Overlooking the channel between Lovesick Lake and Stoney Lake in Peterborough County, Burleigh Falls Inn has been welcoming visitors to The Kawarthas for over 165 years, with its restaurant and cafe popular among resort guests and local residents alike.
Located in North Kawartha Township on the northern boundary of Selwyn Township, Burleigh Falls Inn was originally founded as the Park Hotel in 1859 as accommodation for men working in the lumber industry, before being rebuilt in 1899 as a summer resort for fishermen.
Today, the resort operates as a year-round destination in The Kawarthas, offering a scenic location for getaways, corporate retreats, weddings, social gatherings, special events, and live music, with the restaurant and cafe serving food with fresh and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.
That’s why Burleigh Falls Inn is participating in Peterborough County’s Kawartha Local Food Wholesale project, an economic development initiative that connects local producers with local buyers in Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and the City of Peterborough.
Through the project’s Green Circle Food Hub, developed in partnership with Graze & Gather, Burleigh Falls Inn is able to more easily source additional fresh produce and seasonal ingredients for its restaurant and cafe.
“Since the Kawartha Local Food Wholesale program has started, accessing both quality and quantity is much more feasible for us,” says Burleigh Falls Inn general manager Jennifer Craig. “If I need 50 pounds of local potatoes, for example, I can go into the Green Circle Food Hub and see who has them available.”
Previously, restaurant operators seeking locally grown ingredients would have to visit individual farmers’ markets and farm stands. The Green Circle Food Hub means buyers can spend less time sourcing local ingredients and more time running their business, which is a win-win for local farmers and local restaurants.
“It has potential to grow, and it’ll have a huge impact on the industry for us to be able to support local even more,” Craig says. “The County pulling together all the resources into one spot and putting us all at the same table is huge.”
Craig adds the Kawartha Local Food Wholesale project complements the Kawartha Choice FarmFresh program, another initiative delivered by Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and the City of Peterborough. The program provides a brand identity for local producers, a network for members to share and access resources, and an online database for food buyers to find local farmers.
Together, Craig says, these programs are just two of the ways Peterborough County has shown up to support Burleigh Falls Inn.
“They’re always good about connecting, having their pulse on what’s happening, and making sure we’re up to date, because you miss things as an operator,” she explains.
“You’re not looking at your emails every single day or looking at funding opportunities. They’re doing an amazing job of connecting, using their social media presence, making sure they’re reaching out to us to let us know about programs and activities — whether that’s from a growth initiative for us personally, for business opportunities, or just simply being there to provide support.”
Burleigh Falls Inn is located at 4791 Highway 28 in the community of Burleigh Falls, around 17 kilometres north of Lakefield. To learn more and to book a stay, visit burleighfallsinn.com.
The Local Advantage in Peterborough County is a branded editorial feature series celebrating the farmers, food producers, food retailers, and agri-tourism businesses that make The Kawarthas thrive, created in partnership with Peterborough County’s Economic Development & Tourism Division.
Agriculture is a key economic driver and a point of pride for Peterborough County, with local farms producing a wide variety of high-quality goods, from traditional crops and livestock to organic and specialty products, reflecting the strength and diversity of this vital sector. With a growing focus on sustainability, local food systems, agri-innovation, and agri-tourism, agriculture offers strong potential for growth and diversification.
The Local Advantage with Peterborough County series spotlights the Kawartha Choice FarmFresh and Kawartha Local Food Wholesale initiatives, which aim to strengthen connections from farm to table across our region.
For more information about economic development and tourism in Peterborough County, visit www.ptbocounty.ca/ecdev and The Kawarthas Tourism at thekawarthas.ca.
