Mini-News for a Mega-Market Week

I’ve flown the coop for a week, but I’m sending a news brief to help you plan market-inspired menus.

Kevin Hamilton is testing the weight-bearing capacity of market tables these days with his weekly piles of produce from Shared Harvest, and look at this list from Wolf Chrapko of Everdale:

Basil, beans, bunched beets, rainbow carrots, orange carrots, rainbow chard, cilantro, dill, tart green grapes, bunched kale, lemon balm, head lettuce, mint, green onions, red fresh onion bunches, yellow fresh onion bunches, parsley, radish, salad mix, specialty greens mix,  loose spinach, bunched spinach,  summer squash, green and yellow zucchini, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, salad turnips, and fresh organic flower bunches!

There are quite a few varieties ripening one after another at Niagara Lavender Farm, so the peach forecast looks excellent. The truckloads are bigger now, but we have yet to see Debbie‘s supply last til 7, so do try to come as early as you can. On other tables, melons and wild blueberries will be available too!

Blythe reports that many, many cucumbers have been transformed into pickles, and Spade & Spoon will have both fermented and vinegar-brine varieties this week. The cucumber harvest is not quite finished yet though, so market helper Margot will be staffing the table while the work in the fields and kitchen continues!

Neighbour Jackie Nguyen of Oatkey is coming to introduce you to her tasty oat and nut milks. We were pleased to learn that Jackie sources organic Ontario oats, and tasters were unanimous; every flavour is delicious.

This is the week with no park bread. Fortunately Patti Robinson, who comes every other week with Robinson Bread local-grain sourdough baking, has agreed to bake extra. There will be the usual snacks, salads, and focaccia pizzas, and bread returns next week.

Thank you for your patience through the construction surrounding us. Most of the work should be finished soon. In the meantime, if you are coming by car, consider parking on Gladstone or other streets just east of the market around the park.

A Special Musical Treat: Richard Underhill and Friends are going to play a set or two for us during the latter half of the market.

Hope you enjoy the market!
Anne Freeman

This Week’s Vendors (subject to last-minute changes):

Ali Harris
All Sorts Acre
Bees Universe
Chocosol
Country Meadows
Culture City
DeFloured
Dufferin Park Snack Bar (but not bakers)
Earth & City
Everdale
Forbes Wild Foods
Fressy Bessie
Frogpond Farm Wines (2nd market of the month)
Kind Organics
Knuckle Down Farm
Marvellous Edibles
Monforte Dairy
Niagara Lavender Farm
Oatkey (visiting vendor)
Pine River
Plan B
Robinson Bread (every other week)
Rootcare (2nd market of the month)
Shared Harvest
Sosnicki Organic Produce
Spade & Spoon
Stas
Tapioca Toronto
Ted Thorpe
Urban Harvest
Waymac