Three members of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s irrigation committee say new funding from a regional project is a major step forward in making water access more reliable for farmers — and expanding a system that’s vital to the town’s agricultural future.
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church is ready to ring in the start of summer with the return of its annual Strawberry Festival, which will see an estimated 5,500 people come out to the church on June 21 to enjoy tasty strawberry goods — a tradition four decades in the making.
More than 100 migrant farm workers and Spanish-speaking locals filled the church hall on Davy Street on June 1 after the Spanish-language Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Church.
The farmers' market opened for the season this past weekend, and some of its vendors who run Niagara-based businesses are noticing a trend of customers wanting to keep their dollars in the community.
Local green thumbs proved they were no late bloomers at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Horticultural Society’s annual plant sale, quickly clearing tables of popular items within the first hour.
The confidence small businesses have in Canadian agriculture took a nosedive in March to the lowest level ever recorded by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business — below the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2008 financial crisis lows.
A new website and Facebook group looking it make it easier for locals and tourists to find farm stands across Niagara-on-the-Lake is taking off online this spring, as the national "shop local" movement continues to gain momentum.
With autumn finally here, the chamber of commerce wants to celebrate by hosting its first-ever Harvest Festival — which will also serve to support the businesses, particularly farmers, in the community.
Sheep, cow-goat, even water buffalo — Saturday's cheese tasting at PayneZimmer Restoration Farm was a slice of heaven for cheese enthusiasts. The farm hopes to venture into cheesemaking in the future.
There’s a whole lot going on at the production facility at Trius during harvest season, and Emma Garner is in the thick of it — "Once the fruit’s ready, we’ve got to go. That's the biggest thing," she says.
This fall's grape harvest in Niagara is expected to deliver on quality and quantity — whether the industry will be able to sell all of its yield, however, is another question.
"There are some 1,500 workers around here. Most stay eight months. They do tasks Canadians reject. Our growers depend on them. To my eye, they also respect and help them," writes Garth Turner.
The Lake Report attended a press conference last month with the minister of agriculture and MPP Sam Oosterhoff and questioned them on how they plan to address the concerns of farm workers and advocates.
The provincial and federal governments announced a joint investment of $538,000 on July 22 through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership to expand a program in Ontario known as the Farmer Wellness Initiative.
Kent Heritage Farms has been a local staple for decades. Paul Kent, the current owner and operator of the family-run business, sees it as an emotional legacy.
There were good vibes in the air on Saturday at Centennial Sports Park in Virgil, as local farmworkers and their friends gathered for the Jamaican workers social event, a new initiative hosted by the Jamaican Liaison Service.
Last Friday, Paul-Andre Bosc handed off the ownership and operations of the winery to the new CEO, Marco Piccoli, and a group of young Canadian investors.
The annual Shaw Guild Garden Tour is one of the most highly anticipated calendar events of the year in Niagara-on-the-Lake for those enthusiastic about...
Jo-Ann Fraser
Special to The Lake Report
The Niagara-on-the-Lake Horticultural Society is marking the 30th anniversary of its annual Gardeners' Garden Tour this year.
In addition...
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s new measures to help foreign agricultural workers recover from an on-the-job-injury is a good move, but doesn’t go far...
One of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s summer mainstays will open this weekend with "Market at the Village," the town's annual farmers market, beginning its 18th season on...
Kushal Bhandari didn’t know much about home gardening before the Niagara-on-the-Lake Horticultural Society’s yearly plant sale.
Now, he’s got a wealth of knowledge.
The new homeowner...
Alliance wants feds to go further and grant permanent residency
Proposed changes to Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program that will directly affect thousands of Niagara-on-the-Lake...
Big business retailers have Black Friday. The Niagara-on-the-Lake Horticultural Society has Green Saturday.
While not its official name, the society’s annual spring plant sale, being...
