Website aims to connect producers, consumers
This May, the Municipality of Pictou launched a website aiming to bring local food producers and consumers together. Now, as the growing season draws to a close, sights have been set on the site's future.
The producers website page came to be in partnership with Pictou County Community Health Boards and Nova Scotia Public Health. On the site, users can search for produce by category, such as meat or honey. From there, users are given a list of producers throughout the county, with contact information and locations included.
The idea for such a website came from Robert Parker, four years ago at the beginning of his first term at Warden for the Municipality of Pictou County.
“People are very much wanting to shop local to keep our farms going and to keep our other businesses going,” says Parker. “I think we also have a lot of people who want to farm and grow products”
After applying and receiving funding from the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities to promote local producers, Parker’s idea was able to become a reality. The site, which by late October had over 2,500 views, was created to strengthen the connection between consumers and growers.
For Parker, there are tons of reasons for people to buy local produce. It lowers emissions the faster the food gets from farm to table. It creates local jobs, beautifies the countryside and helps people to eat healthier.
Currently, the site has 18 producers, but Parker wants to see even more join. He believes the site can help new growers get past the beginning stages of starting a business, while more established producers can use the site to grow and reach more people.
The municipality is also
hoping to draw more visitors to the site. While many Pictou County residents buy their local produce at the farmer’s markets, the producers website makes connecting with local growers more accessible.
“If you can’t get to the farmer’s market on Saturday, here is the producer’s website and phone number, and feel free to contact them whenever you want,” says Sueann Musick, Pictou County Communications Officer.
Dalhousie Maple Products, located in Durham, has been serving the Pictou community for over 40 years. Nikki MacInnis, a member of the family business, said while they have regular customers at the farmer’s market, they saw joining the website as a way to reach the people they don’t see on Saturdays.
“On the side of culinary, maybe it's like a restaurant or somebody looking for a source of maple syrup,” says MacInnis. “Maybe even a business for their gift shop
or something like that, we were kind of thinking too that it may reach people looking for maple syrup as a gift or gifts for a wedding or conference.”
MacInnis said having the chance to be on the site has been great, and that she herself has used it to discover other local producers in the area.
Local producers who want to join the free of charge site can contact Sueann Musick at sueann.musick@munpict. ca.