Exploring Sustainable Agriculture in Southern Québec

Exploring Sustainable Agriculture in Southern Québec

Standing amidst vibrant green vegetable rows, Jean-Martin Fortier slices a rutabaga in half with a small knife. "Rutabaga is a food our ancestors consumed a lot," he says, brushing dirt off the purple-hued root. "It's akin to potatoes, but we use the entire plant – even the leaves. These roots can be stored for four to six months."

When you think of Québec, you might picture the iconic towers of Château Frontenac rising above the St. Lawrence River in Québec City or the vibrant squares and Gothic-style churches in Montréal. However, this is Canada’s largest province, stretching over 1.5 million square kilometers, interconnected by dense forests, agricultural land, and over a million lakes and streams. The bustling cities here pale in comparison to the vast rural areas, where the land and harvest still dictate the rhythm of life.

A Land of Agriculture

Nestled within the expansive countryside lies the Eastern Townships (or Cantons-de-l’Est), a rural area less than a two-hour drive from Montréal, bordering the U.S. states of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. This region has long been celebrated for its agriculture: rolling hills dotted with pastures, vineyards, and bountiful orchards.

When the U.S. broke away from Britain in 1776, thousands of Loyalists (those loyal to the British Crown) found themselves unwelcome in the new republic. Many chose to head north to Canada, then under British control. They settled in the Eastern Townships, creating quaint villages with tidy lots, compact farms, and charming communities.

Local Culinary Experiences

In Stanbridge East, a tiny village I stumbled upon, Jean-Martin has opened Espace Old Mill, a farm, restaurant, and hotel next to a restored mill dating back to 1849. He describes himself as a “market gardener,” but it’s much more than that. Produce from Jean-Martin’s small farm is served at the rustic restaurant next door, where diners can enjoy farm-to-table dishes.

Jean-Martin is among the producers and chefs championing the local food movement in southern Québec. "For me, it’s about sharing the passion for seasonal eating, developing local produce, and helping people reconnect with the essentials," he shares as we walk through a greenhouse filled with purple tomatoes, ground cherries, and hardy greens.

Dining at Espace Old Mill

Stepping into the Espace Old Mill restaurant, I’m greeted by low wooden beams and exposed brick walls. The sweet aroma of fennel fills the air. Jean-Martin opened the restaurant in 2023, and since then, it has been bustling with patrons eager to savor the “farm-to-table” experience. On the Sunday evening I visited, every table was occupied.

The restaurant offers a tasting menu, with each small plate presented like a work of art, adorned with seasonal ingredients ranging from red tomatoes to a sweet dessert made from cassava with apples and rum. Most ingredients were harvested just hours before. The menu emphasizes vegetarian dishes, aligning with the restaurant's low-impact philosophy.

Urban Agriculture Adventures

Before my journey led me to the rural roads surrounding the Eastern Townships, I began in Montréal. The city’s culinary landscape has been shaped by many waves of immigration, from the French, Jewish, and Italian to Haitians, Lebanese, Vietnamese, and Maghrebis, each community leaving its unique mark on the local cuisine.

Streets lined with cobblestones are interspersed with bistros and French-style patisseries, along with dépanneurs – traditional shops selling local snacks and drinks. My food tour primarily focused on Little Italy, a historic Italian neighborhood, where I encountered a diverse array of modern dishes from Peruvian ceviche to Korean fried chicken – a testament to the area’s multiculturalism.

Sustainable Agriculture in Montréal

Montréal is a global capital of urban agriculture. "We have so many rooftop gardens, the largest urban vineyard, and the biggest rooftop greenhouse in the world," Thom says as we pass by restaurant windows filled with bottles of wine and lush plants. Lufa Farms, the creators of the city’s renowned rooftop garden, gained attention when they opened in 2020 in Montréal’s Ville Saint-Laurent neighborhood. This garden spans over 15,000 square meters atop an old industrial building and grows crops year-round.

Other notable spots in the city include Vignes en Ville, a rooftop vineyard growing cold-hardy grape varieties on buildings throughout the city, and La Centrale Agricole, a large urban agriculture cooperative cultivating everything from mushrooms to microgreens (which you can tour by appointment).

Returning to the Land

I arrived at Spa Eastman, a serene retreat in the countryside that fully embraces the land's resources and proudly claims to be Canada’s first destination spa. Jocelyn Dubuc founded Spa Eastman in 1977 with a mission to create a holistic wellness retreat based on nature, nutrition, and restorative health. Nearly 50 years later, it continues to uphold that mission.