Evergreen

The Greenbelt Depot at the Brick Works

Grants Made:

$75,000 - March 26, 2008

"I hadn’t realized the disconnection between us and the efforts of farmers to grow our food. And even a wider gap of what it takes to grow organically and sustainably. Cooking professionally never taught me this, ten minutes on a farm did." - Edmund Rek, Chefs' Market Manager

http://evergreen.ca/chefs

Sitting in the center of downtown Toronto, the historic Don Valley Brickworks is undergoing a transformation from abandoned industrial site into a lively environmental centre and a burgeoning source for local foods.

Chefs have long been interested in sourcing local ingredients for their menus because of the unparalleled taste and freshness. The Greenbelt Depot at the Don Valley Brick Works fills an infrastructure gap in the local food system by establishing a weekly wholesale market where Greenbelt farmers and Toronto chefs can do business. The Depot also hosts public education activities and events on food and farming, and serves as a hub for farmers and chefs to meet and discuss current food trends, strengthening the bond between producers and chefs.

Happy #BiodiversityDay! The #ONGreenbelt is home to 78 of over 200 provincially at-risk species. #WhatcanIdo? http://t.co/1sQqyThQpS about 9 hours ago

For fresh air, clean water, healthy local food, and a thriving economy with good jobs Ontario’s Greenbelt is the solution. At more than 1.8 million acres, it’s the world’s largest permanently protected greenbelt, keeping our farmlands, forests, wetlands safe and sustainable.The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation works to help keep farmers successful, strengthen local economies, and protect and grow natural features.