Dear market friends,

From market manager Anne Freeman:

"This is our last week to enjoy later light before the clocks roll back. We'll be ready with the hockey lights on by sunset. Because the market has grown so much this year, we'll be keeping a substantial outdoor presence for as long as possible, on the rink for a little longer and then both in and around the buildings. (Who was it that suggested a market on skates after the rink opens?) Keep your fingers crossed for beautiful Thursdays!"

From Irene at Deer Valley Venison Farm:

"We have a new batch of honey garlic sausages and breakfast sausages ready for this week, as well as some new products available to take home: Sundried tomato sausages and for those extra hungry appetites, a new larger 1/3 lb. burger. For those who love the ¼ lb. burger, we still have them available for take home and will be cooking some up on Thursday. We’re hoping the smoked venison will be cooled off enough in time to package for this week’s market. We will have a selection of cuts available fresh too."

From Mark at Greenfields,

"Harvest is slowing down but there is still lots of great produce available from Greenfields. Lots of nice Beets coming this week, three varieties (Golden, Red and Chioga) all available by the quart. Out tender Broccoli shoots are great in stir-frys. Amazingly sweet Carrots are looking great this week. A good selection of greens still available; Green and Purple Kale, Red Chard, Collards, Spinach and what looks like the last of our Radicchio. Freshly bunched Cilantro and Parsley, Purple Cauliflower, Great flavour in our Parsnips, Rutabaga, Squash (Delicata, Acorn, Butternut) and our ever popular Jerusalem Artichokes (Sunchoke) are freshly dug. A good variety of fruit is here including; Avocado, Lemon, Banana, Apple (Royal Gala, Golden Delicious) and Bartlett Pears from B.C with excellent flavour."

From Mary Lou of Beretta's:

"For customer appreciation I will be bringing beef roasts at a 50 % off to say thank you for the continuous support. There will also be some other products at a reduction. Plus the usually products that I bring to the market. See you there, dressed very warmly."

From the park bakers:

Dan Malloy had to do a lot of the sourdough baking himself this week because Matt Leitold missed the midnight bus last night coming back from Montreal. Matt's been away for three weeks; Lea Ambros has just come back from Pittsburgh, and from Berlin and Prague before that; Amy Withers has less time because of working on her Masters. On top of that, Mayssan Shuja was away for two weeks in Nevada. So the park staff who were left behind had a hard haul over the past two weeks! But as of this market day, everyone's back, oh joy. The sourdough is round and delicious this week, and Mary Sylwester spent the day soup-making for Saturday's annual Night of Dread parade (see our Arts in the Park page).

I will be gathering more rink signatures (for the latest rink news, go to www.dufferinpark.ca/cityrinks).

Also, it seems that the mystery Dufferin Grove Park meeting is going ahead at St.Mary's High School for Nov.7, although there's no new information about who the Corporate Services "organization effectiveness consultants" are, who are apparently being brought in to run it. I'll let you know next week if it seems like the farmers' market may be affected. But I'm just hoping they'll be willing to come home with people and help them organize their groceries -- sometimes all that bounty is hard to fit in the fridge on Thursdays.

See you at the market!

Market web page:www.dufferinpark.ca/market

Park phone number: 416 392-0913.