In the city things still seem betwixt and between, but there’s lots of energy on the farms, where everybody is gearing up for the busy months ahead.
Andrew McIlmoyle was all smiles last week, and it was wonderful to have Waymac Mushrooms for dinner again! His attendance may be intermittent until the mushrooms are really plentiful, but they’re coming.
So glad to have Urban Harvest returning too! THINK SEEDS. Whatever size ‘farm’ you have, whether it’s a pot on the windowsill or a substantial patch of dirt, Colette Murphy and her knowledgeable team can help you make the most of it. If you need extra stock between markets, the Urban Harvest seasonal popup shop is open at 1340 Bloor (west of Lansdowne).
A note from Farmer Jenny: “Knuckle Down Farm is excited to make some extra early Spring appearances at market this season, starting this week! As we wait for the fields to dry out between April showers, the hoop house is exploding with overwintered onions, spinach, mustard greens. We need to make room for the seedling trays that will soon be taking over so we will bring these and a few other fresh salad fixings to tide you over ’till the real Spring rush begins. We will be bringing our spinach and mixed greens in bulk, so please bring bags or other containers along with you. Looking forward to seeing everyone and a great market season for 2017.”
Jenny also sent photos of Knuckle Down Farm’s dedicated greenhouse helpers. The wee waterer up top is easy to spot, but you’ll have to look closely to see who’s on rodent patrol in this photo:
Now I have some complaining to do, and it isn’t about the weather.
If you saw a cheery little bee on a label that says ‘Canada’s Favourite/le favouri du Canada, established 1956, Canada #1’, where would you think that honey came from? Well, yes, this is a trick question, because on the back of those jolly looking bottles, in very fine print, it says, ‘a blend of Argentine and Canadian honey’, or on the organic option, ‘Product of Brazil’.
AS IF IT WEREN’T HARD ENOUGH TO BE A CANADIAN BEEKEEPER! In addition to mites, pesticides, GMO crops, colony collapse, and unstable weather, let’s add ridiculous labelling laws that all but hide the imported honey flooding the market! Oh, and impossibly cheap blueberries from China are shutting down our east coast berry growers, so the beekeepers who provide hives for pollination are out of luck there, too.
Delicious honey from the hives of a very hardworking local beekeeper is available in abundance at a market near you. Hey Canada, let’s do this right.
See you at the market!
Anne Freeman
P.S. Last call for Loyal Eaters! If you haven’t turned in your card yet, come and see us this week!
This Week’s Vendors:
Chocosol
Country Meadows
Culture City
DeFloured
Dufferin Park Bakers
Forbes Wild Foods
Kind Organics
Knuckle Down Farm
Marvellous Edibles
Monforte Dairy
Pine River Organic Farm
Plan B
Spade & Spoon
Urban Harvest
Waymac Farms