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Weekly Market Notes Library

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Weekly Market Notes for October 03, 2013

Hello Market Friends:

This week, there's so much to tell that it's hard to know where to begin. We've got announcements that are delicious, fun, useful, and interesting, but also news that's very sad.

Let's start with where to find us: ON THE RINK. Yes, the time has come. Sunset will be just before 7, and those big hockey lights will come in mighty handy when it's time for the vendors to pack up. We have such a big crew that we will fill up the whole south rink pad and the pavement south of the garage as well. Here are just a few food highlights:

From Feast of Fields: “This week we will have a great selection of apples (Mac, Crispin, Gala, Empire, Golden and Red Delicious) and pears (Bartlett, Anjou. Bosc and Asian), grapes (Concord, seedless blue, maybe Niagara) and maybe some blackberries.” Laura and Matthew

Knuckle Down Farm's Jenny Cook writes: “Happy October everyone! I will be bringing the first of my fall watermelon radishes this week along with plenty of greens including spinach arugula and spicy salad mix. If I can fit them in the car I will also have an assortment of squash, carrots and onions.”

Sosnickis' contribution: “Ben and I will be bringing our Carrots (yep. we grew our own sweet carrots again!), Beets, Beans, Leeks, Celery, Celeriac, Spuds, Onions, Garlic, Grape Tomatoes, Swiss Chard, Kale, and Peppers Galore. See all there.” Jess, Ben & Sadie

Now, for something completely different, we have a special event just this week to launch the market's rink season. Jason Kun, who has been a big part of the skate park activities at Dufferin, will be shucking and selling OYSTERS for marketgoers! Come and learn more about the many varieties of this natural, Canadian, environmentally restorative and nutritionally rich seafood. After the feasting, the shells will be ground up to augment Dufferin Grove’s compost program, and keep the park gardens beautiful.

In other park-related themes:

A week ago the Globe ran a two page spread by Chris Nuttall-Smith on "why you need a wood oven" -- in your backyard. You may not have a backyard, or you may not have the money. But in this neighbourhood, who needs to build their own? At Dufferin Grove there are two public ovens -- and the park staff are encouraging people in the neighbourhood to learn how to use them for their own cooking sessions. (Curious? E-mail them at dufferinparkstaff@gmail.com)

The original (2001) edition of the booklet "Cooking with Fire in Public Parks" has just been updated to bring the story up to 2013. The booklet (by Jutta Mason, with illustrations by Jane LowBeer) will be for sale for $5 at the farmers' market bread table. You can find out how the ovens were built, what people cooked and the stories they told each other (park campfire stories too). Can cooking with fire slow people down enough to help turn a park into a commons, if supported by city staff like ours at Dufferin Grove? Well, it all depends...and the jury is still out on where this neighbourhood's public ovens experiment will end up. But it's quite a story so far (at 63 pages).

Can't fit in too many details this week, but in the category of 'news for marketgoers who like to get out and about', here are two things to 'google':

Rock the Line, Free Concert October 6th, Mel Lastman Square, and

Land|Slide Possible Futures, featuring over 30 national and international artists exploring multiculturalism, sustainability and community, on now until October 14 at the 25 acre Markham Museum.

See you at the market!

Anne Freeman

In Memoriam

If you visit the market regularly, you'll know the good folks of Woolerdale Organic Farm, Ann, Frances and Nicole van der Heyden, who take turns bringing us a beautiful load of vegetables from their family farm near Trenton. During last week's market, hearts were heavy as we learned that John, Ann's husband, and father of their four daughters, had passed away very suddenly. John was a deeply knowledgeable and committed organic farmer who gave generously of his time and wisdom, and he will be greatly missed. We will have a card to sign at the market, and for anyone who wishes to make a donation as an expression of sympathy, the family has suggested that the YMCA Peterborough Haliburton Nourish Program would be John's wish.

Jessie and Ben Sosnicki's thoughts are shared by all of us : We're so sad for the Woolerdale Van Der Heyden family. We only met John a handful of times, but the beautiful veg they offer weekly shows the dedication the whole family has for organic vegetable production. You cannot replace a good organic farmer. The world is less of a place without him. So, so very sorry Ann and girls...

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