![Frape and Sons Boutique Bitters at the Show](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Frape-and-Sons-Boutique-Bitters-610x387.jpg)
$488,901 from the Government of Canada to help create jobs and opportunities in Northern Ontario’s agriculture, agri-food and equine industries
Warren, ON – Northern Ontario farmers, agri-food producers, and equine businesses will gain access to important new markets and growth opportunities as a result of a Government of Canada investment of $488,901. This investment will enable Economic Partners Sudbury East – West Nipissing to establish the 17th annual Northern Ontario Agri-food Pavilion at the 2017 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, one of the largest agricultural fairs in the world.
“The Government of Canada recognizes the unique needs of Northern Ontario and is investing in strategic initiatives to create a stronger middle-class and accelerate growth in key sectors of the regional economy. The Northern Ontario pavilion will help local producers gain exposure, access new markets and form strategic alliances that will help maximize export opportunities,” says The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and Minister responsible for FedNor.
“Establishing a strong presence at the Royal Winter Fair creates a world of opportunities for Northern Ontario businesses by shining the international spotlight on some of the very best our region has to offer. This investment will help more than 50 Northern Ontario small-and medium-sized businesses increase sales and grow their operations by showcasing their products and services to consumers, industry representatives and potential investors from around the globe,” comments Marc Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt.
The FedNor funding was announced today by Marc Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for FedNor.
The 7000-square-foot pavilion will assist more than 50 Northern Ontario businesses to showcase their products and services to the more than 320,000 people expected to visit the fair this year. The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair takes place from November 3 to 12, 2017, at the Enercare Centre in Toronto.
Northern Ontario Agri-food Pavilion – 2017 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
Exhibitor Profiles
Algoma Highlands Wild Blueberry Farm and Winery
Contact: Trevor and Tracy Laing
26 Hillcrest Ave
Wawa ON P0S 1K0
Tel: 705-856-4401 or 705-852-6642 laingwawa@shaw.ca
Algoma Highlands Wild Blueberry Farm and Winery is a 640-acre family farm located three kilometres from downtown Wawa. Owners Trevor and Tracy Laing use an old tree nursery located on their property as a processing and distribution base for their wild blueberries and associated products.
In 2011, the Laings sold both fresh and frozen berries, and in 2013, entered the value-added market selling jam, barbecue sauce, and syrup. All products are 100 percent natural, with no added artificial colour or preservatives. Algoma Highlands’ future plans are to expand its markets, add a small winery, and introduce honey products, which are a pollination by-product.
This year, the Laings will be offering two new value-added products: Wild Blueberry Moose Radish and Wild Blueberry Sugar Free Jam.
Bare Organics
Contact: Karen Kerk
77 Crown St, Unit 1
Thunder Bay ON P7B 3J9
Tel: 807-683-6129Karen@bareorganics.ca
Bare Organics was started by Karen Kerk shortly after the birth of her first child in 2004. Karen searched high and low for truly natural personal care products for her baby only to discover that most “natural” and “organic” baby care products contained chemical ingredients. Now more than a decade later, Bare Organics is a full-fledged manufacturer and retailer of handcrafted organic skincare products for babies and adults.
Beat the Wheat
Contact: Adam Palubiski and Stephanie Dunn
60 Manitoba St
Bracebridge ON P1L 1R9
Tel: 705-645-6500info@besteverfood.ca
Beat the Wheat’s Adam Palubiski and Stephanie Dunn met in culinary school where they developed their passion for food. While working as a pasta chef in Whistler, BC, Adam developed a recipe for gluten-free pasta with the texture and flavour found in restaurant-quality pasta.
After the couple’s move to Bracebridge, Ontario in 2008, Adam would often hold cooking classes, including sessions on how to make fresh, gluten-free pasta. Participants’ interest in their product led to the establishment of their gluten-free pasta manufacturing company called Beat the Wheat. Fresh pasta, ready-made pasta dishes, sauces and gluten-free bread and butter tarts are some of the items they sell in their Bracebridge store, aptly named, Pasta Shoppe.
