“what makes it special is the little family that we’ve got going here,” she says. “we help each other get noticed, and that’s what pec is about, that sense of togetherness. it’s growing, and everyone should benefit from it.”
to that end, at the hubb during growing season, veggies come from hagerman’s and vicki’s and chickens from prinzen farms up the road. the wine list, too, is 90 percent local. sometimes, area farmers even stop by with a sample of their latest harvest, asking if they want some.
“in a big city, you lose that momentum and community feel, of showcasing neighbours,” borutski says.
“putting the name or face of who grew it makes it easier for us to find that passion of treating that vegetable or product with care and showcasing it,” she adds. “then, if people enjoy it, we can say they’re right down that road. it creates a bridge for it, that people can then go visit those wineries and farms. it’s a great selling point for what’s going on here.”
on a dilapidated farm, a quiet storm is brewing. after 15 years of putting his dream of developing the property on the back burner, toronto culinary wunderkind jamie kennedy has now abandoned all else in favour of his passion project.
“as a cook, sourcing local provenance, always trying to meet producers, i had an interest in that connection and fostering those relationships” he says. “here we are 15 years later—i gave up the last of my restaurants last march and put myself squarely on the farm now. it’s the source of my inspiration and direction from this point forward.”