I was a young apprenticing cook of 16, the first time I visited a farmers market. My Chef and mentor at the time took our culinary brigade to Vancouver's Trout Lake Farmers Market. We were off to see what bounty the local farmers and producers had brought in from Fraser Valley, the agricultural hotbed of South-western British Columbia.

Back then, local, ethical and organic eating wasn't half as big as it is today, but it was beginning to hit the scene in a handful of Vancouver restaurants. Our Chef at Grouse Mountain Resort's Observatory Dining Room was eager to jump on board early.

I was shocked and amazed at some of the vegetables that I saw in abundance there: Rainbow Swiss chard; purple, yellow, white and pink coloured carrots; golden, candy-cane striped and cylindrical beets; fingerling potatoes… and the list goes on. I could easily fill this article with a list of the names of the locally, and for the most part organically produced, fruits and vegetables, dairy, poultry and meats there that day-and, of course, cheeses! I'd never seen this much natural colour and potential flavour in any mainstream supermarket, and surely not from the big league purveyors that supplied the majority of restaurants with food.

From there on in, I decided I was going to back the little guy! Canada's food scene has blown up and with the increased daily demand both at the grocers and in the dining rooms for local fare, you don't have to go far to enjoy the best of Canada's backyard.

There are many reasons why I eat and cook locally. The main reasons are variety and quality. The variety in my opinion is far better than what's offered in any big supermarket chain: Giant orange carrots with hollow insides, pink-rose-coloured tomatoes you can play catch with and that have an inside which resembles solidified papier mache!

The local farmers love what they're doing and their pride shines through in every vine-ripened, tender, sweet and fragrant tomato that they grow. This goes for all types of food, not just produce. Think about it: What do you really want on tonight's menu-local line-caught wild salmon or once-upon-a-time fresh snapper flown in from Thailand? When was it caught? How was it caught? When was it frozen? Was it ever frozen?

It's also a pleasure being able to support Canadian producers and our food economy, and by buying locally you're doing both. As a result, you're solidifying a strong core food culture within our communities.

The more people that support this idea, the less expensive it will be to buy and eat locally, which brings me to my next point and a very good argument: Local, ethical and certainly organic foods can sometimes be pricier and not always readily accessible. I agree, it's not easy to make the jump, but we must walk before we run, and I'm a firm believer that the smallest efforts can make huge difference.

I still buy bulk flour and sugar, and the usual suspects at the big supermarkets, but I always try and give one or two local products a try each time I shop. Maybe it's buying Elk at the Winnipeg butcher's instead of beef from the States, or maybe just going with Albertan beef which is some of the best on earth! It's through the support of local farmers and producers that Canada is developing its own, wonderful and brilliant cuisine, and I think it rocks.

It's a modern day luxury that we can fly in passion fruits and ahi tuna from Hawaii-and trust me, I love both. Keep enjoying the imports, but enjoy the local stuff too. Isn't life about balance? I think so.