Your Free Guide To Farm Fresh In Windsor Essex

Fresh Finds & Local Vibes: Discover W.E. Heart Local

Original blog by Tourism Windsor Essex

Get ready to fall in love with local all over again! The 2025 W.E. Heart Local program has officially launched, and it’s your ultimate passport to the freshest finds, tastiest treats, and most authentic experiences in Windsor Essex. Whether you’re a seasoned farmers’ market explorer, a first-time local foodie, or a lover of all things handmade and homegrown, W.E. Heart Local is your go-to guide to experiencing the vibrant agricultural bounty of our region.

Why Shop Local?

When you choose to shop local, you’re doing more than just picking up ingredients for dinner or grabbing a weekend treat. You’re investing in your community. Every dollar spent at a local market, farm stand, vineyard, or artisan shop directly supports Windsor Essex growers, producers, and small business owners. It keeps jobs here at home, strengthens our regional economy, and helps preserve the rural charm and culinary heritage that make our region truly special.

Local food isn’t just about economics — it’s about flavour. When your produce is picked that morning or your wine is crafted from grapes grown just down the road, you can taste the difference. Seasonal, farm-fresh food bursts with colour, nutrients, and life. Shopping local means you’re eating the way nature intended — with the seasons.

Meet Your Farm-Fresh Guide: The W.E. Heart Local Digital Pass

W.E. Heart Local makes it easier than ever to explore and support local with our free digital pass. This interactive mobile passport helps you navigate the region’s rich network of:

• Farm stands and produce markets like Denver’s Homestead, Downtown Windsor Farmers Market, Kranicz Orchards & Windmill Ridge, Mailloux’s Farm Fresh, Simpson Orchards and Stonehill Estates Farm Shop
• U-pick orchards and berry patches like Meleg’s Lakeview Orchard and Raymont’s Berries
• Wineries and vineyards like Aleksander Estate Winery, Black Bear Farms, Oxley Estate Winery or Pelee Island Winery and Pelee Island Winery Pavillion
• Craft breweries, cideries and distilleries like Carolinia Cider Co. and Cured Craft Brewing Co.
• Meat and fish producers and shops like Bradt’s Butcher Block, Butcher of Kingsville, Dockside Fisheries, Hylander Farms, Steve Green Foods and Trimble Farms Cattle Company
• Artisan and handmade markets like Green Heart Kitchen, Hawksview Honey and Schmitchen’s Farm Market
• Agri-tourism destinations like Cindy’s Home & Garden, Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens, Lee & Maria’s and Sauve’s Country Market

Use the pass to plan your seasonal shopping trips, map out weekend adventures, or make a summer bucket list with your family. No app is needed — simply register online at weheartlocal.ca, and you’ll get your personalized digital passport sent directly to your inbox.

Exclusive Perks for Passholders

Every month, passholders receive an exclusive email update packed with:

• Special offers and discounts at participating locations like Taylor Fish Company where you can buy a walleye burger with fries and get a 2nd walleye burger free
• Seasonal recipes using locally grown ingredients like Sun Parlour Honey
• Spotlights on local growers, makers, and must-visit destinations like The Little Cider Company and The Walnut Grove Bed & Breakfast
• The chance to win one of our curated monthly prize packs featuring Vivace Estate Winery

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BONUS: If you check in at 30 or more participating locations between now and March 31st, 2026, you’ll be entered to win a 7-Day Barrels Bottles & Brews Flight Log — giving you a year of tastings and exclusive offers on the Barrels Bottles & Brews Trail.

What’s in Season Now?

One of the best parts of shopping local is discovering what’s in season. Our W.E. Heart Local site features handy icons and listings so you can quickly find what’s ripe and ready each month:

• May & June: Asparagus from Wrightland Farm, rhubarb, strawberries
• July: Cherries, blueberries, sweet corn from Willow Tree Market
• August: Peaches, tomatoes from Sunrise Farms, zucchini, plums
• September & October: Apples from Neumiller Orchards, squash, grapes, pumpkins

From roadside farm stands brimming with just-picked berries to family-run orchards where you can harvest your own peaches, every season offers a new reason to get out and explore Windsor Essex.

A Region Full of Flavour

Windsor Essex isn’t just about what you eat — it’s about where and how you experience it. With the W.E. Heart Local pass, you can:

• Taste farm-fresh at a country stand at Durocher’s Petite Cote Produce or Pretli’s Green Acre Farm
• Sip a crisp Sauvignon Blanc next to a vineyard in bloom at Colio Estate Winery, Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards, Muscedere Vineyards or Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery
• Pick your own wildflowers from a blooming field at Colour Pop Flowers, East Beach Flower Farm or Eh Oh Farm
• Shop handmade jams, candles, and baked goods from local artisans at The Farm House Market and Tecumseh Farmers Market
• Raise a glass at GL Heritage Brewing Company, The Goose Kitchen & Bar, Viewpointe Estate Winery or Wagner Orchards & Estate Winery
• Meet the farmers who grow your food and hear their stories at Ewe Dell Family Farms, George Whaley & Sons, Howling Hound Farms and The Fruit Wagon

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This program connects locals and visitors alike with the people and places that bring flavour and heart to our region. Whether you’re gathering picnic supplies, searching for the perfect hostess gift, or just craving something homemade, W.E. Heart Local makes it easy to discover it all.

How to Get Started

1. Register for your free digital passport at weheartlocal.ca
2. Browse the interactive map to find participating locations
3. Check in when you visit each stop
4. Collect rewards and entries for monthly prizes
5. Repeat all season long!

The more you explore, the more you earn — and the more you support the local economy and community in the process.

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This year, taste your way through the seasons, meet the makers behind your favourite treats, and rediscover the magic of buying fresh and local with the 2025 W.E. Heart Local program.

Sign up, shop local, and show your heart for Windsor Essex.

Visit weheartlocal.ca and start your farm-fresh journey today!

Sponsored story by Tourism Windsor Essex. For more details on Tourism Windsor Essex click their website, or visit them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.