More Veggies than you can Shake a Stick at
Aug 9, 2018
This is one of those weeks when you’ll need a wheelbarrow to get all the items you want home from the market! So hard to choose with such an assortment. How about just one of each…? The Shared Harvest list: “We will have calalloo, beans, ground cherries, cherry tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, slicing cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, parsley, onions, garlic, persian basil, italian basil, tulsi (sacred basil), zucchini, beets, carrots and purslane.” Kevin Hamilton The Sosnicki Organic Produce contribution:... Read More
Trouble in Paradise
Aug 2, 2018
The market has always been open from 3 to 7 Thursday afternoons. However, for a very long time we’ve had a rule that if vendors are ready, they are allowed to sell from 2:30 on. This was agreed upon to accommodate passersby, who tell us they can’t possibly wait until 3 because they have to get to (fill in the blank) and they really need to buy (fill in this blank, too). Usually the 2:30 rule works out fine, but not when it comes to peaches! Last week, Debbie Wiecha brought the first TINY load of her legendary peaches to market,... Read More
A Day for a Daydream
Jul 26, 2018
It’s going to be another spectacular market, with our farmers and vendors bringing in just about everything that your dear heart desires. Summer veggies are abundant, from cherry tomatoes to new potatoes, green beans, and all the other classics. I’m hoping that all the farmers got the rain that was so much needed to bring on the crops. For just a sample of this week’s harvests, here’s the Everdale list: Rainbow beets, red beets, callaloo, orange carrots, rainbow carrots, chard, cilantro, field cucumbers, English... Read More
The Best Flavours of Summer
Jul 19, 2018
It’s going to be like a country fair this week, with all the growers vying for the winning display, and we get to take home the prize produce! Ted Thorpe called to say there will be a MASSIVE ZUCCHINI SALE. He’ll also have cherry tomatoes, two types of beans and two of carrots. For carrot connoisseurs, those will be a skinny type similar to the popular ‘Nelson’ variety, and an old-fashioned, tapered type, ‘Amsterdam’. He’ll have lots of other veggies as well, and a couple hundred quarts of late... Read More
Everything Under the Sun – or the Moon
Jul 12, 2018
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... Read More
Hurray for the Grove
Jul 5, 2018
Aren’t you glad our market isn’t in a parking lot? Come enjoy the shade and breezes of Dufferin Grove, and all the good food the farmers and vendors are bringing. The Park Staff is setting up a sprinkler for the kids (and maybe some adults, too.) Such a long list of notes this week! Ted Thorpe says he’s got phenomenal sugar snap and shelling peas, lots of zucchini, beets, all kinds of greens, and he’s hoping to bring a few of his cousin’s late strawberries. Mel Golba writes, “Things are growing well here at... Read More
Sweet Summertime
Jun 28, 2018
Sweet music to our ears from Debbie Wiecha of Niagara Lavender Farm: “I will have a few raspberries, plus lavender and cherries for market this Thursday.” From Sosnicki Organic Produce:”Berries will be in mass abundance. The patch is ripe and ready to go! We will sell by the quart, by the flat for jam and freezing, and by the pint for $4 as well. So everyone can enjoy berries!! Zucs have really slowed down, but we will still have some! Peas, peas and more peas!! The sweet shelling variety still. We’ll begin the sugar snaps next week.... Read More
The Summer Solstice Market News
Jun 21, 2018
On this longest summer day, the market will still last just four hours, but what a fine four hours it will be. Come early and stay late so you won’t miss a thing: From Sosnicki Organic Produce:”Strawberries! Peas! Zucchini! Kale! Lettuce! An abundant June here on farm. Very busy with harvest and planting all our fall and storage crops! And ducking storms! Toshimi and her daughter Koharu came over this past weekend and despite the heat the girls had fun harvesting together. See everyone soon,” Jessie, Ben and crew. Pine... Read More
Busy, Busy
Jun 14, 2018
Busy days on the farms mean a few changes to the roster, and many good things coming to market: Jessie Sosnicki says Ben will be bringing LOTS of strawberries, a few of the early ‘Wendy’ variety, but mainly the later ‘Jewel’ ones. Lots of lettuce, bunches of kale, and maybe the first few zucchini if they have time to pick them. Jennifer Osborne from All Sorts Acres wrote to explain that she can’t come this time: “Our hay guy has just told us that he is bringing in bales on Thursday. This means I need to be here to move 32000 lbs of hay into... Read More
Extra Special Events at the Market
Jun 7, 2018
So much to tell you! The word of the day has to be Strawberries, as we expect the first ones of the season. Ben and Jessie of Sosnicki Organic Produce are justifiably proud of their crop, which has absolutely nothing sprayed on it, and is produced with a mixture of vigilance, expertise, luck, and a lot of love. There may not be many berries, so if you want some, don’t delay. Next on the list, we have several Extra Special Events: We are hosting our first ever Word on the Street Pop-up! From 4 to 7, local authors will be reading from their... Read More