Huron County Taste Trails
Explore Huron County’s Taste Trails, where local flavours and fresh ingredients take centre stage. These self-guided routes highlight the best food and drink experiences on Ontario’s West Coast. Wander farmers markets, roadside stands, and specialty shops filled with honey, maple syrup, meats, flowers, and seasonal produce. Follow the Vine & Ale Trail to visit wineries and breweries crafting award-winning beverages rooted in Huron’s agricultural heritage. Sip a local brew, pick fresh berries, or treat yourself to homemade goodies along the way. The Taste Trails connect you with the people and places behind every bite.
Farmer Profiles
Grazing Meadows Wagyu
Tim and Donna Prior live just east of Brussels and own and operate Grazing Meadows Wagyu. Through innovative grazing practices on their 100-acre farm, they specialize in raising high quality Wagyu beef cattle for human consumption and breeding stock.
What inspired you to start farming or producing food here?
Being a town lad and marrying a farm girl landed us on a farm in Huron County with great soil and growing conditions to start our journey to grow great food here.
What is one product from your farm that visitors should try?
One product to try for sure is our Wagyu jerky. Super amazing. Quite frankly, though, all our cuts of wagyu meat are so scrumptious. Simply a mouthwatering eating experience.
What’s one thing about farming or producing food that most people would be surprised to learn?
We are open to show and teach our consumer how our meat is raised and cared for. As food producers we are here to educate and show off our operation.
What is your favourite season on the farm, and why?
Spring is our favorite season for sure. All the calves are born at that time of year, and all the plants, trees, and wildlife start their growth and new beginnings in the spring.
Hayter’s Farm
The Hayter’s Story: A family-owned turkey farm in Dashwood, Ontario is the place where three generations of the Hayter family have devoted their passion for premium quality turkey. From the whole bird to many delicious turkey products they’re yours to enjoy.
What inspired you to start farming or producing food here?
Harry Hayter began raising turkeys on our family farm in Dashwood. Since 1948, second and third generation have continued his passion for raising turkeys.
What is one product from your farm that visitors should try?
There are nearly 50 turkey products available for all seasons and occasions. From turkey steaks, fillets, burgers and sausage for the grill. Or smoked ready-to-eat products from the deli. Or oven ready products – turkey lasagne, chili, meatloaf and roasts.
What’s one thing about farming or producing food that most people would be surprised to learn?
We are the only family-run turkey operation in Canada that produces turkey from poult to plate. Turkey is all we do – from raising the turkeys to processing, packaging, and shipping across Canada – all from our family farm. We also offer our turkey products from our farm retail outlet.
What is your favourite season on the farm, and why?
Because we can now offer variety of products, turkey can be enjoyed all year around. But Thanksgiving and Christmas is still the family favourite.
Farm Little
At Farm Little, they do a lot… They raise and process their own meat, their own flour, and bake their own bread, and source the best local products around! Their little store is jam-packed with organic/pastured/local meats, stoneground flours, organic pantry staples (dried fruits, nuts, seeds, rice, baking ingredients), organic produce, dairy, and so much more.
What inspired you to start farming or producing food here?
We noticed a lack of quality, organic food available in Huron County. That, and the fact that we both wanted to be able to make a living while being home with our kids.
What is one product from your farm that visitors should try?
Our top sellers would definitely be our house-made sausages, red fife flour, and dried mangoes.
What’s one thing about farming or producing food that most people would be surprised to learn?
Although the lifestyle isn’t one that we’d trade for anything; it’s not a walk in the park. We don’t get to take days off regardless of weather, sickness, or any other curveball that life throws at us.
What is your favourite season on the farm, and why?
Spring, 100%! Everything comes to life, the sunshines more, and we can go outside without taking 20 minutes to get everyone’s outerwear on!
Meeting Place Organic Farm
Nestled in the rolling hills of northern Huron County, Meeting Place Organic Farm is stewarded by the McQuail family; currently three generations living together on the farm, shepherding the farm’s goals of sustainability. They build community, regenerate the environment, and raise happy, healthy animals. The primary work on the farm is raising certified organic, grass-fed and finished beef animals; pastured pigs, pastured meat chickens and laying hens (eggs); growing organic apples, and cut flowers, and hosting community events.
What inspired you to start farming or producing food here?
Tony and Fran emigrated to Canada in the early 1970’s, and were drawn to the rolling hills as they reminded them of home. Always concerned about the human impact on the world around them, and passionate about animals, organic and regenerative farming was an obvious direction to take. They started using draft horses, raising dairy goats and sheep. In 2014, Katrina moved home to start the farm succession, and take over the farm and business. She was pulled back to the farm with fond memories of growing up there, and more recent experience of being so happy when she worked on the farm for her summers. Now Katrina and Ben are raising their three small children on the farm, while continuing the family legacy.
What is one product from your farm that visitors should try?
That’s hard to narrow down. Everything is so delicious. The easiest one to transport and that is accessible to everyone would be our apple butter. Made from our certified organic apples, still growing on the trees that were on the farm when we first got the farm. Our Northern Spys are what give it the special tang which make most people fall in love with it. It has no added sugar, is vegan, and is great on crackers, sandwiches, as a marinade for pork chops, added to BBQ sauce or used in baking!
What’s one thing about farming or producing food that most people would be surprised to learn?
I think it is really easy for people to romanticize farming or producing food. To think about all the great moments, (of which there are many), being with baby animals, growing little seedlings and planting them out. And, it is super unsexy. There is all of the business side of it; traceability paperwork, government paperwork, paying bills, invoicing customers, responding to emails, etc., etc., etc., and then there is the working outside in all weather.
What is your favourite season on the farm, and why?
Just one season!? I love them all for different reasons. Autumn is when everything is ripe and beautiful. We’ve got our flower gardens in full bloom and production, the apples are being harvested, we’ve put up our hay, the animals are still rotationally grazing on the pastures, we’re eating vegetables from our gardens, and the light is just beautiful. People are back from summer holidays and starting to gather for events again, so we’re also hosting and building community. Spring is my favourite because of all the baby animals. Our calves are being born, we’re getting our day old chicks, bunnies and goat kids. We’re hatching out ducklings and the sows are farrowing their litters of piglets. It’s such a magical, if messy, time. It is also when we are planting so many seeds to get ready for our own growing, but also to sell as seedlings at our Mother’s Day Farm Open House and Seedling Sale. It’s the time of year that feels full of potential and rebirth!
Huron County Taste Trails
Explore Huron County’s Taste Trails, where local flavours and fresh ingredients take centre stage. These self-guided routes highlight the best food and drink experiences on Ontario’s West Coast. Wander farmers markets, roadside stands, and specialty shops filled with honey, maple syrup, meats, flowers, and seasonal produce. Follow the Vine & Ale Trail to visit wineries and breweries crafting award-winning beverages rooted in Huron’s agricultural heritage. Sip a local brew, pick fresh berries, or treat yourself to homemade goodies along the way. The Taste Trails connect you with the people and places behind every bite.
Field to Fork Map
Discover the bounty of Huron County with the Field to Fork Map — your go-to guide to local food experiences along the Huron County Taste Trails. From farm stands and markets to breweries, wineries, and restaurants serving up local flavours, this map showcases every participating location in one easy-to-use resource. Explore the best of farm-fresh goodness and taste your way across Ontario’s West Coast!
Take the Trails
The Huron County Taste Trails were supported by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).