Best Ever Food
Contact: Matt Richter
334 Hiawatha Drive
Port Sydney, Ontario P0B 1A0
705-385-8721 info@besteverfood.ca
Best Ever Food, a delicious mix of nuts and seeds handcrafted in Muskoka, started as a family recipe born of a desire for a healthy, energy-sustaining snack. According to Matt Richter, the key to the snack’s quality is the 30 hours of production time he personally puts into it versus typical mass-produced snack items. Although the nuts are currently imported, Best Ever Food sources local maple syrup as a key ingredient. The Port Sydney company is currently researching the possibility of growing their own sunflower seeds and other local ingredients. Best Ever Food is available at retail locations throughout Northern Ontario and is currently expanding into other areas.
Busters Blueberry BBQ Sauces and Spices
Contact: Natalie Welniak
Box 99, 177 Highway 17
Vermillion Bay ON P0V 2V0
Tel: 807-227-5256 nat@bustersbbq.com
Busters Blueberry Barbeque Sauce was introduced in 1995 when Kevin Welniak developed the signature sauce for barbeque ribs at Busters Family Restaurant in Vermillion Bay, Ontario. Based on rave reviews, he started to bottle the sauce which has won many awards including the People’s Choice Champion at the 2011 Great American Barbeque Inaugural Sauce Contest in Kansas City.
Kevin’s son, Stosh, who opened Busters Barbeque Restaurant in 2007 following the closure of the original family restaurant, has continued to produce Busters Barbeque Sauce which is now sold in 50 retail outlets in Northwestern Ontario. Products are gluten-free, handmade and are naturally sweetened by blueberries.
Canadian Freshwater Fish
Contact: Brent Forsyth and Jordan Shannon
402 Simpson St
Thunder Bay ON P7C 3J2
Tel: 807-707-2245 info@canadianfreshwaterfish.com
Brent Forsyth and Jordan Shannon of Thunder Bay, Ontario founded Canadian Freshwater Fish after noting a serious decline in inter-generational fishing in Northern Ontario communities. Working with traditional fishing communities, Canadian Freshwater Fish sources high quality fish in a sustainable fashion from the pristine lakes of Northern Ontario. Canadian Freshwater Fish maintains close relationships with anglers, together ensuring the sustainability of fishing practices and a superior product. They process a thousand pounds per day at their Thunder Bay facility, employing a staff of 15. In addition to selling whitefish, walleye, pickerel and trout at their storefront, they offer their products online.
Canadian Pure Wild Rice
Contact: Kailey Divers
P.O. Box 193
Wabigoon ON P0V 2W0
Tel: 807-221-9488 c.p.wildrice@gmail.com
Born and raised in Dryden, Ontario, Kailey Divers is the owner of Canadian Pure Wild Rice. Having grown up with wild rice as a staple in her diet, she strives to share its delicious flavour and health benefits with others. Organic wild rice is not genetically modified or farmed, growing naturally without the use of fertilizers or pesticides. Drawing its nutrients from non-depleted soils at the bottom of pristine lakes, this organic grain grows and reseeds itself. What’s more, it maintains its nutrient value and flavour even after harvesting.
CJ Pies ‘n’ More
Contact: Jerry and Colleen Pronk
53 Rutland Ave
Warren ON P0H 2N0
Tel: 705-967-3663cjpiesnmore@hotmail.com
Operating from the small community of Warren, Ontario, along the Trans-Canada Highway, CJ Pies ‘n’ More is a popular retail and wholesale bakery serving North Bay, Sudbury, and other communities throughout Ontario. Its pastries include maple and sticky buns, butter tarts, mini buttercream pastries, genois slabs, and English-style fruit loaves. It also offers savoury meat pies (e.g. tourtiere, chicken, turkey, steak & kidney, and venison), meatballs, homemade soups and chili. Owners Jerry and Colleen Pronk will also be selling their own line of seasonings, flavoured oils, rubs and BBQ sauces, specifically developed for pork, beef, chicken, turkey or venison.
Dream Acres Alpacas
Contact: Jo-Anne and Gary Burton
5590 Highway 101 W
Matheson ON P0K 1N0
Tel: 705-273-1656Dream.acres@hotmail.com
Jo-Anne and Gary Burton of Dream Acres Alpacas have been raising alpacas on their 140-acre farm just west of Matheson since 2007. They participate in fall fairs and take their alpacas to markets, parades and special events, encouraging people to visit their farm. Focused on the production of 100 percent Canadian made quality alpaca products, they sell hats, scarves, mitts, socks and custom handwoven pieces, as well as the creations of other local artisans. In addition, Dream Acres sells to markets in Cochrane, Iroquois Falls, Matheson, Timmins, Temiskaming Shores and Kirkland Lake, as well as to some wholesale customers in Sault Ste. Marie, Southern Ontario and Ottawa.
