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News 2013

News 2013

From the December 2013 Newsletter:

Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market, 3-7 pm Thursdays year-round. (Closed on Boxing Day).

From market manager Anne Freeman: “It's hard to believe, but there are just three markets left in 2013.

Winter eating means getting in touch with your roots, and the guy to answer all your root vegetable questions is Kevin Hamilton from Shared Harvest, who can fill you in on their culinary and nutritional properties. Take a walk on the wild side and try one you've never had before, or re-visit something you last had as a kid. Think you hate rutabagas?”...and Anne goes on to give two must-try recipes in her weekly market news (to get on her list, e-mail market@dufferinpark.ca )

From the November 2013 Newsletter:

Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market: November 7 is its eleventh anniversary.

Eleven years ago, some of the farmers who came to the Riverdale Farmers’ Market asked if they could try having a west-side market as well, at Dufferin Grove. At that time, Riverdale market manager Elizabeth Harris was encouraging bakers from Dufferin Grove to sell bread at Riverdale market. But it was a long way to go every Tuesday. So the Dufferin Grove bakers were glad when the farmers came over to this part of the city on Thursdays. The bread stayed here, and the famers set up tables of excellent organic produce as well as baked savoury pies, honey and maple syrup, and meat. The arrangement, from the very beginning, was that the market farmers (only) could augment their own produce with imported produce in the winter, so that they would build and keep their customer base year-round and not have to start from scratch every spring.

A year after the market started, Anne Freeman became the market manager, and the market has thrived. This year the anniversary is being celebrated with cake as well as with Jason Kun’s oyster-shucking show. To get on Anne’s weekly market news mailout: market@dufferinpark.ca.

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From the August 2013 Newsletter:

Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market, every Thursday 3 pm to 7 pm, near the rink house

From market vendor Linda Kapelaris (Country Meadows): “As I picked tomatoes today, I had to tiptoe around the frogs; we have Leopard Frogs everywhere, all sizes.. So much rain over the past month has been a boon for the frogs, which are my "pest control experts." They love bugs, slugs, mosquitoes, you name it, the best pest control money CAN'T buy. Frogs are an indicator of environmental health; we have lots of them so our place has a AAA rating from Mother Nature!! (in addition to a congratulatory letter from Pro-Cert, our organic certifier). Now that it is somewhat drier, I've placed some wading pools around the tomato plots for the frogs to take a dip. I don't want my workers to pack up & head for the lake yet."

Market manager Anne Freeman sends out a weekly market newsletter: market@dufferinpark.ca

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From the Summer 2013 Newsletter:

Farmers’ Market news

Is the bloom off the rose at Toronto’s farmers’ markets? There are so many markets now. So many market shoppers come when it’s sunny and go to Loblaws when it rains. Some of the farmers are saying it’s not worth their while to make the trip into town, and they want to go back to selling at the farm gate. Dufferin Grove, being one of the older markets (and the second park market to be started, by the farmers themselves – Riverdale was the first) – Dufferin Grove is still doing okay. But we can’t rest on our laurels or history either. Here’s a recent subscriber market news from market manager Anne Freeman:
Last Thursday was about the worst June market we've ever had. The predicted showers turned into solid rain, and only a fraction of our usual shoppers braved the weather to get their provisions. I'd like to thank those trusty regulars, especially the ones with the instinct to buy extra on what was a very tough day for the vendors. We're not like a supermarket, where the 24/7 option allows for just shifting shopping to a more pleasant time, and even when customers decide they'll visit their favourite vendors at another market instead, it makes for challenges in planning, and wasted food. Really irregular attendance ultimately leads to fewer local organic food producers being able to make a go of it, and higher prices for shoppers. So while I understand that it's not half as much fun to head out on a stormy day, I'm going to ask everybody to consider yourself part of a co-operative venture in local food and farming, and keep that Thursday 3-7 slot highlighted on your calendars no matter what!

Anne is sounding a serious call to action. The farmers’ market, use it or lose it.

Of course, the rewards of coming are sweet – wonderful fresh food and face-to-face contact with the growers and snack-makers. Here’s the rest of Anne’s market news for that same day in early June: Returning to our previously scheduled good news, it's time for...(drum roll here) Strawberries! From Jessie and Ben Sosnicki, whose farm is near Brantford: "The last couple of years building up the strawberry patch should provide a good yield for market this year. We had no frost so all blossoms are intact and throwing gorgeous large fruit. Awesome flavour and yes, they are sweet! The patch is a colourful mixture of ripening berries, flowers, weeds and volunteer garlic. We are harvesting the early variety and by next week will be into the 'Jewels', the main variety. They're both excellent and are keeper varieties for sure. Less exciting but totally yummy and gorgeous too are our Mini Lettuces in dark red and buttery greens. Big Romaines and Beets too :) And I think it's time to bring our new baby Sadie to Dufferin for the first time. Can't wait to share the strawberry harvest and for everyone to meet the newest Sosnicki!"

The farmers’ market is every Thursday 3 to 7 pm, by the rink house and along the path.

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