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ANDREW COPPOLINO andrewcoppolino@gmail.com VEGHEADS: ROCKLAND’S OWN FOOD DELIVERY PROGRAM of moms came together in an ad hoc food share to get what Dooley calls “better quality for our buck.”
There are a variety of food delivery pro- grams in the Ottawa area, but VegHeads is a small home-grown Rockland example that started out as a group of moms sharing the cost of feeding their families that grew. Founder Michelle Dooley moved to Rockland about five years ago, but a career transition from schoolteacher to a home- based business sourcing fresh, healthy food wasn’t a long shot, she says. “What actually put me through university was working for Rochon Garden (in Edwards, Ont.) from about the time I was 15 years old to 21. I helped start their strawberry field and worked at their market stall and at the farm for many years. I kind of had a feel for the business that way,” she says. Today, over the course of Friday and Satur- day, Dooley collects produce and delivers dozens of VegHeads food boxes with fruit and vegetables to customers in Rockland, Clarence Creek, Wendover, Cheney, Embrun and many more locations. A box isn’t necessarily “typical:” depending on the season, the costs and the vagaries of supply-chain logistics, the weighty carton could contain local asparagus, a pineapple, some apples, kale and bok choy and a more exotic fruit like physalis also known as ground cherries. Food box savings Dooley recalls that in an earlier financially straitened time when her family had pur- chased their first home, she sourced a similar food box to help feed the household at a cost savings. It made an impact on her that she will reflect on even today. “I remember putting it on the counter and taking a picture of it,” she says. “I was emotional at the fact that my fridge was full.” Eventually, a loosely-formed small group
As numbers grew, Dooley took a leap and registered as a business about 18 months ago, having gone through the various pape- rwork processes – VegHeads Heads was born and opened to the general public with ordering done through its Facebook page. (The business is not to be confused with Ottawa’s Ferme Veghead Farm.) A mom’s hours can be long ones, and Dooley’s soon came to resemble those of a farmer or baker: she heads to Montreal at 2 a.m. with her orders and shops for veggies and fruits that will fill the boxes. Back at home, she organizes the smor- gasbord of produce for variety and a range of items that will fit into the price of the box (usually $55 for 18-22 fruits and vegetables plus $5 delivery) and prepares them for deli- very or for customers to pick up. Local supply now trickling in Her main supplier is Canadawide Fruit Wholesalers in Montreal, but she says she is starting to see more and more local produce trickle into the marketplace. The produce she can get from her suppliers is much better than that trucked in from the U.S. or Mexico. “I see what’s available and get what looks best. I also use Royal Guardian Farms (in Bourget) for mushrooms as well as a few other Rockland mom-run businesses to supply extra options like sourdough bread and maple syrup,” she says. “I’m also looking at being able to include micro-farms in the area.” If berries are particularly expensive – and yet are a customer expectation – Dooley says she adjusts and balances that cost with a less expensive item. Dooley’s strategy, she says, is like grocery shopping for her own family. She’s done cost comparisons that show savings of $30 to $40.
Michelle Dooley, fondatrice de VegHeads. (Facebook)
Respect for farmers Over the course of the year, Dooley esti- mates that she packs up about 80 to 85 boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables a week. That changes somewhat in summer when people take advantage of their own backyard or community gardens and area farmers’ markets. VegHeads donates food boxes when pos- sible. No advertising, no packaging and no rental costs help keep VegHeads on financial track. There is a limit to how much VegHeads can grow, given the model for the small business, but Dooley is currently focussed on serving her client base. Grocery shopping isn’t on the top of the list of favourite things to do for many people, and others might have mobility issues or simply can’t spend time pushing a cart around store aisles: a food delivery choice is a good option, therefore. “I really love to shop for food,” she says.
“I love to shop for produce, and I love the market. But for some, this saves them the trouble of going. They like the produce just showing up at their door. It’s all ready and I’ve realized that I was helping people.” But the business isn’t just serving her customers. Her earlier experience at Rochon has made Dooley a sort of intermediary who links producers and consumers – an impor- tant link – but one which recognizes the costs of agriculture and the pressures of farming. “I have a lot of respect for the farmers because I worked as a family member in those farms. I understand it all, and I have a hard time bartering them down to a price that is affordable for me to make the box. Food writer Andrew Coppolino lives in Rockland. He is the author of “Farm to Table” and co-author of “Cooking with Shakespeare.” Follow him on Instagram @ andrewcoppolino.
LA SEMAINE DE LA SÉCURITÉ ROUTIÈRE AU CANADA DONNE LIEU À PLUS DE 2 500 ACCUSATIONS DANS L’EST DE L’ONTARIO
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les routes. Du 13 au 19 mai, les membres de tous les détachements de PPO de la région Est, en collaboration avec la Division de la sécurité routière, ont intensifié leurs efforts de contrôle et de sensibilisation afin de promouvoir des habitudes de conduite plus sûres. Selon les données préliminaires, les accu- sations portées dans la région Est pendant la campagne comprenaient 1 303 accusations
pour excès de vitesse, 38 accusations pour conduite dangereuse, 47 accusations pour conduite avec facultés affaiblies, 26 accusations pour conduite imprudente, 71 accusations pour conduite inattentive, 8 accusations pour conduite interdite et 151 accusations pour absence d’assurance ou assurance inadéquate. La PPO rappelle aux conducteurs que la sé- curité routière doit être une priorité absolue au
quotidien et que faire des choix responsables au volant peut contribuer à sauver des vies. « La sécurité routière doit être la prio- rité numéro un des conducteurs, 24 heures sur 24, 7 jours sur 7, 365 jours par an », a déclaré la Police provinciale de l’Ontario. « Des vies en dépendent. » Le public est encouragé à signaler les conducteurs dangereux ou en état d’ébriété en appelant le 9-1-1.
Les agents de la Police provinciale de l’Ontario (PPO) de l’est de l’Ontario ont porté plus de 2 500 accusations pendant la Semaine de la sécurité rou- tière au Canada 2025, mettant l’accent sur la sécurité routière avant la saison estivale, période de forte affluence sur
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