Four Season Greens
Contact: Steve and Sharon Bacon
RR2 83 Deer Lake Rd
Port Sydney ON P0B 1L0
Tel: 705-405-0449 info@fourseasongreens.com
Four Season Greens, based in Muskoka, Ontario, has been producing sprouts, greens and other nutritious produce since 2011. Its mission is to grow produce locally year round through innovative and sustainable agricultural practices, and to facilitate the development of similar projects in other communities, thereby enhancing food security and community health. Four Season Greens produces a variety of lettuce and hebs using aquaponics in a winterized greenhouse that utilizes several sustainable energy measures for climate control. The company supplies produce to many restaurants and resorts in its region, as well as several local retailers.
Frape and Sons Boutique Bitters
Contact: Justin Frape
1543 Arthur St E
Thunder Bay ON P7E 5N5
Tel: 807-285-0490 justin.frape@frapeandsons.com
Frape and Sons (F&S) is a boutique bitters distiller, formulator and bottler based in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Equipped with brewing and distillation equipment from the hills of Kentucky and Tennessee, F&S makes batches of up to 500 bottles at a time using Ontario ingredients. Since F&S doesn’t use neutral spirits in its formulations, the alcohol bases play as much a role in the flavours as the botanicals. F&S bitters have broad culinary and beverage applications, and feature botanicals from the boreal forests of Northwestern Ontario, the fruits of food producers of Thunder Bay, and water from Lake Superior.
Fromagerie Kapuskoise
Contact: François and Denis Nadeau
376 Government Rd E
Kapuskasing ON P5N 2X7
Tel: 705-371-2177 fromageriekapuskoise@gmail.co
Fromagerie Kapuskoise is a labour of love for owner François Nadeau. Following four years of university and a trip to Asia where cheese was limited and his craving for the product grew, François Nadeau studied cheese-making in Quebec and France. Originally from Kapuskasing, Nadeau seized an opportunity to bring his dream home, establishing the first artisanal cheese-making facility in the region.
Fromagerie Kapuskoise will be offering three categories of artisanal cheese at the Fair this year made from cow, sheep and goat’s milk and named after area rivers:
- Cow: Mattagami, Opasatika, Kapuskois;
- Sheep: Saganash; and
- Goat: Mattagami Chèvre and Pagwa.
Gateway Fibreworks
Contact: Gail Stiver
1397 Beiers Rd, General Delivery
Kilworthy ON P0E 1G0
Tel: 705-687-5222gail@gatewayfibreworks.com
Gateway Fibreworks is a fibre mill, studio and store designed to inspire creativity. Alpaca, wool, and mohair fibre from Ontario farmers is transformed into luxurious yarns and fibre products to meet an artisan’s knitting, felting, spinning or mixed fibre art needs. Inspired by Muskoka colours, hand-dyed yarns and rovings are incorporated into beautiful and functional pieces produced by local handcrafters and artisans.
Gee-Dah’s Inspirations
Contact: Rose Jawana157 Willow St
Wikwemikong ON P0P 2J0
Tel: 705-859-1823 jshawana@gmail.com
Gee-Dah’s Inspirations is a small family food business which serves various First Nation communities on Manitoulin Island and the North Shore. Inspired and guided by original founders of the family business, Gee-Dah’s Inspirations prepares, cooks and serves traditional and non-traditional native cuisine such as corn soup, fried bread, tacos, chili and oven-baked fish pie. This year, it will be featuring a variety of these traditional foods at four different times on Saturday, November 4, 2017.
Graywalk Buffalo Ranch
Contact: Mary Graydon and Tom Walker
4813 Highway 64
Noelville ON P0M 2N0
Tel: 705-898-1248graywalk@bellnet.ca
Mary Graydon and Tom Walker established Graywalk Buffalo Ranch in 2004. The 160-acre farm is located in Noelville, about an hour’s drive south of Sudbury, where they raise their herd without the use of chemicals or growth hormones. Lower in fat than other meats, bison is similar to beef but has a sweet, richer taste. Their vacuum-packed bison meat products come complete with cooking instructions.
Through the years, Mary and Tom have developed new products and ideas based on customer input, and they look forward to meeting new and existing clients at The Royal this year.
