Taste the Valley’s finest foods

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

Kings County Register

It’s a a culinary celebration of fresh local food.

Tastes of the Valley is set for Saturday, July 28 at the Wolfville Farmers' Market.

Pete Luckett will MC while chefs from some of the most innovative restaurants in the province, plus market vendors, will use fresh, locally farmed ingredients to create $3 taste concoctions to tantalize the taste buds.

Co-ordinator Kelly Marie Redcliffe says excitement is building.

"It was a huge success last year, I think because it resonates for people who love good food. And, it's fun to sample."

She says the winner of balloting for the People's Choice Award will receive a gift certificate for $100 to be used at one of the participating restaurants.

According to Redcliffe, the market continues to pull in over 50 local producers and craftspeople.

"We've grown organically and we're attracting more primary producers. The producers support the (market) organization, so we've grown and developed."

Participating restaurants include: ArtCan Café, Canning; Cocoa Pesto Bistro, Windsor; Front Street Café, The Ivy Deck Bistro, On the Verge, Tempest World Cuisine, Wolfville; Chives, Jane's on the Common, Halifax; Le Caveau, Grand Pre; and the Union Street Café in Berwick.

Participating vendors include: Angelhoeve Farm, Gaspereau Vinyards, Gourmandises Avenue Patisserie Fine, Eclectic Palate, Getaway Farm, Janice Cohoon's Gluten-Free Baking, Linda's Scottish Shortbread, Persephone's Return, Sherwood Sweets and Savories.

The market that day will run from 8:30 a.m.to 2 p.m.

Kings has say in N.S. buy local effort

Two Kings County residents have been appointed to the Minister's Advisory Committee on Buy Local, created to review buy-local efforts and co-ordinate initiatives across the province.

Committee members include Sheffield Mills native Peter Swetnam, president of the Chicken Producers of Nova Scotia, who will act as chairman; and Kings County councillor Wayne Atwater.

The government's buy-local campaign, Select Nova Scotia, was announced by Taylor earlier this month. The event featured a logo unveiling, website introduction, details of upcoming promotional activities.

The logo represents three elements of agriculture: green for the colour of crops, blue for the province's water; and a yellow sun representing energy, hope and vitality. The committee will oversee a buy-local campaign during the six weeks of harvest in August and September.

The government has made changes in the past year to support local-product purchases in provincial health care and justice institutes. All dairy products; 90 per cent of processed dairy, such as butter and yogurt; 60 per cent of fresh produce and up to 80 per cent of fresh produce from storage; and 60 per cent of beef, chicken and pork purchased are produced locally.