Printer friendly version | help

Weekly Market Notes Library

< March 14-2013 | Notes Library | March 28-2013 >

Weekly Market Notes for March 21, 2013

Hello Market Friends:

Well, we all got a little too excited about those first warm days, and now it takes a lot of patience to wait for their return! In the meantime, I've been enjoying planning the upcoming outdoor season with vendors old and new, and looking back through the records to estimate things like the timing of the first asparagus, and when the leaves might be out enough that we can move to the market path. It will come.

The ice and snow up on Cape Croker will keep the Akiwenzies away again, so they are extending the deadline to enrol in their Community Supported Fishery. You can email akiwenziefish@gmail.com if you'd like to communicate with them about details of that before next week.

Although she's got other things to think about, Jessie Sosnicki remains a very faithful correspondent! Here's her news: “Ben and I continue to keep really busy trimming cabbage and greenhouse seeding and transplanting. We've got the greenhouse running two weeks ahead of schedule to make time for the baby, who is taking her sweet time! She's smart - It's too cold out yet to be born!! I'll be sure to send word when she arrives! In the meantime Ben will still make the Toronto trip in to deliver so Ted should have some of our cabbages available. Despite the cold temps, we've got the greenhouses filling up fast and all crops are looking mighty nice, so depending on what kind of spring we have we hope to be back at Dufferin as usual this year with the goods! ;)”

Colette (Urban Harvest) is braving a ten day stretch at Canada Blooms so she has to miss this market, and DeFloured devotees should stock up this week as Chris and Krista will be away March 28th. You might be happier to hear, that's the same day Woolerdale Organic Farm will return!

A few weeks ago I was asked to take part in a panel discussion on chickens and eggs at Sorauren Farmers' Market. (And no, we did NOT talk about crossing the road, or which came first.) Notes from the talk are posted here if you're curious to learn more about terminology, production issues, or animal welfare concerns: http://westendfood.coop/sfm-guide-to-eggs-and-chickens

Questions are welcome and encouraged at Dufferin as well. One of the great benefits of a farmers' market is the chance to learn about your food! Linda and Angelos Kapelaris, who bring beautiful organic eggs to our market, will be happy to show you pictures of their egg-laying flock. You can also get duck, goose (sometimes) and quail eggs from Irina and John Alecu of Bees Universe.

If you are fond of Easter eggs, try gently simmering quail eggs with onion skins or red cabbage leaves to make the loveliest little ones, and then later--if you can bear to--peeling them to put on top of a grated carrot salad. Last year, my daughters also pricked the ends of some raw quail eggs with a needle and blew out the eggs so we could keep the speckled shells. Not for those who are headache prone, but so pretty!

Don't forget Earth Hour on Saturday night. We've got beeswax candles for that, and plenty to nibble on while you're enjoying the darkness.

See you at the market!

Anne Freeman

P.S. There's lots on for gardeners:

Seed Starting Workshop at Dufferin Grove Park

• When: Sunday, March 24, 2-4 pm
• Where: The Rinkhouse
• We will go over some seed starting basics and get started on seeding for the community gardens at the park. Tools and gloves provided.
• Space is limited.
• RSVP to gardens@dufferinpark.ca

West End Seedy Saturday is this weekend!

• Bonar-Parkdale Presbyterian Church, 250 Dunn (south of Queen), March 23, 10am-3pm
• You are encouraged to bring seeds to trade.
• http://www.tcgn.ca/wiki/wiki.php?n=Events2013.SeedySaturday2013

PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE:

• Co-Creating Regenerative Futures for the City, and Beyond
• April 12 - 28, 2013.

Jane Hayes is pleased to announce Toronto’s second full offering of an Urban Permaculture Design Course. The curriculum is crafted around a rich range of learning activities: stimulating classroom sessions, special guests, site visits, hands-on activities, and real-life design exercises. This is an international caliber course, led by experienced teachers (former MES students!), with fifty years of commitment to the environmental field between them. You will be supported in deepening your learning about the natural world and our human systems. You will graduate with the knowledge and ability to be a catalyst for regenerative design. For more information and registration (places are limited): http://gardenjane.com/workshopsandevents/permaculturecourse.html

hosted by parkcommons.ca | powered by pmwiki-2.2.83. Content last modified on March 20, 2013, at 09:38 PM EST