Sustainability and Community

Sustainability and Community: Food, Drink and Love in Northumberland County 

By Tim Johnson

Market & Smor 

Her excitement is palpable, her energy, seemingly boundless. And when Montana DesJardins talks about groceries  – you might just believe that she can save the world. She's definitely doing her part through her business The Market and Smør, a zero-waste supermarket in the heart of downtown Cobourg.

What started as an idea dreamed up on the couch when they were living in Alberta has turned into an entire phenomenon. But there have been sacrifices, including romantic gifts on special occasions. “Most women get roses and diamonds, but I got refurbished refrigerators,” says Montana. “And I was very happy with that.”

The two moved to Cobourg in 2016. “We came here with a three-legged dog, and a baby,” smiles Montana. Taking over the lease on the snack canteen at the beach, they converted it to an outlet that offered healthier items, like vegan smoothies. Connecting with customers, they used the opportunity to do market research, learning what Cobourg needed, which, as it turned out, was fresh produce and a butcher shop, right downtown. They found a space in 2018, and received a revitalization grant. Lucas built most of the equipment with his own hands. “We wanted to nourish the community,” says Montana.

Running a zero-waste market is a labour-intensive endeavour, requiring passion. Every night they pack down their produce, and keep it fresh during the day with old-school, hand-pumped moisture, carefully clipping the leaves and sprouts by hand. Unsold items are made into tasty frozen meals in their in-house kitchen (for example: macaroni and cheese, with the cheese that’s coming close to its sell-before date). Produce is turned into fruit trays or sent to the juice bar. And even the scraps from those processes are used up by local farmers. “They feed their animals from our produce,” says Montana. “It’s this huge, beautiful, cyclical thing.”

The Market and Smør also helps the community by sending bags or boxes of free “local, beautiful” food to families in need. They take a “people over profits” approach, sometimes even selling at a loss: local strawberries, for example, that cost $12, for maybe $6 or $8. They stock as much produce farmed in Northumberland County as possible, with farmers bringing them, directly, everything from lettuce to tomatoes to edible flowers. They will order a whole hog for their butcher shop, and use every part of the pig.

It’s about eating, but more than that too. “Food keeps us happy, connected, and loved,” says Montana. “We wanted to prove this could be done.”

Headwaters Farm

A little farther north at Headwaters Farm, both Tony and Linda Armstrong are in constant motion. Linda pops in and out of the kitchen, contributing to the conversation, while Tony mixes and rolls dough and fires up his oven to make his signature bagels. “I bake as many as 500 a week,” he says. “As a kid in Montreal, we would drive downtown and devour them.”

Headwaters is a multifaceted operation. This sprawling farmhouse has a perfect location in the hills, halfway between Cobourg and Port Hope, with views out to Lake Ontario. It was built from local materials, including 500 straw bales grown right across the road. Both owners have a background in film and TV production (including the Food Network, Cottage Life, and TV Ontario).  As a result, the Armstrongs are able to broadcast lively cooking lessons from this very kitchen. They also host long-table dinners, concerts, and a farmer’s market.

And they, of course, farm. About a decade ago, the two travelled extensively, learning permaculture practices across Europe and in Costa Rica. “We’re passionate about food,” says Tony, everything around him bubbling and steaming. Linda pops into the kitchen. “For us, this is about our personal belief system – moving away from the city, being on the land, fresh air, green spaces. Everything we do is to improve the land ecologically and make it more diverse,” Linda adds.

They adhere to the three pillars of permaculture: care for the land, care for the people, and share the abundance. At their community garden, everyone takes home fresh veggies. They don’t overgraze, and they cut their crops to allow birds to feed as well. At Headwaters, they also hold kids camps, foraging walks and canning workshops.

In the end, it’s all in the service of a greater purpose. “We want to talk to people,” says Tony, pulling out another completed bagel. “We want them to learn about connecting with the earth, and our natural environment.”

Our Lucky Stars Café and Coffee Roasters

In the heart of Warkworth – a charming village filled with galleries and artisan shops – Our Lucky Stars is doing its part, too. “It’s how I grew up, everything was homemade, from scratch,” says Zoe Crinion, daughter of owner Elizabeth Aikenhead. With partner Trevor Spot, Elizabeth came to Warkworth on a chance visit, and fell in love with the place. She left her job in television and they bought a farmhouse, which they operate as a B&B called Mustard Hill House. 

Our Lucky Stars is small, but mighty. They roast their own coffee on site, serve local chocolate, homemade jams, make their own granola from scratch, serve sandwiches and other meals using as many local ingredients as possible. (The menu on the wall highlights their nearby provenance.) Honey and maple syrup are local too, and the pasta is homemade. Their provisions for sale include the award-winning Cramahe Hill Marmalade (a Trent Hills success story) infused with the café's own coffee.

Walking through this welcoming place, you’ll be struck by the cows. Some close to life-size and painted in a whimsical fashion, they dominate the space. These art panels, salvaged from a barn in Brooklyn, emphasize this café’s focus on the country.

Then there’s the pleasing aroma you’ll take in, just being inside Our Lucky Stars. It smells like Sunday morning, fresh coffee and baked goods wafting through the café. You'll want to grab a cup and a meal, and fuel up, and hang around to enjoy the sense of community – then maybe hit the street to get some serious shopping done.