What's in season in Ontario: a month-by-month guide to Ontario food

Ontario is Canada's most populous province and one of its largest farming regions. The Niagara Peninsula and the Lake Erie shore grow tree fruit and grapes, the southwest grows tomatoes and corn, the Holland Marsh grows vegetables, the east grows dairy and maple. The season is shorter than in British Columbia, so the arrival of each crop is something people notice.

The calendar below is a guide. A cold spring or a hot summer moves dates by a week or two, and local conditions vary. Farmers markets and farm stands are the best way to see what is ready.

What is in season in Ontario in spring?

• March and April: maple syrup, the first product of the year. Sugar bushes across the province boil sap and many open to visitors. Spring also brings the first greens from greenhouses.
• May: asparagus, rhubarb, spring onions, ramps (wild leeks) and radishes, along with early herbs and the first farmers markets of the outdoor season.
• June: strawberries are the first big fruit crop, along with peas, lettuces and early greens.

What is in season in Ontario in summer?

• July: raspberries, blueberries, cherries, early tomatoes, beans, zucchini, new potatoes and garlic scapes. Sweet corn begins at the end of the month in warm areas.
• August: peaches, plums, nectarines, tomatoes, peppers, corn, melons and eggplant. This is the peak month for farm markets, and peaches from the Niagara area are a highlight.
• Late August: the first pears and apples, grapes starting to ripen.

What is in season in Ontario in autumn?

• September: apples, pears, grapes, plums, squash, tomatoes and the harvest of potatoes and onions. Wine harvests begin in Niagara and Prince Edward County.
• October: pumpkins, apples and cider, root vegetables, brussels sprouts, kale and cabbages. Thanksgiving, held on the second Monday of October, centres on the harvest.
• November: stored apples and root vegetables, cranberries, turnips and winter squash.

What is in season in Ontario in winter?

• December to February: stored root vegetables, apples, onions, cabbage, greenhouse greens, mushrooms, preserves, honey and maple. Icewine, made from grapes frozen on the vine, is harvested in the coldest weeks, often in January or later.

Which Ontario foods are tied to a place?

• Niagara: peaches, cherries, grapes, wine and icewine.
• Prince Edward County: wine, cider, cheese and farm stands.
• Holland Marsh: carrots, onions, lettuces and other vegetables.
• The Lake Erie shore: perch, tomatoes, peppers and corn.
• Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Valley: maple syrup, cheese and dairy.
• Muskoka and cottage country: blueberries, maple and farm stands.

How can you tell what is truly in season?

1. Look for the Foodland Ontario label. The province's program marks Ontario-grown food in many grocery stores, and publishes seasonal charts.
2. Visit a farmers market. Vendors can tell you what was picked this week.
3. Read restaurant menus. A menu that changes with the weeks is a good sign.
4. Taste. A tomato in July tastes different from a tomato in February.

Can you preserve the season?

Yes. Many Ontario households freeze berries, can tomatoes and peaches, pickle vegetables and make jam. Markets sell flats of fruit and bushels of tomatoes at a lower price per kilogram for this purpose.

Is local food more expensive?

Peak-season produce at a market can cost less than imported produce at a supermarket, and it is fresher. Out-of-season produce is imported or from greenhouses and costs more. Basic groceries are zero-rated for HST, but restaurant meals carry 13 percent HST.

What do Ontario restaurants do with the seasons?

Many kitchens print menus that change every few weeks. In spring they feature asparagus and ramps, in summer tomatoes and peaches, in autumn squash, apples and mushrooms, and in winter braises, root vegetables and preserved fruit. Look for a menu that names the farm or the region. It usually means the cook buys directly and is proud of it.

Which festivals and events mark the season?

Maple festivals in spring, strawberry socials in June, peach and corn festivals in August, harvest festivals and apple picking in autumn, and winter markets and icewine events in the cold months all celebrate what is ready. Dates change each year, so check organizers' pages.

How do you pick your own fruit and vegetables?

Many Ontario farms let you pick your own strawberries, raspberries, apples and pumpkins. Check the farm's page for opening hours, since a wet week can close the fields. Wear closed shoes, bring containers if allowed, and arrive early on a hot day.

How do you build your own Ontario food calendar?

The calendar sticks when you taste it. In the Mosey app, rate the dish by name and put the month in your note, such as "July, Niagara peaches, grilled" or "April, maple taffy", then keep them in a list called Ontario year with a section for each season. A tag such as Farm Producer or Market Stall helps you remember where it came from.

Rating several places that share a tag earns a badge for that kind of food, and the app's seasonal food votes let you say what belongs on the table this time of year. Share the list with an invite link so a friend can add the month they wait for.

More guides to read next:

• Maple syrup season in Ontario: when to go, what to eat and how a sugar bush visit works
• Ontario wine regions explained: Niagara, Prince Edward County and the Lake Erie North Shore

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.

Whatever is in season this month, open the Mosey app and rate one Ontario dish that tastes of it.