Gratitude and Plenty

I spent part of last week helping to pick vegetables at my brother’s fledgling market garden, and was reminded of just how much work it is to grow good food. It boggles the mind thinking about all the effort behind the abundant harvests coming in to Dufferin. No wonder there are a lot of exclamation marks in the emails from farmers!! Here’s some correspondence:

Knuckle Down Farm news: “We will have  a summery table this week with summer squash, sunflowers [see photo!] and the best tomatoes I have tasted in a long time! We will also have loads of garlic for all of your garlic needs. Lately I have been seeing the noble praying mantis all over the farm, even guarding the garlic as I trim, it is nice to have such welcome company in the garden!” Jenny 

From Everdale: “This week will be Farmer Jenn‘s first solo flight at the stall! Everybody be sure to give her a hard time. Joining her to help is superstar Jordan. Here’s the list: Basil, rainbow bunched beets, red bunched beets, broccoli, callaloo, rainbow carrots, orange carrots, rainbow chard, cilantro, English cucumbers, field cucumber, dill, eggplants, bulb fennel, bunched flowers, black kale, green kale, red kale, kohlrabi, head lettuce, fresh yellow onion, fresh red onions, green onions, parsley, new potatoes, salad mix, salad turnips, spinach, cherry tomatoes, slicing tomatoes, and zucchini!” Wolf Chrapko

The Sosnicki Organic Produce contribution: “There will be ample cherry tomatoes, beefsteak, roma, heirlooms galore! Tomato year!  Starting next week we will begin selling cases of romas. I expect the season to be longer and more plentiful so no rush as they will last into September.  On top of that we are going to sell bulk cherry tomatoes!  For roasting and freezing!  Total bumpercrop! For more info. go to: sosnickiorganicproduce.blogspot.com/2018/08/time-to-order-sauce-tomatoes-and-bulk.html?m=1
Lots of sweet corn, watermelons, cantaloupe, green peppers, sweet onions, cucumbers (new patch), kale, eggplant, potatoes and garlic!” Jessie, Ben and crew

A long-distance note from Ayse Akoner of Marvellous Edibles (who knows and grows more than she suggests!): “I am in Turkey, visiting family. So I am not exactly up to date as to what they are picking. I know that we have an abundance of squash, cucumbers, beans and tomatoes. Head lettuce, mesclun, kale, collards, swiss chard, hakurei turnips, green onions, herbs, garlic, new potatoes are all there. Corn is probably very close or ready. And we may have a few plums from the orchard as well. We are having a real drought at the farm and it has been a challenge to grow certain things.”

Forbes Wild Foods will have Lobster Mushrooms, Chanterelles, and maybe more wild blueberries.

From Debbie Wiecha of Niagara Lavender: “We have a wonderful load of fresh Freestone Red Haven peaches. The flavour is intense because of the heat. Time for freezing and preserving. We also have blackberries.” Once again, we will try to hold back the hordes until a reasonable time so the peaches aren’t gone too early.

Sorry, fry-lovers, Stas will be absent this week and next.

A note from Rafael of Tapioca Toronto: “I just have to say thank you for all the customers from Dufferin for this great season. This week we will have the tomato/zucchini with pesto tapioca crepe.

Leslie Brock of Red Dog Farm will be visiting with heirloom garlic, and Praveen Udagani of Flaxy will be sampling his flax products. The full list of vendors is below.

Don’t forget your Market Kit of reusable items to cut down on single use plastic.

Weather permitting, you are invited to join Balfolk in Social Folk Dancing, just south of the peaches throughout market hours! No experience necessary; any number of left feet welcome.
See you at the market,
Anne Freeman

P.S. Did you catch the impending ban on neonicotinoids in today’s news? This should happen faster, but at least it’s headed in the right direction:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-pesticides-linked-to-rising-number-of-honey-bee-deaths-will-be-phased/

Vendors this week:
Ali Harris: rotis, sandwiches, drinks
All Sorts Acres: lamb, sheep dairy, wool
Bees Universe: honey, bee products, eggs
ChocoSol: chocolate and chocolate beverages, coffee
Country Meadows: olives, oil, eggs, cheese
Culture City: fermented condiments and preserves, tempeh
DeFloured: savoury and sweet gluten-free baking
Dufferin Park Bakers: wood-fired oven breads, salads, snacks
Earth & City: salads, snacks and beverages
Everdale Farm: fresh organic produce
Flaxy (visiting vendor): Canadian flax products
Forbes Wild Foods: wild mushrooms, maple syrup & more
Fressy Bessie: organic unsweetened ice pops
Frogpond Farm: organic VQA wines
GreenFlorin: Moldovan nuts, oils, and dried fruits
Kind Organics: sprouts, salad mixes, teas, microgreens
Knuckle Down Farm: fresh organic produce
Marvellous Edibles: pastured meats, organic veg. & more
Monforte Dairy: cheeses from many milks
Niagara Lavender Farm: tender fruits, berries, lavender
Plan B: local and imported organic produce
Red Dog Garlic (visiting vendor): heirloom garlic varieties
Robinson Bread: fresh-baked sourdough breads and pastries
Shared Harvest Community Farm: fresh organic produce
Sosnicki Organic Produce: certified organic veggies
Tapioca Toronto: Brazilian style gluten-free crepes with market fillings
TC’s Tibetan Momos: vegetarian and meat-filled dumplings
Ted Thorpe: veggies
Urban Harvest: body care, seeds, soil amendments