Green Action Centre has put together this resource to help you find sources for local (and often organic) foods in Winnipeg. Unfortunately, as much as we attempted to be comprehensive, we were not able to include every resource. This is not an endorsement of any of the vendors or retailers included on this list, but is a resource to help you seek out products you may prefer. We encourage you to seek out further resources such as farmers near you who may sell directly to consumers (visit www.directfarmmanitoba.ca), and CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture, www.csamanitoba.org). If you have more questions, we are happy to help, just get in touch at info@greenactioncentre.ca.

Manitoba Hydro Farmer’s Market in Downtown Winnipeg (Green Action Centre photo)

Why local?

• Local food supports small farmers
• Buying local keeps money in our communities and supports the economy
• Small-scale farmers often use more sustainable practices than large-scale farms
• Less shipping distance means a decreased carbon footprint
• Knowing your farmer means you know how they treat their workers, animals, and land

Note: Options available through the fall and winter marked below with an asterisk for your browsing.

Winnipeg Farmer’s Markets

For more information about Farmers’ Markets in Manitoba, visit www.directfarmmanitoba.ca

Other Local Food Resources in Winnipeg

Online Resources

West Broadway Good Food Club

This is your more affordable “good food” option right in West Broadway! They’ve partnered with Winnipeg FoodShare Co-op to bring fresh healthy food, bought in bulk, to you twice a month in boxes of three different sizes at affordable prices. Still out of reach? You can volunteer for them and earn “sweat equity points” to put towards the cost of food from them.

*Harvest Moon Local Food Initiative

Mostly organic, all local.

Monthly online orders and deliveries to set points within the city. Products include meats, honey, grains, vegetables and fruit, and a couple of non-food items.

*Fresh Option Organic Delivery

Organic food, with an effort to support local growers.

“Once you are signed up as a client (with no commitment or obligations) you will receive a variety of fresh produce either weekly or bi-weekly, it’s your choice for frequency and bin size. The fresh bin contents reflect the current market and are based on seasonal availability as well as quality and price, we will get you the best value and quality for your week’s produce budget, and quality is guaranteed. You can either choose to trust our choices then sit back, or you can modify your order by making substitutions beyond your permanent dislikes/preferences, and adding on non-produce groceries is done in our online catalogue with only 24 hours notice. You don’t need to do anything after signing up, just be home in a three hour pre-determined window to receive your order delivered to your door, or make alternate drop-off or pick-up arrangements. You may choose to modify your fresh bin (standing or sporadic week-to-week), even have standing orders for add-ons like local organic milk, Tall Grass bread, and fair trade organic coffee!”

Other notes: you can skip one or more weeks with a simple email notice. Bi-weekly deliveries are suggested as a manageable option for one-person households. Boxes range in price from $35 (small, 1-person) to $65 (large, more than 2 people).

FruitShare Manitoba

A budget way to get your fruit! FruitShare rescues fruit that would otherwise go to waste. Sign up for $10, and get email notices of ‘picks’ that happen throughout the city as fruit ripens. Landowners who do not want, or do not want to pick, their fruit post notices, volunteers arrive and pick the fruit. 1/3 of the fruit goes to the landowner, 1/3 is donated, and 1/3 goes to the pickers. Fruit varieties depend on who signs up, but includes rhubarb, grapes, strawberries, apples, pears, saskatoons, and more.

*Community Supported Agriculture

A directory that lists all the Community Supported Agriculture programs in Manitoba. Community Supported Agriculture is a partnership between consumers and farmers, with consumers paying a lump sum upfront, and farmers delivering a weekly or biweekly bin of a fairly broad mix of food products throughout the harvest season. Most CSAs are run through the summer, although a few offer autumn and even winter options. The guaranteed income helps to support and stabilize small farms, which can be vulnerable to weather shocks; and the weekly box exposes customers to a variety of locally-grown foods. Note that most CSAs are suitable for families or small groups of people; the amount of food is usually too much for 1-2 person households.

*Direct Farm Manitoba

Find small farms, farmers’ markets, and u-pick farms.

*Fair Trade Manitoba Directory

Looking for fair trade products? These aren’t produced locally but if you want tea, coffee, chocolate, citrus, flowers, or spices, you’ll need to go with imported in most cases. Fair trade standards ensure environmental and labour standards are met, help ensure fair wages are paid to the workers, and gives money back to be reinvested into the community.

U-Pick Farms

If you want to support small-scale local farmers and you want affordable produce prices along with a fun family (or single!) outing, you may want to try a U-Pick farm. In Manitoba, you can pick produce as varied as strawberries, saskatoons, cherries, plums, apples, gooseberries, raspberries, honeyberry/haskap berries, and more! Often you can choose between pre-picked farm-gate sales, seeking out these farms’ produce at a local market, or going out yourself for the full U-pick experience.

Contact Us!

Do you know any other resources that we forgot to include but should? Comment below or get in touch at info@greenactioncentre.ca