Greenfoot
Contact: Grant Lauzon and Bryan Jean
201 Parsons Ave
North Bay ON P1A 1S8
Tel: 905-714-5078grantlauzon@gmail.com
Greenfoot markets chaga, a medicinal mushroom harvested in Canada’s northern forests. Through its relationship with members of the research community, Greenfood has developed a chaga extract, an antioxidant believed to cure stomach and skin problems, and contribute to a long and robust life. This year, Greenfoot is introducing a Raspberry-Sumac Tea.
Hagens Dressing
Contact: Jordan Railian
35 McMillan Ave
Dryden ON P8N 1V4
Tel: 800-561-1263hagensdressing@drytel.nt
Hagens Dressing, which is currently shipped across Canada and exported to the United States, was created about 50 years ago at a small restaurant in Eagle Lake, Ontario by Bill Hagen and his wife. In 1970, Susan Durance purchased the recipe for the dressing and her family started producing the product for sale across Northern Ontario. Established as the house dressing at the Durance family’s Riverview Lodge in the Dryden area, Hagens Dressing’s popularity continues to grow.
Hawberry Farms
Contact: Irving Cuthbertson
General Delivery, Providence Bay
Manitoulin Island ON P0P 1T0
Tel: 705-377-4616sales@hawberryfarms.com
Hawberry Farms manufactures and distributes lines of jams, jellies, chutneys, honey dip mixes, garlic sauce, hot sauces and popcorn seasoning. All products are processed on Manitoulin Island. Hawberry Farms participates in 50 to 75 fairs and events annually, and distributes to a large number of retail establishments throughout Ontario.
International Plowing Match (IPM) and Rural Expo
Verner West Nipissing 2019
2019 IPM Executive Committee/Municipality of West Nipissing
Contact: Stephan Poulin
225 Holditch St
Sturgeon Falls ON P2B 1T1
705-753-2250 spoulin@westnipissing.ca
Verner, West Nipissing will host the 2019 International Plowing Match. This annual event, which usually is scheduled for late September, is North America’s largest outdoor agricultural and rural expo and attracts in excess of 150,000 visitors over a five-day period. The International Plowing Match is organized and operated by the Ontario Plowman’s Association. The Verner event is being undertaken by the 2019 IPM Executive Committee under the direction of Neil Fox.
Jack Pop’s Kettle Corn
Contact: Jack Hamlyn
1200 Lake Joseph Rd
Seguin ON P2A 2W8
705-574-6031 jackhamlyn@hotmail.com
This year, kettle corn will be offered by Royal newcomer Jack Hamlyn of Parry Sound and his family. Jack Pop’s Kettle Corn is made by hand using certified organic cane sugar, sea salt, canola oil and mushroom corn in large open kettles.
Lake of the Woods Sunrise Soap
Contact: Rita Boutette
Box 543
205 Ottawa St
Keewatin ON P0X 1C0
Tel: 807-547-2624boutette@shaw.ca
Lake of the Woods Sunrise Soap is a small home-based business, located in Keewatin, Ontario on Lake of the Woods. Its handcrafted soaps are all natural, phosphate-free, and biodegradable and are primarily made with olive and coconut oils. Unique scents are created with blends of essential oils and enhanced with botanicals, including local ingredients such as rosehips, wild rice, and hemp seeds. Each bar is beautifully hand-wrapped and tied.
Love North (formerly Earth Mama’s)
Contact: Ashley Love
91 Spencer St
Bracebridge ON P1L 1C4
Tel: 705-952-1236 earthmamasmedicinals@gmail.com
Love North offers an array of botanical skincare and herbal products made from a blend of wild harvested plants that grow in abundance in the Muskoka—Parry Sound region. For her skincare line, owner Ashley Love blends her own herbal oil extracts with high quality organic oils, her in-house handcrafted essential oils and other quality steam distilled essential oils to create what she calls a pure botanical experience.
Manitoulin Botanicals
Contact: Laurette Tsun
267 Lighthouse Rd
Meldrum Bay ON P0P 1R0
Tel: 705-348-8448 ManitoulinBotanicals@gmail.com
Manitoulin Botanicals produces food, herbal and body products made from wild plants and herbs gathered on two organic 100-acre lots while respecting the environment and the plants. New products this year include spruce tip sugar, salt and vinegar, wild strawberry jam, and wild acorn flour. All products are 100 percent natural, with no added artificial colour or preservatives.
Manitoulin Soap Factory
Contact: Sue Garbutt
P.O. Box 33 – 10955 Highway 6
Sheguiandah ON P0P 1W0
Tel: 705-368-2961soap@amtelcom.net
The Manitoulin Soap Factory produces and markets handmade soaps, lotions, natural shampoos and body products, using a natural vegetable base made from essential oils. The store and factory based in Sheguiandah produce more than 85 different scented soaps, lotions and other products.
Meadowview Alpaca Farm
Contact: Robert and Denise Martel
RR 1, 908 Carter Side Rd
Bruce Mines ON P0R 1C0
Tel: 705-785-3389rd.martel@meadowviewalpacafarm.com
On their Meadowview Alpaca Farm, Robert and Denise Martel raise and shear alpacas for their luxuriant fibre. Their products feature yarns for knitters and weavers; some rainbow-dyed roving for spinners; as well as warm socks, mitts, hats, scarves, duvets, pillows, knitting kits, rovings, and felted products, including rugs and slippers.
With their focus on fibre, the Martels have spent much time and effort learning about best shearing practices, skirting, sorting and grading alpaca fibre for a quality end product. They have now partnered with area farms to grow the number of alpacas, increasing the production of fibre.
Morgan House Wool Works Studio
Contact: Pam Carnochan
83 Morgan’s Rd
Huntsville ON P1H 1A2
Tel: 705-380-2566morganbb@vianet.ca
With wool from her sheep, Pam Cornochan of Morgan House Wood Works Studio creates unique landscapes using felting techniques. She shears the sheep, dyes the wool and then creates artwork known as Watercolour with Wool. She has been showing her work in several shows and galleries in the Huntsville and Maynooth areas. Raised in Huron County, Pam has also been teaching her craft in Algonquin Park, area schools, the McMichael Art Gallery in Kleinburg, and in her barn studio over the past 11 years.
Mountain Maple Products
Contact: Don Manchur
1300 P Line, Box 2
Richards Landing ON P0R 1J0
Tel: 705-782-0101 don.mountainmaple@gmail.com
Mountain Maple Products on St. Joseph Island is one of the larger producers of maple syrup in the Algoma region. Established by the Wallace family in 1965 with 300 taps, the operation has grown over time to 6500 taps through a partnership established with Don Manchur. The company makes use of modern technologies and relies on limestone-based soils to produce natural, organic flavourful syrup. The Mountain Maple Products line includes pure maple syrup, maple butter, maple candy, maple BBQ sauce and maple salsa.
Muskoka Mornings
Contact: Kerry Foreman
77 Tamarack Trail
Bracebridge ON P1L 1Z1
705-706-2165 kerry@beautycomesnaturally.com
A recent start-up operation in Bracebridge, Muskoka Mornings has created two unique health products: No Yolking and Dandi Maca Latte. No Yolking is a powder made from egg whites which are sprayed with citric acid and baker’s yeast in the drying process. It can be used in smoothies, for baking and in pancakes. Dandi Maca Latte is a coffee substitute which is a blend of several roots, spices, cacao powder and a fruit sweetener that doesn’t affect glucose levels. The creator and owner, Kerry Foreman, has a background in health services.
Nish Scon
Contact: Pam Naponse-Corbiere
405 Felix Cresc
Naughton ON P0M 2M0
705-692-1972 pam@nishscon.com
Pam Naponse-Corbiere produces and sells a packaged bannock and scon mix – not to be confused with American or British scones – which she calls Nish Scon. From Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation, Pam says this biscuit-like product, which can be baked or fried, is a key part of Anishinaabe cooking in Canada.
As it can take a lot of time and practice to prepare traditional scons from scratch, Pam says her product can enable those people do not have extensive experience to produce an authentic, high quality scon. New to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair this year, Pam is looking forward to introducing her product and sharing her culture with visitors.
Northern Breeze Goat Farm
Contact: Jo-An Guitard
1 Driftwood Lane, Box 71
Monteith ON P0K 1P0
Tel: 705-232-4525 cashmerefarm@gmail.com
Northern Breeze Goat Farm, located in Monteith, Ontario, is the first purebred cashmere breeder in Northern Ontario. In addition to farm’s award-winning cashmere does and the luxuriant fibre they produce, the Guitard family breeds goats for a large and diverse customer base, and has created an extensive line of health and beauty products from goat’s milk.
