Eating Local on Cape Breton

On this page you’ll find a list of Facebook groups, websites and blogs to various producers, markets, and consumers who are all concerned with eating local foods on Cape Breton Island. Use these links to get connected with the growing local food movement here.

If there is something not listed, please email me (leahcnoble@gmail.com) with the info! For example: small farms, big farms, farmers’ markets, restaurants that feature local food, advocacy groups, etc.

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Facebook Groups or Pages

You’ll need to be a Facebook user to access this information and make comments on the pages.

• Maritime Gardener Exchange – “This is a group to facilitate sharing of all things to do with growing our own food here in the maritime provinces.”
• Farmers and Friends Cooperative – I think this might be Cape Breton only but I’m not sure.
• TABLES (Take Action, Buy Locally, Eat Seasonally) – TABLES is a local food advocacy group for southwestern Cape Breton.  They welcome members with an interest in community action to provide the area with access to locally produced food.
• Baddeck and Area Community Market‘s Facebook page.
• Cape North Farmer’s Market.
• Downtown Sydney Farmers Market (yes, Sydney has two markets)
• The Urban Food Propagandist (CBRM-area) – Organizer Pamela Johnson writes, “I was inspired after dropping by a friend’s house yesterday and seeing all of the great things in their garden and thinking, “Hey, I want some of that stuff!”. Well, let’s trade people. If you are backyard farming here in Sydney, and you have more than enough for you and your family, let’s share.”
• Port Hawkesbury Community Market – Seasonally in the Port Hawkesbury area. Began in 2012.

Websites

• Cape Breton Local Food Map – copyright Demmarest Haney. “The printed version of the food map is available now and is being delivered/shipped to farmer’s markets.” – Demmarest, in a comment on the Dream Big CB Facebook page.
• The vendors at the Cape Breton Farmers Market (Keltic Drive, Sydney).
• The Mabou Farmers Market.
• ACORN (Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network).
• Baddeck and Area Community Market.

Blogs

• Cape Breton Local Diet: Alicia Lake set out in September of 2011 to eat only food grown on Cape Breton Island for a whole month. She blogged about it, then kept on writing about local food. She did the CB-only challenge again in September 2012. Now, her brother-in-law Dave Williams and his wife Faith is carrying on the torch. Lots of great recipes and photos.
• Kingsville Farm – Jamie and Laura Jenson moved to Canada from Wales, and now have a farm and a bakery where they sell artisan bread and free-range eggs. They are also vendors at several of Cape Breton’s farmer’s markets.