Virtual farmers’ markets: Nine ways to get local produce, grass-fed beef, sheep’s milk gelato and artisanal cheese delivered to your door

In our new social-distancing reality, grocery store delivery has gone from a luxury to a near-essential for many shoppers. And while many of the GTA’s farmers’ markets and specialty food stores remain closed, a number of local farmers and companies are starting to offer home delivery of fresh-from-the-farm local produce, dairy and meat. Here are some ways to safely buy local while staying at home.

Kendal Hill Farms

Kendal Hill Farm’s virtual market features fresh produce, prepared meals, meats and pantry goods from producers affected by the loss of sales from restaurants and farmers’ markets. All orders are paid for in advance ($4.50 delivery charge) and the zero-contact delivery will be left in a cooler outside your door or in the lobby of your building.

All Sorts Acres Farm

This Grey County farm is offering downtown Toronto delivery of their small-batch sheep’s milk dairy products (including yogurt, cream cheese, kefir and gelato) and pasture-raised lamb meat and local wool. Drop-offs are either on home porches or building foyers every Tuesday.

Field Sparrow Farms

This family-run farm in Bobcaygeon is doing free home deliveries on Mondays for orders of $50 or more. Customers can order their free-range pasture-raised chicken, grass-fed beef and Berkshire pork cuts, as well as poultry from Three Forks Farm and preserves and soups from Spade and Spoon.

Forbes Wild Foods

Looking for foraged flavours? This purveyor will deliver pickled and marinated wild vegetables, vinegars and other pantry goods to your door via Canada Post.

The Healthy Butcher

Although they’ve closed their stores, this Toronto-based butcher shop is offering free, no-contact delivery for orders of at least $65. Get their meats, prepared foods and more by visiting their online shop. You will be alerted when they are 20 minutes away from your door or building lobby.

Monforte Dairy

This Stratford-based fromagerie is now offering dairy delivery service. Text or call their door-to-door dairy delivery hotline for a $60 box (plus a $15 delivery fee) that includes a 1.5-kilogram assortment of hard and soft cow, goat and water buffalo cheeses.

Sosnicki Organics

This Norfolk County farm offers no-contact drop-offs of their certified organic vegetables to GTA homes with no minimums or fees. Sold at market price, the produce might include cellar-friendly vegetables like celeriac, onions and beets, and prepared foods including frozen strawberries and pierogis.

Linc Farm

Southbrook Winery’s sister farm has expanded its delivery zone to Toronto, which means you can get all kinds of beefy and porky products (got room for a whole pig in your deep freeze?), as well as natural soap to keep washing your hands with.

Country Boys Produce

This local supplier provides locally grown produce to some of Toronto’s top restaurants, and now you can have it delivered to your home, too. Boxes of fresh fruit and veggies range from $30 to $40. Orders placed from Sunday to Thursday before 9 p.m. will be delivered next day. Orders placed on Friday and Saturday, will be delivered on Monday. Bonus: For every box purchased, Country Boys will donate a box to GTA residents in need.

Fresh City Farms

Keep that farmers’ market vibe going straight through this crisis with regular deliveries of organic, small-batch and artisanal goods from local suppliers, courtesy of Fresh City Farms. There’s a $27 minimum order, plus a delivery fee of $3 to $3.50 that’s waived for orders of $75 and up. Delivery days vary by neighbourhood. Orders arrive between noon and 9 p.m., but you don’t need to be home. Note: For obvious reasons, there’s a surge in demand right now, but you can join the waitlist.