What Season Is It, Anyway?
Feb 28, 2021
Hello Market Friends: When Clay and Paper Theatre’s David Anderson arrived a little late to pick up his order, he said, “Until an hour ago, it was Wednesday!” Know the feeling? Well, the big thaw we’re getting suddenly makes some of this week’s photographs look out of season, but I want to share them with you before snowy shots really go out of style! Up top, the frosty splendour of the Canadian Organic Seed Company Farm, captured by Christine Halbot. Christine also managed to get a couple of pictures of their guest from the Arctic... Read More
I Hope This Newsletter Finds You Well
Feb 21, 2021
Wild Hedgehog Mushrooms fresh from Oregon, available from Forbes Wild Foods. Buttery flavour and very versatile! Hello Market Friends: I’ve been having such a difficult time thinking about Purim. I’ve been so excited for our Purim bags (Mishloach Manot) we have this week for the holiday. The incredible Sarah has spearheaded our Matanot L’evyonim program and is doing an amazing job. In the first 6 hours the shop was open this week, we had 32 requests for Purim gift certificates to feed people experiencing food insecurity! It’s so heartwarming... Read More
Oxen, Cardinals, Hearts and… Spinach
Feb 14, 2021
Hello Market Friends: Happy Year of the Ox! There is no question that we need the patience and stubbornness of oxen this year, but also the gentleness and hardworking traits they are known for. I just learned a Mandarin greeting: chun jie kuai le, which means Happy Spring Festival. Gung hay fat choy to Cantonese speakers! Sending wishes to speakers of other Asian languages for health and happiness in the year ahead, too! Miles Hearn, the Port Credit field naturalist who took this gorgeous photo of a pair of Northern Cardinals, recently wrote... Read More
Fabulous February
Feb 7, 2021
Hello Market Friends: Last Thursday we honoured the beginning of Black History Month with a poem read by the amazing Nicole Jacobs. The author was Whitney French, who arrived to pick up her market order later in the day! We are humbled by the talents of our market supporters. Nicole’s writing begins the news this week: “February is ironically, a jam-packed month, despite it being the shortest. As we know, February is typically quite cold for us Canadians. So Groundhog Day for example, garners much excitement and anticipation, with the promise... Read More
Bringing You Some Sunshine
Jan 31, 2021
Brothers Rodrigo and Alvaro Venturelli of Plan B Organic Farms | Photo by Lisa Logan Hello Market Friends: I hope you have a chance to get out and catch a few rays of winter sun! It does the heart good, and despite the chilly weather, the sunlight is getting stronger by the day. This year, even more than usual, root cellars and storerooms on the farms are nearly bare. With the paradoxical combination of increased demand for local food, and so much uncertainty about whether they would be allowed to sell at farmers’ markets, many growers opted... Read More
Gratitude News
Jan 24, 2021
Hello Market Friends: This week, we send our thanks and very best wishes to Reverend Gary van der Meer of St. Anne’s, who is moving to a new position in Ottawa. Gary has been a great market and community supporter, and will be much missed! I also want to tell you about four women who hold up a big piece of the market sky. But let’s begin with the news about what’s to eat, because our vendors have been very busy creating tasty new things for us! Calling all Vegans! Rafael of Tapioca Toronto has an excellent announcement: “We have just added... Read More
Food Stories 🍰
Jan 17, 2021
Hello Market Friends: There were plenty of notable things about my paternal Grandmother, including that she played field hockey and went on a canoe trip for her honeymoon. However, many anecdotes about her were connected to food. Once I heard her described as really knowing how to scrape every last bit of batter from a bowl. It seemed a funny thing to praise about an interesting and intelligent woman, but then my Grandmother raised five sons and two daughters mainly during the depression, and there were usually extra people at her table. She... Read More
Who Knew? 🌰
Jan 10, 2021
Hello Market Friends: Now that we are really sure 2020 is behind us, it seems worth a brief backwards glance. Can you believe that in December we passed 10,000 orders and 100,000 items purchased through our shop? This certainly did not seem like where we were headed on the windy April Thursday when a small band of chilly helpers ran between the farm trucks parked on the north edge of the park grabbing items to fill orders, and then delivered them until late that night– and all day Friday! If you like statistics, it is heartening to see... Read More
Cozy Comfort from the Market
Jan 3, 2021
Happy 2021, Market Friends! I hope you have enjoyed some restful time over the past weeks. It is nice to be back, corresponding with our farmers and vendors, and thinking about all the good things we have to offer you! Please note that we have a few absences and some vendors who will be coming every other week for the next while. A full list is below. The Market Roster: Kooner Farms, Thorpe’s and Aldergrove are finished until spring. MotherDough Mill & Bakery and Sosnicki Organics are attending the market this week and every... Read More
A Wish for Light ⭐
Dec 13, 2020
Adam from Spade & Spoon sent this remarkable photograph he took in their sugarbush, of shadowy trees waiting for the light to reach past that cold blue line, so like many of us have felt with each passing day and season. Chanukah candles are brightening windows, the solstice is almost here, and the light will grow stronger again. Last Thursday at the depot, we were all charmed by the playful veggie ornaments Gretel has been making. She explained that many people are commemorating 2020 with negative souvenirs, but these are reminders of a... Read More