Support local cheese-making

I’ve written before about my CSA shares in Monforte Cheese, a local cheese-making company that used a CSA program to raise funds to build their own space. Well, they’ve just announced they’re selling another round of shares between now and December 31:

This second round of offerings is a means to continue development in the production of cheese, but also our goal of strengthening our local food infrastructure through a number of different means (production, education and innovation).

Three levels of investment are available, starting at $200. Find out more on Monforte’s website.

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A trip to the market

Finally got up to the Green Barns market this weekend to pick up a few groceries. In my bag: a dozen chicken eggs, half a dozen duck eggs, some local pasta, a hot cross bun and – most important – the first cheese bought with my Monforte vouchers! I picked up some soft goat cheese and a cheddar. If you haven’t signed up for a cheese CSA share yet, there’s still time – click the link to find out more, or ask at the market.

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Another CSA in Toronto – Kawartha Ecological Growers

As you know if you read this blog, I get a CSA box from Plan B, and I love it. But I also recently found out about another CSA box program, from Kawartha Ecological Growers. They offer large and small shares for pickup in Toronto, Oshawa, Lindsay and Woodville. This year, they’re also including non-produce items such as meat, eggs, flour, maple syrup, honey and preserves.

Find out more at kawarthaecologicalgrowers.com, or visit their stand at the Greenbarns Market at Christie and St. Clair or Daily Apple at Yonge and Eglinton.

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Oops. I spent $200 on cheese

Last weekend, on a trip to the farmers’ market, I found out from some friends about a cheese CSA that’s in the works. Basically, there’s a local dairy, Monforte (and they’re on Twitter), that needs funds to build a new facility and is raising the cash by selling cheese shares.

It’s a very cool idea and you get more cheese back than you paid for – except that it’s spread over five years. They have three subscription options and I chose the cheapest one, at $200. I give them that now, and starting next year I get $50 in cheese vouchers every year for five years, to be spent at Monforte stands at local markets.

Join up – it’s a great way to support the food producers in our region!

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