Special Delivery!

We are tickled pink by the comments rolling in with our survey! If you haven’t shared your views yet, please don’t delay. There is lots to organize before MAY 19TH, (did we mention that is the first day of the Park Market Season?) and we are counting on you to tell us your thoughts about our plans. 

Don’t forget that farmers and vendors are still working mighty hard to keep you supplied with delicious healthy food NOW, and our pickers, packers and drivers are ready to swing into action to get orders ready and out the door. 

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Did you ever wonder what motivates our delivery team? We have an insider’s account from this week’s guest writer, Jay Brodbar:

Special Delivery

Abba, we need another driver this week.  

Abba is Hebrew for Dad. A very sweet word to my ears. At the other end of the phone was my daughter Sarah, who, with the start of Covid, was involved in transforming the Market to an online entity.

Hard for me to refuse Sarah. No longer working for pay and relieved of the daily grind, I had lots of flexibility. Sure, I would help out.

Now here we are, almost two years later. What was a one afternoon commitment has turned into a weekly one. With untold benefits. It was a great feeling to help out the farmers and vendors navigate the challenges of Covid. It was a great feeling to get that special nurturance to shoppers who needed home delivery. And in truth, it was a surprising benefit to me, someone who lives alone, to get out on a weekly basis to do some good and be back in society given all the restrictions of the plague.

It was quite educational to be at the depot—sometimes with the feel of Union Station— and witness the incredible organization at work. The pickers, packers, the schedulers, etc. And so much more work that was not visible to me.

In my own corner, it was coordinating regarding my route(s) and packing my car. Slowly, over time, I developed a system. Typically, I would get my list a day or two before. I would map out the route and print out the order number, customer name, address and phone number. At the depot I would note with pen (in a code that has developed over time) what I was loading in the car. This is especially important since items needing refrigeration are loaded separately.

Over time, via trial and error, Kristi, my main contact, and I have developed a wonderful system. Thursday AM, I email her my route. When I come for pick up, orders are waiting for loading in their proper order. The refrigerated/frozen items loaded in reverse order, last deliveries on the bottom. This is especially welcomed; digging among cold bags on the route to find an item was one of the tasks I (and my fingers) enjoyed least. We have developed a notation system for my list as we load that mitigates the chance for error. Thanks, Kristi!

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Once on the road, I typically call my customers just before delivery. This is the best part of the job, often getting to chat. A special bonus is getting to know folks on a more personal level, either on the phone or on the porch. 

In winters, blocked streets and icy walks can be a hazard. Typically, getting stuck behind a working garbage truck is the biggest challenge. Oh well, that should be the worst challenge facing me.

Bottom line, it is praiseworthy work. Rain, shine, snow (and even the occasional hail), I am honoured to be part of this dedicated crew.

Farm news:

From Jennifer at All Sorts Acres

Lambing is almost finished here at the farm which means milking has begun!

Fresh sheep milk is available in 1 litre jars. If there is enough interest we can also offer 3.78 litre plastic jugs.

Our Kefir is one of our most popular products. Like our milk, it’s also being offered in 1 litre jars.

Watch out for some new sheep milk items in the near future. In the meantime, here are some very cute lamb pictures!

Summergreen’s mushrooms are almost too beautiful to eat without painting them first! This is what arrived in one box of Woodchopper’s Mix.

Speaking of woodchoppers, Liz from Essa Seedlings and Sprouts is unable to come to market this week because her son got a concussion from a falling branch while cutting wood in their sugar bush. He is on the mend, but he had booked a school group to tour the bush on Thursday and Liz needs to stand in for him.

Another, longer absence: Mother Dough’s baking will not be on the site anymore because not enough people are ordering to justify the 8 hours it takes to bake for us. 

We don’t like to scold, but this is an example of USE IT OR LOSE IT. Please don’t take the online market or your local producers for granted! The exceptional foods and personal service you have come to expect will only be available if you shop the online market.

See you soon, okay?

Anne & the Crew