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Weekly Market Notes Library

< July 16-2015 | Notes Library | July 30-2015 >

Weekly Market Notes for July 23, 2015

Hello Market Friends:

Another lovely day for the market, and messages have been piling in from our vendors!

Floralora news: "The field is exploding here! This week, the Snapdragons are better than ever, we've got tons of Zinnias, first of the Amaranth, Ageratum, still lots of Sweetpeas and edible flower posies are back!"

I always look forward to the first summer day when the fragrance of peaches wafts over the park, and Debbie Wiecha from Niagara Lavender Farm called to say they've got a load picked! Raspberries and apricots too. Come early to avoid disappointment.

Krista has been busy baking with the fruit harvest: "This week de floured has delicious hand pitted cherry turnovers as well as poached apricot with sunflower butter cream tarts.... Yum."

"Urban Harvest will be bringing some plants to market. All on sale but this will be the last week for plants. If you have any spaces you want to fill hopefully we will have something for you. We will also bring all our seeds. Time to start planting for fall now: broccoli, beets, kale, chard, collards, carrots. Soil amendments too to keep those plants healthy. And of course our body care. See you at the market." Colette and Pablo

Forbes Wild Foods is hoping more foraged sea vegetables will be here in time for market.

The local selection of vegetables, greens and herbs is fantastic. Thanks to our growers for taking on all the hard work and challenges of organic farming!

From Knuckle Down Farm: "We may have to say goodbye to lettuce for a while with this heat, but only in time to say hello to summer squash and beans! We will have big bunches of chard, kale and collards again as well as the last Napa cabbage 'til fall. There will be parsley and cilantro too and fingers crossed we will be bringing at least a little spicy salad mix."

"The fields are really bursting with beautiful produce; a wonderful time to enjoy the market! Loads of fresh, nutritious greens - Kales, Chard, Salad Mix, Lettuce, Spinach, Collards, Cilantro, Dill and the first of our Basil. We had our first harvest of Beans yesterday - Green, Yellow and Purple. Our greenhouses and tunnels are shaping up nicely and it won't be long before our Cucumbers and Tomatoes are at market! Enjoy" - Everdale Farmers

Sosnickis' contribution: "Oh organic woes...just as we were getting some great orders for bulk cucumbers we've discovered mildew in the crop! So please enjoy the quarts of cucumbers, but we won't be taking pickle orders unfortunately. Those tender vines took a beating this year, so we're not too surprised. Well, the Heirloom Tomatoes are awesome!! So lots coming. More Sweet Onions, Beets, Carrots, fresh dug Potatoes, Kale, Chard and Patty Pan Zucs! (Psst...our sweet corn is in tassle!!)" Jess, Ben, Sadie and Nate

The Shared Harvest list: "We'll have thai basil, sacred basil and italian basil. We'll also have lots of beans, some tomatoes, lettuce, endive, zucchini, calaloo (minimal), red pac choi, garlic, onions, peppers, jalapenos, cayenne, borage, mint, oregano and yarrow. That's us!" Kevin

Plan B Organic Farms will have beautiful Rainbow Chard, Cilantro and Snap Peas!

In other market news:

A permit is required to hold a farmers' market on City property, and one of the conditions is that politicians campaigning for any level of government are not allowed to hand out flyers or put up signs. Seems reasonable. However at another Toronto market recently, a (perhaps well-meaning) City employee took that to mean that no one should be allowed to share information about anything that is, in any way, 'political'. He was uncomfortable with an anti-GMO discussion that was taking place at the time.

Well, in a world with Monsanto, that would be a 'political' topic, yes. So would concern about the rights of small-scale farmers, or toxins in our environment. Then again, avoiding issues connected to growers and eaters, or suppressing such exchanges would be a political choice, too. We hope you agree that conversations about 'what's cooking' beyond just recipes are not only acceptable, but important in our public spaces.

We do try to avoid any information or opinions being forced upon market-goers, and if ever you feel that's happening, your feedback is welcome. For-profit organizations are not eligible to use our information-sharing spot, and fundraising is not permitted under the terms of our permit, either. This week, Gladstone Library staff have 'booked' the tent.

Clicking on the link to this video (a clever, funny, and scathing description of why there are problems with Monsanto controlling so much of the world's seed supply) is entirely optional. http://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2015/jun/04/undercurrent-monsanto-roundup-pesticide-herbicide-who-carcinogenic-video

If all this makes you want to run out and do something, here's an invitation from USC Canada to run for biodiversity, and the rights of farmers to save seeds: http://usc-canada.org/component/k2/item/117-r4b-toronto

Best Baa and JK Fries really will be back, and Claire St. Francois will be visiting with her Bark n Barley dog treats as part of our efforts this year to give new market-oriented ventures a chance to introduce their wares.

See you at the market!

Anne Freeman

Vendors this week:

• Afri-Can FoodBasket (organically grown produce)
• Akiwenzies Fish (fresh, smoked and frozen Georgian Bay Fish)
• Alli Harris (fish sandwiches, fritters, hemp pesto, beverages)
• Bees Universe (honey and bee products, eggs)
• Beretta Farms (organic and naturally raised meats)
• Best Baa/Ewenity Dairy (sheep's milk, cheeses and yogurt)
• Brixton Grill (vegan barbeque and ice cream treats)
• ChocoSol (coffee and chocolate)
• Country Meadows (olives, oil, eggs, cheese, vegetable and herb seedlings)
• Culture City (fermented condiments, tempehs, gluten-free pasta)
• DeFloured (gluten-free baking)
• Dufferin Park Bakers (wood-fired oven breads, soups,and snacks)
• Earth and City (raw foods, smoothies, rice bowls)
• Evelyn's Crackers (baking made from ON whole grains)
• Everdale Organic Farm (organic produce)
• Floralora Flowers (organic, farm-grown cutflowers)
• Forbes Wild Foods (berries, mushrooms, and other fresh, dried & preserved wild foods)
• JK Fries (fresh cut french fries with choice of mayos)
• Kind Organics (sprouts, salad mixes, teas, chocolate)
• Knuckle Down Farm (organic vegetables)
• Marvellous Edibles (organic vegetables, meats, poultry, baking)
• Niagara Lavender Farm (organic berries, tender fruits and lavender)
• Plan B (organic fruits and veggies)
• Sosnickis' Organic Produce (organic vegetables)
• Spade & Spoon (jams, pickles, soups, maple syrup)
• Tapioca Gourmet (gluten-free Brazilian pancakes with seasonal fillings)
• Ted Thorpe (berries and veggies)
• Urban Harvest (plants, seeds, body care, soil amendments)
• VQA Wine (Tawse this week)
• Ying Ying Soy (tofus and miso from ON organic soybeans)

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