Danette Steele, Farm Manager at Avling Kitchen & Brewery

We chat with Max Meighen, owner of Avling Kitchen & Brewery, and Danette Steele, the Farm Manager for the rooftop garden.

Rooftop Garden

Steele grows a wide variety of crops on the roof., including greens, tomatoes, herbs, flowers for pollinators—and “flavour crops.”

She explains that the flavour crops are used in the brewing process. A recent example is pineapple sage, which was infused in a local honey. That infused honey was then used in brewing.

Steele, who previously farmed in a rural setting in Nova Scotia, say that she is drawn to urban farming.

“Farming is in my blood.”

She explains that there is a strong community connection with the garden.

“I think that’s why it’s a lot of the urban farming that I’ve done has been exciting, because it just engages community.”

Avling Farm Box

Meighen talks about the Avling Farm box, which includes meat and produce. Half of the produce for the boxes comes from the rooftop garden, half from new and small farms in Ontario.

He believes in connecting the community with food producers. Earlier this year he hosted a meet-the-farmer night where customers mingled with farmers supplying Avling Kitchen & Brewery.