Everything Under the Sun – or the Moon

Everything Under the Sun - or the Moon

Last week, Debbie Wiecha arrived looking uncharacteristically tired. She said her husband had woken her up at 4:30 to pick fruit because it was cool then. Ted Thorpe starts his tractor work pretty soon after that, and you can bet the other farmers are getting up extra early, too. Kevin Hamilton was talking about farming by the light of the moon as the solution.  Somehow, the work has got to get done, and judging by Jessie Sosnicki’s speedy note, it’s a very busy time: “Heirloom tomatoes, new potatoes, cucumbers galore! Some kale, peas too! Will be a great market!!!”

We are looking forward to the return of Knuckle Down Farm, with their new family member, Max. Here’s the news from Jenny: “We are excited for our first week back at market for 2018! We will be bringing a big load of garlic scapes, for anyone who hasn’t made enough pesto to last them through the season, as well as the final harvest of our radishes and sugar snap peas! If Max lets me put him down long enough, we will also have lovely bunches of kale, swiss chard, collards, and even a limited supply of spicy salad mix for those of you who have been missing it. Hope to see you there!”

Callaloo!

Here is an entirely different produce list from Kevin at Shared Harvest: “This week we have Red Callaloo, cabbage, wild purslane, beets, carrots, beans, zucchinis, salad mix, lettuce heads, fennel, fresh garlic, dill, cilantro, daikon and salad turnips.”

More good things from Niagara Lavender Farm: “We are coming to market with a lovely load of lavender, black raspberries, raspberries and the last of the sweet cherries. See you there,” Debbie

Ted Thorpe says he’ll be bringing plenty of strawberries from his cousin’s farm, as well as lots of his own veggies.

Add all the choices coming from our other market farms, and you’ve got pretty much every good summertime thing to eat that grows in Ontario.

Urban Harvest, Waymac and Pine River will be absent.

Johnny and Hiren, the friendly faces behind Bahas Food.

Stas will also be away for the next couple of weeks, but TC’s Tibetan Momos is coming for an extra visit this time, and we’ll have lots of other prepared foods to choose from for easy dinners after your shopping.

Drop by the Boomerang Bags Waste Reduction Zone and learn how to prepare some easy, cost-and-waste saving beverages! Nikki and her team of volunteers will be doing several different demos throughout the afternoon. Check out all our Summer Events  on the www.dufferingrovemarket.ca calendar!

Speaking of beverages, you’re going to want plenty of cucumbers, mint and other cool additions to water to keep you happily hydrated through the heat. In honour of Debbie Wiecha’s hard work, here’s a cocktail (or mocktail) recipe featuring ingredients from Niagara Lavender Farm’s list:

Black Raspberry and Lavender Mojito

Lavender Syrup
1 Tbsp, lavender florets
1 cup water
1 cup organic sugar
Bring to a boil, stirring and simmering until the sugar has fully dissolved. Turn off heat and let stand at least 15 minutes, strain, then cool completely. May be kept for a month in the fridge.

Mojito  
1 stem of fresh mint
1.5 ounces white rum (if desired)
1 ounce lime juice
1 ounce lavender syrup
a handful of black raspberries
2 ounces soda
ice

In a tall glass, crush the mint with some ice and mix with the rum, lavender syrup, and lime juice. Add the berries and bruise them a bit, then fill the glass with soda and an extra ice cube. A toast to our farmers!

(You can find this on our Recipes page, too.)

George the Banjo Man (who really is 93 now) called to say he has written a song about the market and will be coming by about 4 o’clock to play it for us, so a toast to him is in order, too. 
See you at the market!
Anne Freeman

p.s. We need clean, used shopping bags for our ‘take a bag, leave a bag’ depot at the market info. table. Please bring any you can spare!

Vendors this week:
Ali Harris: rotis, sandwiches, drinks
All Sorts Acres: lamb, sheep dairy, wool
Baha’s Food: samosas, hot sauces, curries
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
Forbes Wild Foods: wild mushrooms, maple syrup & more
Fressy Bessie: organic unsweetened ice pops
GreenFlorin: Moldovan nuts, oils, and dried fruits
Kind Organics: sprouts, salad mixes, teas, microgreens
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
Shared Harvest Community Farm: fresh organic produce
Southbrook Wines: local, organic, VQA
Spade & Spoon: preserves, maple syrup
Tapioca Toronto: Brazilian style gluten-free crepes with market fillings
TC’s Tibetan Momos: vegetarian and meat-filled dumplings
Ted Thorpe: veggies and greens, strawberries