Timmins eatery back to focus on food: in 2016, Radical Gardens was the target of seven break-ins and a rash of vandalism, negatively impacting the fledgling agri-food business.

• Author: Kelly, Lindsay
• Position: NEWS

To say 2016 was a bad year for Brianna Humphrey isn't just a euphemism.

Early in the year, shortly after undertaking a three-month renovation on her Timmins restaurant, Radical Gardens, she discovered not one, but three, manufacturer defects on a brand-new fridge.

The hot water heater broke. The pipes burst. The greenhouse furnace stopped working.

And then the vandalism started.

Since May, Humphrey's restaurant and catering business has been the target of seven break-ins and a rash of vandalism that includes slashed tires, spoiled food, broken windows, a stolen cash register, and a spraypainted van.

One early morning, Humphrey found herself chasing down a would-be thief as he attempted to steal the work truck from her driveway and knocked down her boyfriend in the process.

"I'm pretty sure we have, literally, the worst luck in the world," said Humphrey while on a recent holiday break. "In the last year, everything that could go wrong has, and then some."

It's been an inhospitable environment for a young entrepreneur and her staff, who, by all accounts, have played a key role in revitalizing the agri-food economy in Timmins and the surrounding area.

A pastry chef by training, Humphrey began cultivating organic food crops on a 100-square-foot plot of land on the city's outskirts a few years ago. Demand for locally grown food was such that she quickly expanded to an acre and began offering weekly food box shares to community members.

Humphrey then organized an online farmers market, sourcing produce and meats from local producers, adding in unique pantry items, including gluten-free offerings. (Humphrey has celiac disease, which is characterized by an intolerance to gluten.)

In 2015, she expanded again, opening the Radical Gardens restaurant, where she uses local products to create new, daily menus of fresh, tasty breakfast and lunch items.

She's booked solid for catering jobs--everything from weddings to Christmas parties--and regularly hosts unique events like the Super Secret Supper Club or the three-day BaconFest food and music festival.

The restaurant has been recognized as the first Timmins eatery to receive a Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice (LEAF) certification, and reviewers on the Radical Gardens Facebook page regularly rave about the quality of the food.

Last year, the business was recognized by the Timmins Chamber of Commerce with the 2016 New Business Award.

Humphrey cites people involved in the city's growing...