Northern Ontario Agri-Food Education & Marketing Inc.
Contact: Pat Marcotte
1540 Highway 17 E, RR 1
Wahnapitae ON P0M 3C0
Tel: 705-694-4396 Fax: 705-694-2030noront.agrifoods@gmail.com
Northern Ontario Agri-Food Education & Marketing Inc. (NOAFEM), which is a volunteer-based organization, educates consumers and processors on the agri-food industry in Northern Ontario while assisting producers and retailers with marketing initiatives. Its focus is to increase awareness of agriculture in the North and to connect consumers with the farmers who produce their food.
Nurtural Horse
Contact: Sherri Raguth
P.O. Box 5106
Espanola ON P5E 1S2
Tel: 705-866-2285 / 877-877-5845info@nurturalhorse.com or sherri@nurturalhorse.com
Nurtural Horse says its invention, the Nurtural Bitless Bridle, offers numerous benefits. Owner Zoe Brooks says horse owners often send her thank-you notes, stating that their ‘horse is calmer, happier, stops on a dime and performs better.” Nurtural Bridles, first seen at the Royal in 2005, are used by a variety of riders ranging from children on ponies to competitors in the grand prix show ring.
Old Mill Mapleworks
Contact: Raymond Ferguson
557 Old Mill Rd
Desbarats ON P0R 1E0
Tel: 705-989-8280 ray.ferguson@hotmail.ca
Old Mill Mapleworks maple syrup is now a staple in a vast number of homes in the region east of Sault Ste. Marie and has made its way across the country and abroad. Experimentation with value-added maple products has led to the production of maple sap vinegar which is mellow to the palate and is earning rave reviews from those who use it. It can be substituted for oil and vinegar dressings, used on french fries, in marinades or any recipe calling for balsamic or cider vinegar. In addition to its vinegar, Old Mill Mapleworks also produces fine maple sugar candies, maple sugar, maple jelly and maple mint sauce.
Paramount Saddlery
Contact: Christian Lowe and Irina Pljusznyin
1168 Allen’s Side Rd
Sault Ste. Marie ON P6A 5K8
Tel: 519-501-7222 & 519-939-1556
paramountsaddlery@icloud.com&christian@paramountsaddlery.ca
Paramount Saddlery offers a variety of products and services including custom and ready-made saddles, accessories (girths, saddle pads, half pads, fly bonnets, and much more), saddle-fitting, and equestrian specific marketing and branding.
Christian Lowe is recognized by the equine industry as a talented saddle maker and fitter. He is one of a few who holds a certificate in saddle making from the Ontario government. Paramount clients range from Olympians and Para riders to trail and pleasure riders.
Paramount Saddlery has been successfully offering equestrians of all levels and disciplines custom made saddles, saddle fitting solutions and saddle repairs for 20 years. The saddlery was originally founded by Christian Lowe as a modest workshop to focus on saddles that were crafted to each individual horse and rider. Today, the brand is being reimagined by two new partners who are bringing new light and a fervour for perfection to Christian’s vision.
Pet Vita
Contact: Greg and Mira Melien
748 The Little Brule Rd, RR 1
Warren ON P0M 2N0
Tel: 705-920-7096 gdmelien@xplornet.com
The Meliens started the first commercial haskap berry orchard in Ontario and were the first in the province to produce wine using this berry. In addition, the pair founded the Ontario Haskap Association which has 10 members. This year at the fair, they will be selling a variety of jams, beverages, syrups and jellies produced from haskap berries, as well as a new line of pet food, called Pet Vita.
Poschaven Farms
Contact: George Posch
RR 1
Kenabeek ON P0J 1M0
Tel: 705-563-8358 poschhaven@hotmail.com
Poschaven Farms, certified organic by Ecocert Canada since 2006, consists of 370 acres on which the Posch family grows and processes its quality grain products for sale. In 2013, a second mill was added, dedicated solely to gluten-free buckwheat flour. All the buckwheat products are situated in a new building which is free of genetically modified organisms or GMO, wheat, seeds and nuts, soya, dairy, and egg. Every batch of buckwheat flour is tested to ensure it is gluten-free. In the summer of 2015, they added a third stone mill to keep up with the demand for quality organic flour.
