Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Where Has The Flavour Gone?

For many years I spent my summers, filling 3 freezers with foods directly grown in our own soil.  What wasn't frozen was preserved.  Potatoes and carrots and onions were put in the root house to keep all winter.  When I cooked meals I knew there would be flaours in the food.

Sadly, because times do change, I am forced to purchase produce in the stores. 

So I ask the question, Where Has The Flavour Gone?  Tomatoes are in the stores, half ripe, and even if you let them set for a week they are tasteless and tough.  Potatoes are a disaster.  They are nothing more than fillers.  Onions, used to bring the tears immediately to a person's eyes.  On occasion you get an onion that will bring a slight watering, but I repeat only slight. 

I try to purchase Ontario produce.  It doesn't matter what store, it's all the same.  I often buy from roadside stands.  Same thing----no flavour.

Is the soil depleted?  Is it the very seeds themselves, which have had the good bred out of them?   Have our vegetables become just a fillers?  Is this why so many spices are being used in foods?I know my conversation thread will offend some, but I am serious and I find it alarming as our Ontario farmers compete with USA and other countries.  How can we return to good old fashioned Ontario farm produce that was second to none? 

Frances

Views: 509

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by frances thurlow on September 5, 2010 at 5:59am
Wouldn't it be wonderful if one of the grocery chains would open up a section of the produce counter for vegetables grown from "Heritage Sees" and "Tubers"? If nothing else it would be an exercise to see which produce appealed to the majority of shoppers, whether they be rural or urban. Because many of todays young people have no idea what the flavour of a particular item such as a tomato should taste like, they do not visit famers markets and road-side stands.
Another classic example happened this week, when I was invited out for lunch to a private home. The frustrated young lady who was preparing a salad finally said to us "Can anybody tell me how to peel this tomato"? She ended up peeling it as you would a potato. It was the only way the skin would come from the tomato. Yet another time this week, at a restaurant I ordered a hamburg with all the trimmings. There was a full slice of tomato on the meat,and in the centre of the slice was the hard green core so common with today's variety and typical of what is being offered in the stores. The onion, was so bland, I hardly knew it was an onion. No flavour, no smell. Am I correct, that a few years ago there was a movement to produce onions without their distinct aroma. There is nothing like the smell of a good onion to give one an appetite. So I still ask Where Has All The Flavour Gone"---Is it the very seed itself which has been modified---is it the soil that is depleted----is there any hope of returning to our wonderful foods once grown? I fear the answer is no. It's a big world and our farmers are competeing and having to produce and harvest foods at a faster rate and in greater quantity. I also add, that nobody should feel offended when their is criticism given for a good cause.
Permalink Reply by Roadrunner on September 9, 2010 at 11:53am
It is hard to compete Taste for Taste with memories of meals/produce/onions in the past.....so the Good Old Days will likely never be beaten in this crazy world...

I do know that my Dad told me that during the Second World War, if they wanted fresh meat he had to go hunting and hopefully got a deer with the one bullet he had saved...rationing and they were poor on the farm. Only 70 years ago...

He also remembered the big treat at Christmas in the stocking was a navel orange from Florida...they were a real treat...

I agree with you that fresh produce, picked from our large garden...ripened on the vine or fresh corn off the stalk and boiled is hard to beat....

I do think that maybe flavour is the price we pay for our abundance and variety of food at ridiculously low prices.

Good discussion....

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

From the Middle East to Alberta: How Oil Tensions Are Raising Farm Costs

Even without supply shortages, risk premiums on diesel and fertilizer are cutting into farm profitability ahead of spring. A global oil chokepoint disruption is rippling into Alberta farms, raising input costs and adding uncertainty just ahead of seeding. Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East — particularly around the Strait of Hormuz — are once again sending shockwaves through global energy markets. While the disruption is thousands of kilometres away, Alberta farmers and seed growers are already feeling the effects through higher diesel and fertilizer costs, tightening margins ahead of the 2026 growing season. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical oil chokepoints, with roughly a fifth of global petroleum liquids passing through it each day. Any perceived threat to shipping in the region tends to trigger immediate price volatility, as markets price in risk even before physical supply is disrupted. That’s exactly what Alberta producers saw following the

Building Without a Permit Could Cost You More Than You Think

The National Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) is seeing a concerning trend: unauthorized construction at confined feeding operations has increased significantly. Complaints have increased by approximately 32 per cent from 2024, and enforcement actions have jumped by about 125 per cent. Under Alberta’s Agricultural Operation Practices Act (AOPA), it is illegal to begin construction of a confined feeding operation, manure storage facility (such as an earthen manure storage or manure lagoon), or a manure collection area (such as a barn floor, feedlot pen, or catch basin) without first obtaining the required NRCB permits. Constructing before your permit application has been approved or building something different than stated in your permit are both also considered unauthorized construction. Consequences can include: Enforcement orders Prosecution Additional costs, such as depopulating livestock from unpermitted facilities Financial institutions are also asking for NRCB documentati

4-H Alberta programs and scholarships offer new opportunities for youth this spring

Alberta youth involved in 4-H will have a range of opportunities to build skills, gain experience, and plan for the future this spring, with new provincial programs and scholarships now open for 2026. As outlined in its latest Scoops newsletter, 4-H Alberta continues to emphasize hands-on learning and leadership development through its “learn to do by doing” approach, with upcoming programs designed to help members strengthen practical and life skills. Upcoming provincial programs Several provincial programs are scheduled in the coming months, including: Spring Senior Symposium The 4-H Alberta Spring Senior Symposium and Trip Selection, taking place April 30 to May 3 at Lakeland College. The program brings together senior members from across the province for leadership development, networking, and national and international travel selection opportunities. Ultimate Bullfighting and Equus Experience Another popular event returning this spring is the Ultimate Bullfighting and Equus

Serious concern with planned cuts to N.B. public vet services

Farmers and veterinarians worry these cuts will do more harm than good

Start early, talk openly: why transition planning matters more than ever

For many business owners, planning to transition what we’ve spent our lives building to the next generation of owners is something we know we need to do, but it’s also something we tend to put off.

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service