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Weekly Market Notes Library

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Weekly Market Notes for August 15, 2013

Hello Market Friends:

I just took my cousin Sharon, a market gardener from a few hours east of here, to visit market growers Tamas and Sandra Dombi of Kind Organics up at the Holland Marsh. It was obviously a very busy day on the farm, but Tamas generously showed us around the many aspects of their operation. Sprouts, microgreens, specialty salad mixes, herbs and teas, tinctures, kombucha & kefir, and chocolate infused with Kind ingredients are all on their tables every week, and every one of these products requires specialized knowledge and equipment. I had been to the farm before, but it was stunning to see what goes into all that Tamas and Sandra have on the go now, things like the elaborate, computerized tray seeder that Tamas has figured out how to dismantle and repair, the wood-fired greenhouse furnace that has to be stoked at midnight and again by 5 am on winter nights, and the highly developed washing, packing and labeling systems needed to keep all the orders flowing along, to name just a few. The dazzling drifts of edible flowers here and there look easy and free, but it takes tremendous courage to grow a business like this, with steep learning curves, plenty of risks, and seven days a week of work. Three cheers from all your fans at Dufferin, Tamas and Sandra!

Knuckle Down News: “My lovely sisters will be helping me out at market again this week. We will have carrots, beans, salad mix, summer squash, cucumbers, chard, herbs and flowers! There might be some mizuna and tender baby tatsoi too. (And for those of you who like to keep track of cucumber birds, we think it might be a bobolink.)” Jenny Cook

From Beretta Farms: We will be featuring grass fed stir fry beef at 60% off.

• REG – 13.39/LB
• SALE – 5.64/LB

Sosnickis' contribution: “While we patiently wait for our Romas to ripen (warm weather coming this weekend - we should have them next week), enjoy all the many other crops we are harvesting fresh! Ben will be bringing a couple new crops for us this year: Cauliflower and Musk Melons! Lots more Sweet Sweet Corn!! The first of the Green and Yellow Bell Peppers and Hot Peppers. We'll have more Broccoli, Sweet Onions, Cucs, Basil, huge bunches of Kale and Swiss Chard and fresh dug Potatoes. Sick of Patty Pan Zucs yet? We have more!! Garlic and Summer Cabbages too! Enjoy the harvest!” Jess & Ben.

The Akiwenzies will be absent, working on boat repairs and helping their boys with a powwow booth.

Counterfeit alert! A few market vendors have received some $5 bills with the shiny silver strip missing. That's a lousy way to pay hard-working farmers.

Visitors to the market this week: Next to Irene Orkin's very special Tibos Teas, another TEA (Toronto Environmental Alliance) will have an information table, and Mutamba Rainos will be playing some music for us. Stick around after the market and enjoy one of the final performances of Clay & Paper Theatre's summer show, "Our Last Best Hope".

And one more word, in case you need reminding: PEACHES.

See you at the market!

Anne Freeman

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