News

What’s Happening with the Market

Posted on by Anne Freeman
What's happening with the market
17
Mar

Hello Market Friends:
As you undoubtedly know, the list of shutdowns in Toronto is getting longer by the hour. Our permit for the market has been canceled and the rinkhouse is locked.

We had (and still have) high hopes of offering an alternative food pickup option, but the Medical Officer of Health has announced that there should be no gatherings of over 50 people, and since we can’t control how many people would show up to get food, we don’t feel right going ahead with our plan this week.

There are moves afoot to get farmers’ markets declared an essential service so we can remain open like the grocery stores. If you support this idea, please write to Ana Bailao (and/or other councillors) to express the logic behind regarding markets as important healthy food outlets that can operate safely and strengthen our local supply chain instead of selling mainly imported food. In Vancouver, for example, the markets remain open, and are working closely with Public Health to ensure added safety protocols are in place.

For the moment, there are ways to get the good food our farmers produce:

Marvellous Edibles is going to have another pop up market  at 97 Hilton Ave., in the St Clair & Bathurst area, this Saturday, March 21, between 9 am and 1 pm.
From Ayse: ‘In order to organise the orders a little better I am sending a link to an Excel Sheet with what we are offering for orders this week. To submit an order, please download or copy the sheet, fill and return.’  The form is here: http://www.dufferingrovemarket.ca/marvedform

What happening with the marketPlan B Organic Farm offers weekly certified organic food boxes, and there are drop-off locations at Dovercourt and Bloor and several other spots nearby.
Thanks to the spirit of teamwork among farmers, you can also add Bees Universe eggs to your order! Irina says to tell their regulars to use the number on their egg cartons or honey jars and give them a call, too.

Below is a sampling of information about choices, but you’ll find much more on their website, where you can place your order and choose your pickup place and time: planborganicfarms.ca

LOCAL ONLY SHARE (not exact items for this week)

  • $30 Small Local Share (local veggies & B.C. Apples) 8 items total – apples, roots, mushrooms, sprouts
  • $35 Large Local Share (local veggies & B.C. Apples) 12 items total – apples, roots mushrooms, sprouts
LOCAL & IMPORTED SHARE
  • $30 Small Share (local & imported)  8 Items total – fruit, roots, veggies, greens
  • $45 Large Share (local & imported) 12 items total – fruit, roots, veggies, greens

Additional items can be added or ordered by the pound, (or dozen-don’t forget the eggs)!

Ali Harris would be happy to talk to you about delivery options. Give him a call at 647-778-4341.

Heriter Farms will come in if several people want to place larger orders. Go to heriterfarms.com to see the range of organic beef and pork on offer, and then call Patrick at 416-704-1066. Consider asking friends and neighbours if they would like to go in on a large freezer order. Barbeque season is coming….

First Fish welcomes emails: info@firstfish.ca. They have:

  • Arctic Char Fillets, $12/package
  • Turbot Fillets, $12/package
  • Cold Smoked Arctic Char, $12/package
  • Hot Smoked Arctic Char, $12/package

Please browse through the vendor pages on dufferingrovemarket.ca to reach others. We’ve been updating our vendor list and checking that everybody’s contacts are there, but if you find one that doesn’t work, let me know! Several have ordering options already (such as Forbes Wild Foods) and others would be happy to hear from you and discuss options.

We encourage you to watch your inbox and tell friends to sign up for market news, as this isn’t the last you’ll hear from us. We hope to find workable and safe ways to get more local food to you soon.

For now, let’s all pause. This too shall pass.
Yours,
Anne