Where does your food come from?
It’s a question we’ve learned to ask, in the hopes of helping our bodies, helping the planet, and helping our community. But with so many buzz words — local, organic, free-range, fair-trade and more — which is most important?
“Yukoners are thinking more about food security, which is fantastic. But there’s a misunderstanding about what that actually means. With our climate we need to seek creative solutions to ensure food is still affordable, healthy, and supporting the local economy,” says Jackie Dickson, co-owner of Takhini River Ranch.
What is local?
In addition to growing lamb and beef, Takhini River Ranch has sourced gourmet quality pork, seafood, chicken, bison, elk and more products from Yukon and Canadian suppliers.
“That’s part of food security, we are a local company but not all of our products are produced in the Yukon, but we’ve developed strong relationships and know these are high quality products. It’s the only way we could offer variety and quantity year-round at affordable prices.”
Neighbours supporting neighbours
Takhini River Ranch has the local Standing Offer Agreement with the Yukon government to supply local products. TRR works with other farms to supply locally grown foods, which the ranch also uses in their meat pie production.
In January the ranch partnered with Home Sweet Home to help owner Sarah Hanson keep up with expanding demand for home sweet homes meat pies in the local grocery stores. Sarah continues to make her wonderful pastry for the pies and the meat is then cooked up at the Ranch where the pie is assembled, then delivered to the local grocery stores, from Farm to Freezer, ready to bake.
The Ranch butcher shop/commercial kitchen also offers hunters the option of a batch of freezer ready tourtière or lasagna made with the hunter’s meat. Sometimes hunters are surprised at all the shop can offer, including craft sausages, ready-made meat pies and of course custom cut and wrap.
“We’re blessed, the way the community supports us, grocers like Independent, Super A stores, Takhini Gas and Fuel Yukon do a wonderful job of featuring local products and supporting local producers. GP Distribution supports local producers by providing distribution throughout the Yukon, they now carry Takhini River Ranch meat pies,” Dickson says. “Without the support of our community, we simply would not exist. Every customer is important to us.”
Learn more on Takhini River Ranch on their website, https://localfarm.online or you pick up their products at Independent store, Super A stores, Takhini Gas and the Fuel Yukon Gas Station.