The Gap Between Farm and Table: Food Miles, Elgin County, and What You're Actually Buying

Have you ever stopped to think about how far your food has travelled before it landed on your plate?

Some foods naturally have to travel long distances, we’re not growing bananas in Ontario anytime soon, but many of the fruits, vegetables, meats, honey, baked goods, and preserves we eat every week are grown much closer to home than we realize. In a place like Elgin County, surrounded by productive farmland, “local” isn’t just a trendy label - it is a reality that’s growing just down the road. 

The journey food takes from where it’s grown to where it’s eaten is measured in food miles. Simply put, food miles refer to the distance food travels before reaching your kitchen (Good Food, 2024). Try to measure how far the food in your fridge has travelled with a food mile calculator. A tomato picked in California, packed onto a truck, shopped across the continent, stored in warehouses, and displayed in a grocery store has travelled thousands of kilometers before you buy it. A tomato picked the evening before the farm outside St. Thomas has travelled a small fraction of that distance. 

The difference isn’t just measured on a map. It’s measured in freshness, flavour, and the connection you have to the people growing your food. Elgin County is home to more than 1,400 farms spread across nearly 390,000 acres of farmland, making agriculture one of the region’s largest industries (Invest Elgin, 2026).  While many farms produce crops destined for larger markets, dozens also sell directly to consumers through farm stands, CSAs, and farmers’ markets. 

That direct connection changes the entire shopping experience. When you visit Horton Farmers’ Market, you’re buying from the people who planted the seeds, harvested the vegetables, collected the eggs, baked the bread, or bottled the honey. There aren’t multiple warehouses, distribution centres, or middlemen separating you from your food. Instead, there is a conversation across the market table. 

You can ask how the strawberries were grown. You can learn which tomatoes are best for sandwiches and which are perfect for salsa. You might even discover a vegetable you’ve never cooked before and leave with a recipe from the person who grew it. That’s something no nutrition label can tell you. 

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Food miles aren’t the only measure of sustainability. The way food is grown, stored, packaged, and transported all play important roles (The Cooperative Logistics Network 2022). A nearby farm using responsible growing practices may have a different environmental impact than a product shipped from farther away, and every food has its own story. Reducing unnecessary transportation is one meaningful way many shoppers choose to support a more local food system. 

There’s another benefit that often gets overlooked: freshness. Many grocery store fruits and vegetables are harvested before they’re fully ripe so they’ll survive long trips across provinces, countries, or even continents. Local produce can often stay on the plant longer because it doesn't need to spend days or weeks in transit. That extra time in the field can make a noticeable difference in taste texture and quality (The Cooperative Logistics Network, 2022). 

If you’ve ever bitten into a sun-ripened Elgin County tomato in August or picked up sweet corn harvested that morning, you already know the difference. Buying locally also keeps more of your dollars circulating in the community. Agriculture is one of Elgin County’s economic strengths, and when you purchase directly from local growers, you’re supporting farms, seasonal workers, neighbouring businesses, and future generations of agriculture. Nearly 94% of farm purchases made by Elgin County farms stay within the local economy, creating a ripple effect that supports business well beyond the farm gate (Invest Elgin, 2026). 

Perhaps the biggest thing you’re buying isn't food at all - you’re buying trust. At Horton Farmers’ Market, you know who grew your carrots. You know who baked your bread. You know who gathered the bouquet sitting on the kitchen table. Those relationships build confidence in what you’re feeding yourself and your family. That doesn’t mean every item in your pantry has to be local. We all enjoy citrus, chocolate, and countless other foods that simply can’t be grown here. Shopping locally isn’t about perfection or checking every box. It’s about making thoughtful choices when local options are available. 

The next time you fill your market bag, think about the journey each item has taken. Some may have travelled thousands of kilometers (seriously, check out this food mile calculator; it's very cool). Others may have come from just a few concessions over. 

The shorter trip isn’t just good for freshness. It means your purchase supports a neighbour, strengthens Elgin County’s agricultural community, and helps preserve the farms that make our region unique. 

​Sometimes, the best ingredient in your meal isn’t the one you can taste at all. It’s knowing exactly where it came from.​

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Kate Hanslip, Summer Marketing Assistant ​

Kate is a recent social sciences graduate from Western University and currently a marketing student at Fanshawe College. Having grown up in St. Thomas, she brings a love of history and storytelling to her work where she enjoys highlighting the people, businesses, and stories that shape the community. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, exploring local trails, and experimenting in the kitchen.

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Sources
Agriculture: By the Numbers. Invest Elgin (2026).
     https://www.investinelgin.ca/industries/agriculture/ 
Food Miles Calculator. Food Miles (2026). 
     https://foodmiles.com/ 
The challenges of shipping fresh produce. The Cooperative Logistics Network (2022). 
     https://blog.thecooperativelogisticsnetwork.com/2022/03/10/the-challenges-of-shipping-fresh-produce/ 
The Facts About Food Miles. Good Food (2024).
​     https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/facts-about-food-miles