Posch Honey
Contact: Bruce Posch
232241 Dairy Lane, RR 3
Thornloe ON P0J 1S0
Tel: 705-563-8342 bruceposch@hotmail.com
Bruce Posch, owner of Posch Honey, cultivates more than 600 acres of buckwheat, which is believed to be the largest source of buckwheat in Canada, representing approximately 10 percent of the country’s total supply. He uses more than 500 beehives to pollinate his fields to produce his honey. Bruce produces several varieties of honey but buckwheat constitutes the bulk of his honey for market. His harvested buckwheat is shipped to customers in Canada and exported to Europe to serve the gluten-free market.
Pure Canadian Chaga
Contact: Dan Courtney
Box 510, 3 White Blvd
Red Rock ON P0T 2P0
Tel: 807-631-3627 northstartb@gmail.com
Dan Courtney will again be featuring chaga products, including chaga mushroom tea. He harvests the large fungus, which grows on yellow and white birch tree in the cooler climates, and produces several tea products. Some of chaga’s reputed health benefits include boosting the immune system, normalizing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and helping soothe ulcers and gastritis.
Purvis Fisheries
Contact: Denise Purvis and Dan Forest
Box 489, 1 Water St
Silver Water ON P0P 1Y0
Tel: 705-283-3131 contactus@purvisfisheries.com or bushbarney@gmail.com
Since the late 1800s, Purvis Fisheries has been synonymous with fresh fish caught and processed from Lake Huron and the Northern channel. Varieties of fresh and smoked fish products including trout, whitefish, and sturgeon, as well as smoked fish dip and caviar will be sold at the Purvis exhibit during the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
Queen’s Tarts
Contact: Tammy Paterson and Aaron Craig
61 Willowdale St
Sault Ste. Marie ON P6A 5Y1
Tel : 705-949-6010 admin@thequeenstarts.ca
Queen’s Tarts began as a word-of-mouth fundraising venture. Following the opening of the Mill Market in Sault Ste. Marie in 2014, where Tammy Paterson and Aaron Craig sell their butter tarts, the enterprise has evolved into a viable business. Future plans call for a stand-alone business incorporating fresh roasted coffee, blended teas and other baked goods.
Quinta Quinoa
Contact: Jamie Draves and Amy Fehr
840 McIntyre St W
North Bay ON P1B 3A3
Tel: 705-980-3914 & 519-856-2296
jdraves@quinta.co & afehr@katan.ca
Quinta Quinoa produces a unique, locally grown, North American variety of quinoa seed high in protein, zinc and fibre and an excellent source of iron, magnesium and calcium. Based in North Bay, the company’s quality quinoa is fully traceable back to the Canadian producer. Ongoing agronomy research on Ontario soils is continuing to provide Quinta Quinoa with insight on best farming practices for highest yield and quality of quinoa seed. Quinta Quinoa is the first Ontario grown quinoa seed on the market.
Rainy River Elk Company
Contact: Deb Cornell and Dr. Bill Darby
274 LaVallee Rd N
Devlin ON P0W 1C0
Tel: 807-486-3409rrelk@tbaytel.net
Rainy River Elk Company is a family farm business operated by Bill Darby, Deb Cornell, and their daughters, Laura and Shannon. Operating in the Rainy River District since 1995, they raise 50 elk a year and usually have about 120 elk on the farm. Deb and Bill have developed an elk meat product line that includes elk jerky, elk sticks, and a range of specialty sausage. They also offer general cuts of elk such as tenderloin, steaks, stewing beef and ground elk, in addition to elk meat pies.
Distillerie Rheault Distillery
Contact: Marcel Rheault and Mireille Morin
#6 Highway 583 N, RR 2 #19
Hearst ON P0L 1N0
Tel: 705-362-8263mmrheault@xplornet.ca
Rheault Distillery is a craft distillery located in Hearst, Ontario. The company uses as many local products and ingredients as possible in the production of its spirits to showcase the region and promote value-added agriculture. Working closely with the LCBO, Rheault Distillery is producing and marketing a variety of spirits including vodka, different whiskeys and fruit-based liqueurs. Its Loon brand vodka is available in more than 125 LCBO stores, and has won several prestigious awards in the past several years at international competitions. Loon vodka will be available at the LCBO at the Royal and will be part of the tasting booth sponsored by the Northern Beer Alliance.
