Sweet Eats

Sweet days are here, strawberry season is underway. Quantities are limited, hope you get what you’re hoping for. It’s carrot, green garlic, asparagus and mushroom and head lettuce season too!

Everdale news: “This week we’ll have some of our first carrots that were planted back in February! There’s also asparagus, herbs, baby kale, salad mix, arugula, spinach, specialty greens, bok choi, green onions and radish.
This is our new farmer Jordan and those are some of this year’s freshly planted peanuts in the background.” Kyle

The Sosnicki Organic Produce report: “We are cutting gorgeous big heads of romaine, redleaf and butterhead! More bunched beets, carrots and green garlic! And the strawberries :))” Jessie

Debbie Wiecha says the buds are showing some purple at Niagara Lavender Farm, and the raspberries are in bloom, so we will see her pretty soon!

All this news is good, but it’s still a challenging season for many. Jens from Marvellous Edibles told me he was out on the tractor til 10 pm the night before last market because opportunities to catch up on planting have been so scarce. It sounded exhausting, but he grinned and said tractor work is nice because it’s sitting down.  Such is the life of a farmer in June! Shared Harvest has had major delays and crop losses, so they’ve had to postpone their return by one more week, and Knuckle Down Farm, Ted Thorpe and Pine River will be absent this time. We’re going to see some gaps in supply because of the spring we had.

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo Bakeshop will be bringing gluten-free breads to the market on the first and third Thursday of each month. You’ll find Yuliya and/or Denis up top among the prepared food vendors.

We want to taste the world from A to Z at our local market, so we’re excited to try the savoury Zimbabwean Hand Pies prepared by Evis Chirowamhangu of Mnandi Pies! They’ll be next to Cock-A-Doodle-Doo.

While you’re there, visit the rest of the skilful and inspired people busily making market diners happy, too!

Tackling Waste
There were years when the most commonly mentioned environmental tip was to turn off the tap while you brushed your teeth, and it was easy to ignore bigger issues. Not so these days. Small actions can be more than a distraction, though; if they start conversations and shift habits, they can add up. This summer we’ll be sharing ideas from far and near to reduce waste. In preparation, we’re putting a call out—or make that two calls:
1) Do you have any light coloured sheets or sheer curtains that are past being useful? If so, could you bring them along to drop at our information table?
2) Do you have a sewing machine, and/or basic sewing skills? If so, would you do a little sewing at home, or during the market on June 22nd? Curious readers are invited to send a note to info@dufferingrovemarket.ca or speak to Anne, Pia, or our volunteers Gabrielle or Kira.

If you are interested in the City’s plans in the works for the rinkhouse and market area, reports assessing the current state of repair, requirements, and some of the possible changes to be made are now available on
www.dufferingrove-northwestrevitalization.ca.

See you at the market!
Anne Freeman

This Week’s Vendor List:
Ali Harris
Bees Universe
Chocosol
Cock-A-Doodle-Doo Bakeshop
Country Meadows
Culture City
DeFloured
Dufferin Park Bakers
Earth & City
Everdale
Forbes Wild Foods
Fressy Bessie
Kind Organics
Marvellous Edibles
Mnandi Pies
Monforte Dairy
Plan B
Sosnicki Organic Produce
Spade & Spoon
Stas
Tapioca Toronto
Urban Harvest
VQA Wines: Southbrook
Waymac Farms