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Weekly Market Notes Library

< September 8-2011 | Notes Library | September 22-2011 >

Weekly Market Notes for September 15, 2011

Hello Market Friends:

Last week, I enjoyed the enthusiasm at the tables as people piled in to restock the delicious things they'd had the week before ("I didn't even know I liked corn on the cob until I tried this!" "We want MORE of your peaches!" plus many more examples). The atmosphere is really festive, and skip the Hollywood hype, we've got our own celebrities, too. We just learned that Best Baa/Ewenity Dairy has been honoured with two American Cheese Society awards---pretty much the Oscars of the cheese world! Their Mouton Rouge cheese won second place in its class and their (totally fabulous) yogurt won first! We need a red carpet!
Lots of news has been rolling in from the vendors:

Sosnickis' contribution: "Excellent, cool harvest day on the farm! We'll have as many Romas as we can find out there and some field Heirlooms & Black Cherry; the bounty that is Sweet Corn; Empire Apples from our trees that kicked out this year! Not too pretty, but sweet and crunchy! Oodles of sweet Red Peppers! Our Shepherds & Bells. Some big Green Bells too. Some great Hot Peppers including Orange Habaneros that are HOT!!! Still fresh digging Potatoes of different sorts; Beets; Savoy, Red & Green fall Cabbages; fresh, fresh Green Beans; Kale; Watermelons; Sweet & Cooking Onions & Parsley bunches! " Jess & Ben

From Country Meadows: "We'll have a few of our fresh, certified organic meat chickens at the market." Angelos

Growing Spaces news from Blythe: "This will be the last week for fresh edamame from the farm. Don't forget to pick some up for the freezer as these green beans freeze so well. Also this week, we have a fresh batch of strawberry jam, and morning glory jam." (I know someone who will be very happy about that!)

Don't miss the inspired flavour combinations from DeFloured in this week's assorted fruit turnovers (blackberry and pear, spicy peach and blueberry with goat cheese) and mini galettes (lemon curd with berries or sweet chevre with fruit preserves). Oh my they are good!

Beretta has Deli Meats on Special for September: Black Forest Ham, Jambon Royale, Roast Beef, Salami

The Organic Supper Club Menu (look for Eddie and Jessica at the north end of the market, up by the rinkhouse):

• Goji Chia Granola (local oats, maple syrup )
• Raw Kale and Beet Salad (local carrots, beets, kale )
• 5 Layered Fiesta Dip (local tomatoes, garlic )
• Summer Fresh Quinoa Salad (local celery, red pepper )
• African Peanut Stew (local sweet potatoes)
• Golden Coconut Curry (local potatoes, beans)
• Moroccan Stew with Wild Rice

Pine River (Helga) will be bringing fresh green peas, beans, leeks, onions and more.

Our Welcome Back Draw attracted lots of entries last week, and if you haven't entered yet there's still time to try your luck at two chances to win $25 in market bucks. The winners will be selected September 30th. Until the same date, you can also enter the Greenbelt Market Draw online for a weekly chance at a prize of $50: http://markets.greenbelt.ca/index.php/win-market-bucks/
Keep those petition signatures coming, the User Fee report that may bring very bad news for markets is due out next week. The draw box and petitions are 'down in the valley' on our info. table.

See you at the market!

Anne Freeman

P.S. Here's some park (and city) news: As many park users know, last Saturday Sept.10, Parks, Forestry and Recreation management directed Dufferin Grove program staff not to open the playground cafe last Saturday, but to stay inside the rink building, in the interest of staff safety. The organizers of the "Stop the Cuts" meeting had described it as a kind of parliament, with delegates readying reports for the Sept.26 budget meetings. But both police and park management told our City Councillor Ana Bailao that the meeting was an un-permitted demonstration, and that they needed to protect the staff. In the end, only two police came and there was no demonstration. Here's a little photo gallery of the day: http://dufferinpark.ca/aboutus/wiki/wiki.php?n=DufferinGroveIsInTrouble2.September10ParkDiary
Park program staff would have formerly made their own assessment, but now even the most minute direction has to come from above, so the cafe was never opened despite the mellow day. However, the regular food programs (Friday night supper and the weekend cafe) are allowed to run again this coming weekend. This weather may be brisk, but there will be lots of good farmers' market food.
With the new rules, running park and rink food programs will be problematic this winter and beyond. CELOS has sent the city a proposal that may work reasonably well: http://dufferinpark.ca/aboutus/wiki/wiki.php/CashHandling.CELOSProposal. So far this proposal has not been acknowledged by management but Councillor Bailao says she intends to follow up.
The next two weeks will add a lot of drama to city politics, penetrating all the way down to this park's programs, not only affecting the programs but also all city farmers' markets. On Monday the executive committee will be voting on the new user fee policy: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2011/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-40701.pdf Interesting days ahead.

Jutta Mason

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