Nobody is doing the 100 mile diet in Algonquin park unless you are into nuts, berries and pickinick baskets. However Executive Chef/owner Helen Kates with appropriately named Chef David Cook are doing the best they can- they get as much of their produce as possible from Brooklands Farm, a 126 year old operation on Butter and Egg Road in Bracebridge, Ontario.

Farming in Muskoka is not wonderful- generations of British and American Loyalist immigrant farmers broke their backs and their spirit farming rocks here, and the area under cultivation is now reduced to only 4% of its arable area as farmers have given up and the land is converted to monster cottages and timeshares. Credit to the remaining farmers for banding together to market what is left, and to the Pines for buying it.

The Pines has also signed on to the Endangered Fish Alliance- all fish and shellfish come from environmentally sustainable sources. The is wild sockeye or redspring from northern Pacific fisheries, and the shrimp is cold water wild from the north Pacific.

We like other measures they have taken: no food products made with trans fats; banning of disposable water bottles for hikers; composting of garbage. Treehugger approves- here is a first class resort taking first class steps toward sustainability. ::Arowhon Pines Resort