Fat Rabbit: Roots and reverence
Inside the Fat Rabbit and its circle of passionate Ontario producers
At Fat Rabbit, every ingredient tells the story of a farmer or producer who never takes shortcuts. This commitment has quickly earned this Rabbit a reputation as a culinary institution in St. Catherine's. Led by chef-owner Zach Smith, Fat Rabbit is also a butcher shop, drawing food lovers to experience the bold, flavourful cooking and strong ties to local farmers, wineries, and artisans.
Here, you’ll taste vegetables picked just hours earlier, bursting with flavour. Everything is fresh, never hauled from industrial farms. Fat Rabbit’s menu features nose-to-tail cooking and house-made charcuterie, from terrines and cured sausages to both traditional and obscure deli meats. The menu changes often, spotlighting ingredients at their peak. You can choose a cut from the butcher’s case and have skilled chefs wood-fire it. The goal is to blend butchery craft, slow food, and community spirit, reminiscent of classic butcher shops, while giving props to the farmers who make it possible.
(The Weather Network)
Blue Goose Farms
At Blue Goose Farm, Keenan and Ashley McVey, together with chef Matty Matheson, grow a wide variety of specialty produce, flowers, and herbs using traditional, sustainable, and regenerative practices. Guided by what they love to eat, they focus on rare heirlooms, unique varieties, and overlooked vegetables. Flavour, diversity, and soil health are their top priorities; they use a no-till, hands-off approach to preserve soil biology and encourage resilience. The farm celebrates slow food, healthy cooking, and connecting farm and consumer for a simpler, more sustainable lifestyle focused on food and community.
(The Weather Network)
Chez Nous
Chez Nous Farms is a small, four-season organic farm in Niagara, Ontario, growing fresh produce for over a decade. Nearly year-round, they offer Community Supported Agriculture veggie subscriptions and supply top Niagara restaurants. The Spicy Side, their certified kitchen, transforms farm-grown hot peppers and vegetables into hot sauces.
Rick Ladouceur, Chez Nous Owner & Operator. (Credit: The Weather Network)
Rumar Farms
Marc McKerracher and Ruth Gatzke run Rumar Farm, a certified organic, second-generation farm in Ridgeville, Ontario. Since taking over from Ruth’s parents in 2014, they have grown tender fruit, berries, heirloom vegetables, and melons on 15 acres using biodynamic methods. Committed to sustainability and soil health, they patiently harvest only when the produce reaches its peak flavour and nutritional value.
Perth Pork Products
Fred and Ingrid De Martines have raised rare and heritage pig breeds on their 100-acre farm near Stratford, Ontario, since 1979. Their Berkshires, a 350-year-old English breed, thrive on a natural, hormone-free diet, producing juicy, well-marbled pork. The poster animal of heritage pigs is the Tamworth, known for their red coat and flavorful bacon, which takes longer to mature but is prized for their taste. The farm also raises Mangalitsa pigs, valued for nutrient-rich, marbled meat ideal for roasting and grilling.
Fat Rabbit menu items. (The Weather Network)
Beverly Creek Farms
Beverly Creek Farms began in the early 2000s, raising Ontario lambs and building its reputation on animal welfare and quality. Over time, the farm expanded to offer premium meats, including grass-fed, grain-finished beef, all produced under the same high standards of all-natural, ethical farming. Based in Millgrove, Ontario, Beverly Creek maintains deep community roots and a pledge to excellence.
Penekoean Hills Farms
Penokean Hills Farms produces naturally raised Angus beef, with cattle born and pasture-raised, free of antibiotics or hormones. The farm uses a grass-fed, pea-finished diet to improve both protein content and flavour, setting apart its beef from conventional corn-fed varieties. Established in 2005, it is located in the rolling Penokean Hills in Algoma above Lake Huron—an ideal but little-known region for cattle farming, and considered by the farmers to be their best-kept secret.
Linton Pasture Pork
Linton Pasture Pork is a family-run, farrow-to-finish farm in Walton, Ontario, operated by Jeff Linton. Since 2010, the farm has maintained a small, 70-sow herd, with pigs 100% pasture-raised in warmer months and given outdoor access in winter.
(The Weather Network)
Jeff has developed the Linton Pasture Pork "White" breed by cross-breeding heritage pigs from the UK and New Zealand. The farm is committed to humane, sustainable, and regenerative farming, lowering environmental impact and ensuring animal welfare. This results in high-quality, ethically raised pork.
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