Shawana Crafts
Contact: Joni Shawana
27 Eshkibok Rd
Wikwemikong ON P0P 2J0
Tel: 647-716-4938 & 647-719-5664 jshawana@gmail.com
Shawana Crafts is a collective of families and communities that produce handmade authentic native crafts from Wikwemikong First Nation. Shawana Crafts will showcase a wide selection of crafts made with porcupine quills, birch bark, hide, fish scales and cedar.
The Frying Dutchman Co.
Contact: Leanna Zylstra – Bigwood
72 Main St West
Huntsville, Ontario
Tel: 416-994-9416 fryingvegan@gmail.com
Vegans in the Huntsville area have their own ‘chip’ truck thanks to mother-and-daughter duo, Sandra Zylstra and Leanna Zylstra – Bigwood. Located in Huntsville, The Frying Dutchman Co. is the first plant-based food truck in Muskoka serving a traditional chip truck menu. Recently, vegan baked goods such as chocolate-chip cookies, brownies and moon pies have been added to the menu. Known as an expert in her field, Leanna is often called upon to speak about the vegan market.
Thomson Strawberry Farm
Contact: Brad Morley
4057 Third Line W
Sault Ste. Marie ON P6A 5K8
Tel: 705-779-3394 info@thomsonstrawberryfarm.com
Thomson Strawberry Farm is a family-owned business that has been proudly serving the residents of Sault Ste. Marie for over 40 years. It features 65 acres of rolling elevations, naturally spring-fed creeks and ponds with more than 10 acres of delicious strawberries. At the Fair, owner Brad Morley will be presenting frozen strawberries, sauces, syrups and jams, as well as many new innovative products including strawberry rhubarb, strawberry jalapeno and many raspberry-based products.
Thornloe Cheese
Contact: Pam Hamel
99697 Hwy 11 N
North Thornloe ON P0J 1S0
Tel: 705-647-7441foodsbynature@gmail.com & Grandfromage@thornloecheese.ca
Thornloe Cheese has been in business for more than 70 years. Its secret to success is old-fashioned cheese-making techniques and fresh milk produced in the Temiskaming region. Today, Thornloe Cheese services a wide range of wholesale customers, from retail outlets to food service establishments. Its products can be found in establishments in Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec
The company is continuing to develop new cheeses for the expanding Canadian market to meet diverse tastes, resulting in increased production, as well as the number of products available to consumers across Canada.
Wild Muskoka Botanicals
Contact: Laura Gilmour
24556 Hwy 35
Dwight ON P0A 1H0
Tel: 705-635-1991 info@wildmuskokabotanicals.c
Wild Muskoka Botanicals is a producer of artisan wild foods and traditional botanical medicines. Ingredients are locally foraged in a sustainable manner, and then hand-produced on a small scale in an effort to maintain the focus on creating high quality products made with ecological integrity. Laura Gilmour creates the products by developing her own original formulas or by modifying traditional recipes as she constantly experiments with new possibilities using plants from Muskoka region.
Worlds Best Cream
Contact: Bill Burley and Angela Wright
660 Falcon St
Porcupine ON P0N 1C0
Tel: 705-235-2162angela@worldsbestcream.com
Bill Burley is the man behind World’s Best Cream. Having provided farrier services across Northern Ontario for more than 20 years, he developed a therapeutic cream for the treatment of arthritis in horses and humans, drawing on his own experience with pain. Bill focused on the power of precious metals, particularly copper, believing it held the key to pain relief.
As a result of a CTV documentary and his appearances at The Royal, Bill now sells his product to 1,000 stores across Canada. His product boasts a Natural Health Number assigned by Health Canada, signifying that the cream is safe and effective.
This year, Worlds Best Cream will be launching a new product – Pain Terminator – at The Royal and will also be featuring four bath salts.
Northern Ontario Craft Breweries and Distilleries
This year at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, there will an area promoting Northern Ontario craft breweries and distilleries and their brands. The venue, located just steps away from the Northern Ontario Agri-food Pavilion, will feature scheduled sampling with products available for sale through the on-site LCBO store.
Participating Northern Ontario Beer and Spirits Producers:
Lake of the Woods Brewing Co., Kenora
Sleeping Giant Brewing Co., Thunder Bay
Stack Brewing, Sudbury
Manitoulin Brewing Co., Little Current
New Ontario Brewing Co., North Bay
Highlander Brew Co., South River
Rheault Distillery, Hearst
Crosscut Distillery, Sudbury