anywhere from grocery stores, local farmers markets, or open apple-picking orchards, they’re the perfect choice to bring a delicious and nutritious edge to your meals all month long!
The Ultimate Guide to Apple Picking Season
October is prime apple season in Ontario, and apple picking is the quintessential fall activity! Click through for our full apple picking guide this season.
The Ultimate Ontario Apple Baking Guide
There is nothing quite like October in Ontario. The air gets crisp, the sweaters come out of storage, and our kitchens are suddenly filled with the incredible smell of cinnamon and baked apples. But if you’ve ever spent hours baking a beautiful apple pie only to cut into it and find a watery, mushy apple soup (and you’re not alone there!), you know a hard truth: Not all apples are created equal in the oven. Click through for our full apple baking guide!
Full Blog Post and More!From Field to Plate
The Ontario Food Terminal
The largest wholesale fruit and produce distribution centre (40 acres) in Canada and is a unique asset and public health jewel of Ontario. The terminal site consists of a Farmer’s Market area with 450 stalls, Warehouse units area, office units, a central cold storage that is 100,000 square feet in size, two restaurants and a parking deck providing 550 car-parking spaces while covering 4 acres of Farmers’ Market
stalls. Participants at the Terminal consist of over 5,000 Registered Buyers, 20 Warehouse tenants, 400 Farmers’ Market tenants and 50 Office Tenants
• Over 2.1 Billion pounds of produce distributed annually which is on average 5.7 million
pounds per day
• It is estimated that over one million vehicles enter the Terminal annually
• The OFT is an economic generator, for every dollar of sales, about three dollars was
returned to the Ontario Economy
Read more about the Ontario Food terminal: https://www.oftb.com/
Greenhouse Growing
Greenhouse growers are modernizing agriculture by combining innovation with sustainability. Using advanced technologies like automated climate control, integrated pest management, closed-loop water systems and LED lighting, greenhouse farmers can optimize conditions for their crops to growth year-round.
These indoor growing methods enhance crop quality, yield, consistency, and flavor while minimizing resource usage and environmental impact. Greenhouses also offer flexibility in location, enabling farming in urban areas or regions with unfavorable climates. By shortening the supply chain, produce reaches consumers fresher and faster, reducing food miles and spoilage. Moreover, it fosters food security by ensuring consistent production regardless of external factors. Greenhouse growing is an important part of the sustainable future of agriculture.
Ontario Farms
Ontario’s agri-food sector is the largest and most diverse in Canada, contributing significantly to the provincial economy and food production. Ontario is a major producer of fruits and vegetables in Canada, with over 125 different crops grown on 245,000 acres. Ontario accounts for over one-third of Canada’s total fruit and vegetable production.
Produce Made Simple
Your go-to resource for everything fruits and vegetables!
Produce 101
Produce 101
If you just want to know everything there is about produce, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled all the info you need for your favourite produce.