News

Tell the truth

Posted on by Anne Freeman
Tell the truth
20
Oct

Fess up, does your local recipe list start with rhubarb crumble and end with pumpkin pie? What I’m saying is, when it comes to local eating, are you one of those Victoria Day to Thanksgiving types? Don’t worry, we won’t make you feel guilty if you arrive with a hint of lemon tarts on your breath.  However, we’ll be delighted to show off the range of local choices you have, making it pleasantly possible to continue shopping at the market no matter what the weather.

We’ve always had a year-round market at Dufferin, for the simple reason that everybody (including farmers) needs to eat 12 months a year. The thing is, it only works if people like you keep coming. So what do we have to look forward to? In addition to market birthday cake next month and the return of rewards for Loyal Eaters, here are a few more things:

Out at Ted Thorpe‘s, there’s a beautiful field of cool-weather crops nicely underway (see above), including arugula, radishes, bok choy, and a whole lot more. Many greens are at their best in cool weather, and row covers will protect them from chilly nights, so Ted will keep bringing fresh harvests for many weeks.

Meanwhile, up at Marvellous Edibles, the shipping container Ayse and Jens have set up as a temperature-controlled storage unit for vegetables is full to bursting. We’re making plans with all the growers to be sure you have a good selection of produce right on through.

Sandra and Tamas have settled into their new home farm, and expanded their square footage of raised beds substantially, so Kind Organics can produce an abundance of salad mixes, plus smoothie and cooking greens. Sprouts too, of course!

Monforte Dairy will keep us running back for more delicious varieties of their sheep, goat, cow and water buffalo milk cheeses.

Jennifer Osborn from All Sorts Acre has a broad selection of lamb now as well as yarn and duck eggs, and her first batch of sheep’s milk soap will be ready soon.

Starting next week, we hope, Sean Lowell will begin bringing fresh and smoked trout to the market.

Our prepared food vendors are cooking up belly-pleasing seasonal soups, fritters, tamales, pancakes and other goodies for the market-on-the-rink season, and you can count on the Dufferin Park Bakers to fire up the ovens year-round, rain, snow, or shine.

The Kennedy boys have organic potatoes to turn into fries again, so JK Fries returns this week.

Waymac Mushrooms will attend until there’s hard frost.

While we’re talking mushrooms, I should mention that we have a mycologist in our midst! Damon Dewsbury, creator of Culture City, loves all things fermented, but is also very passionate about the world of mushrooms. He’s willing to offer market friends a guided trip to the woods (about an hour out of town) in the coming weeks, to share his extensive knowledge of wild fungi. If you’re interested, stop by his booth and chat. The trip will probably be arranged by car-pooling.

If you’d like to get a head start, or leave the foraging to the pros, Forbes Wild Foods has wonderful wild mushrooms of many kinds these days. Seth is hoping to get more of the excellent fresh cranberries he brought from Iroquois harvesters a couple of weeks ago as well. Along with wild rice, they are great in this kale salad.

Hearty Kale Salad2016-10-19-12-13-50
Ingredients:
⅓ cup fresh or dried cranberries
1 bunch kale, ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1 ripe apple or pear, cored, halved and chopped
1 cup wild rice
½ cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
2 green onions, chopped

Dressing:
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp honey
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp lemon juice or cider vinegar
¼ cup olive or sunflower oil
salt and pepper
Cook the wild rice in about 4 cups salted water or vegetable stock until the grains pop open. Drain any excess liquid, spread rice out on a pan and let cool.
Blend the dressing ingredients well.
Put the kale, rice and other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss well. Drizzle with more dressing when serving.
Jenny Cook from Knuckle Down Farm says, “Spicy Salad Mix will make brief appearance at Market this week. Come early if you want to take some home with you!”
In local news, here’s a link to a new booklet telling the story of how some of the nice things in the park came about (the adventure playground, the campfires, the wood ovens, the rink clubhouse, the farmers’ market, etc.). It’s called  “Dufferin Grove Park as a neighbourhood commons, 1993 to 2015,” written by Jutta Mason, and besides stories it also has some short interviews, lots of coloured photos, and drawings by Jane LowBeer.  Congratulations and thanks to Jutta!
There may be puddles on the rink, so we recommend rubber boots to maximize enjoyment of your trip to market.
See you soon!
Anne Freeman
 Vendors this week: