Daylight is staying longer, the trees are filling in AND strawberries will be here soon. And tomatoes. With the summer produce coming the market continues to grow. This Saturday be sure to visit our new vendors Kosciks Greenhouses, Green Leaf Pastry, and Three-Two-Three. Three.Two.Three is a local new business venture. These women make & market unique handcrafted herbal products. All herbs are organic and all packaging is made from re-used recycled materials. They have herbal teas, herbal baths, their popular Chakra Focus pillows, Lavender eye pillows, and Snuggie Poos (adorable handcrafted stuffed toys filled with salt and lavender packs to warm up for that upset tummy or late night upset).

Kosciks are bring bushels full of fresh, ground-grown tomatoes from their greenhouses. Kim McCarvel owns Green Leaf Pastry and Green Fusion. You may have tried some of her organic baked treats or saw her artwork at the WOW event we participated in at the St. Anne’s Centre in April. Kim starts at the market this week and will be giving free cookies to those who bring their own bags and containers. St. Thomas Energy conservation specialist , Kathleen, will be with us this weekend to present all sorts of ideas and tips on energy conservation for your family. Did you visit the folks from Oegama’s last week? They will be back this week with turkey breasts, ground turkey, sausages, and medallions. Coffee, tea, muffins, scones, cookies, tarts - Courtney and Kate from Coffee Cultures are bringing more variety and quantity this week. Bring your own containers and stock up for the weekend. They will be selling their organic fair-trade coffee. Sit indoors at our café and listen to the Retreads – this is their last week at the market. We will be bringing in a variety of music and entertainment to please all the music lovers. Stay tuned for June’s venue…. And you asked, and McSmith’s listened – they will have bundles of fresh beet greens along with several other lettuce variety for all your summer salad needs. Someone mentioned to me on Saturday that he could smell something like….. Cinnamon? Fresh, made-in-front of your eyes – Sin-o-buns! What a treat! Bring your own container for these also although they may not make it home. Enjoy at the outdoor gravel café along with ‘brunch’ from the Pet Friends For Life BBQ. We know Farmgate’s bacon on a bun is a big hit at the café, and now they have teamed up with a bakery from London called Organic Works to bring a variety of gluten-free breads including spelt, light buckwheat and brown rice. These breads are fresh baked and freeze very well so see Farmgate’s for all your gluten-free breads!

Empire Valley is starting back this weekend. Look for their clay potted herbal arrangements, strawberry plants, and heritage tomato plants to get your garden going.

Last week’s winner of the customer appreciation draw was John & Sue O’Reilly. They took home a basket of goodies. Each vendor contributes something to this draw every week so be sure to fill out your name and number at the table inside – now set up at a table near the café. We welcome your suggestions, your input, and most importantly your presence at the market! The connectedness that happens every Saturday is so valuable and often intangible. It breathes new life into our community, it regenerates and it sustains. Continue to share and spread the word about St. Thomas’ Horton Farmers Market. Pass this e-mail along to everyone you know. Suggest meeting at the market for a coffee and a little social time. Look forward to seeing you at the market!

Cheers,
Tricia Herbert
Market Manager

May two-four has come and gone ...

... even though it happened May 16^th.

It did rain again – to be expected, right? But now we are in for sunny skies for the remainder of the market season. Although I actually do not mind the rain, it does not seem to deter our Saturday morning crowd at the market.

Calling all gardening enthusiasts – the St. Thomas Horticultural Society will be at the market this weekend with its’ annual plant sale. This is a one-time deal so you might want to get the pick of the crop.

Did you try the Dilly Dally Bean Dip from The Village Pantry of Belmont? Christine is very selective of her ingredients that go into this dip. AND her banana chocolate chip cookies are AMAZING! Really, it’s like eating a mini banana cake. This is one of the many side benefits of my role – taste testing!

I also brought my own carton and ‘picked’ a dozen eggs from Frisa Farms. Due to some regulations about eggs, they cannot re-use egg cartons – but you can! You can bring your own carton(s) and fill them at their egg cooler. They sold out of eggs last week! Be sure to say Hi to Hannah – our youngest market vendor.

The Oegema Turkey Shoppe is coming to the market for this Saturday! Turkey breasts and burgers – perfect for the grill.

And how about the Iron Spike Banger from Farmgates? Or maybe some bacon on a bun from Pets Friends for Life BBQ fundraiser? Farmgate will be supplying all their BBQ needs to help raise funds for these animal friends in-need.

What do you know about the Jacob Sheep breed?

From Gainford Forest Farm -

rare breed Jacob sheepskins. Local and naturally raised lamb and sheepskins.
Sheepskins are wonderfully cozy and comfortable on backs of chairs, car seats, wheel chairs and bedside floor. Used in hospitals to prevent bedsores.

Jacob sheep are said to be descended from the Biblical patriarch Jacob who kept spotted sheep.

Mary Edgar is a Canadian Volunteer for WENDWOA (West Nile Disadvantaged Women and Orphans Association). She spends half of her time in Uganda working with local artisans there who create beautiful jewelry from different seeds and rolled newspaper/magazine paper. The proceeds from the sale of this jewelry go directly back to benefit these disadvantaged women and children.

Vickie from Jaydancin was busy cooking last week! Cooking soap that is. All her products are naturally derived with as minimal processing and packaging as possible. Be sure to pick up some bubblegum or creamsicle soap for the kids.

Heritage Line Herbs brings a wide selection of dried herb blends perfect for seasoning your grilled veggies. They also have a large variety of ‘ready-to-plant’ herbs.

Be sure to have your croutons and ceasar dressing ready as McSmiths Organics has plenty of fresh, crisp romaine. Just look at the size of these and you will see proof of nature’s bounty.

Congratulations to Margaret Silverthorne! Her name was drawn for the first customer appreciation basket of the 2009 season. Remember to fill out a ballot inside at the market café. Include your name and phone number, and the winner will be contacted to pick up their prize the following Saturday at the market. All our vendors contribute to the basket.

There are so many things to tell you about… we have new vendors starting each week. We will be seeing some regular vendors starting back in the next few weeks bringing……. Strawberries, tomatoes and garlic.

Stay tuned and see you at the Market!

Cheers,

Tricia Herbert

Did you get a chance to visit the market this past Saturday?

What a great day to be had by all despite the torrential downpour. Thankfully, we now have the market building to shelter us a little from the seasonal weather. It felt a lot like a celebration … celebrating Mothers’ Day and the changing of the seasons AND welcoming the bounty of spring produce.

And then there’s that connection thing. I saw it everywhere – like old friends who hadn’t seen each other in a while. And customers who were happy to see some new vendors at the market like Frisa Farm Eggs and Boonie Doon Beach Glass Artistry.

Ray and Sandy from Farmgate have a few things they are cooking up specifically for the Horton Farmers Market. They have teamed up with our own local brewery, Iron Spike Brewery, to bring you the Iron Spike Banger sausage. Try a sample when you stop by to pick up all your deli and BBQ needs.

As the season progresses you may notice different faces inside the market building. Farmgate, City Coffee, Frisa Farm Eggs and Jaydancin will be inside for the entire market season. Some of our other vendors will rotate through the building and the outside pavilions. This way everyone gets a chance to experience the full market atmosphere and we keep it fresh.

McSmith’s Organics has lots and lots of lettuce! And spinach salad greens. I will never forget my first bite of salad that had just yesterday been growing in the soil – that is fresh! They will also have lettuce plants and heritage tomato plants in peat pots – ready to plant with way less impact on the environment then using plastic planters.

Did you know that asparagus is a highly labour-intensive crop to harvest? It is cut, washed, and bundled by hand. Spring Spear-it sold out – I know because I bought the last bunch of asparagus from them. The eager cousins Taylor and Rachael will be back this week with a bigger lot to sell.

Mary Joicus from Erie Gardens and her girls with the Kids Kraft Korner are master gardeners! Check out their bedding plants, potted flowers and cool craft ideas for kids of all ages! These girls bring crafts to the market each week and request a small donation only to offset their supply costs. They are looking for old large 2 or 4 holed buttons for an upcoming craft. So dig through your button collection and drop them off to the girls on Saturday.

Ethel Mitrovic knows pottery. This is one of my favourite photos. She was a trooper during that first windy, torrential rain on Saturday. Be sure to stop by her booth to see her unique creations.

Sandy Sullivan and her sister own and create for Boonie Doon Beach Glass Artristry. Her daughter Carly will be selling some unique jewelry and tablewares and they will have some ‘market-only’ specials coming up soon.

And Josie Allosery made the news with the St. Thomas Times Journal! She can be seen sharing her expertise with some market goers in the Tuesday May 12 edition.

Palmer’s Maple Syrup is back. I also tried their rhubarb maple syrup muffins. They did not last long – didn’t even make it home as a matter of fact.

And something that was so much fun and received rave reviews – The Retreads! This group of eager musicians played for four hours! We even had a few dancers take to the floor near the end of the day. They will be back for the month of May.

I welcome your comments and suggestions – keep them coming! I am always looking for new vendors, musicians and ideas for themes and events at the market. I have an office in the building although you may note I will rarely be in there; my tendency is to walk around. My card is there to pick up. Track me down on Saturday to say Hi.

See you at the Market!

Tricia Herbert

Market Manager

Horton Farmers' Market kick-off

Welcome to the slightly new venue bringing

The Horton Farmers' Market news to you each week.

A few things new for the 2009 season;

the newly renovated building is open for business,
a few new vendors,
a new market manager,
and more new visitors to the market.

Whether you are new to the market atmosphere or a seasoned repeat customer, there is something for you. I am so excited to have the opportunity to be part of our local farmers' market.

"A farmers market is an act of reconnection." (The 100-Mile Diet, Smith & MacKinnon - available at Oracles Book Shop on Talbot Street).

It is my intention with this newsletter/blog format to keep you in that act of reconnection. As I busily put together last minute details, I am including just a sample of our vendors for this year. Remember it is Mother's Day weekend - the market is a perfect place to start as there will be plenty of surprises and gifts for mom at the market.

We will have farm fresh eggs all season this year. Be sure to see Amber deJong from Frisa Farm eggs. She will bring flats and one dozen cartons, and starting May 16, you can bring your own carton(s) to fill.

Say hello to the folks at Farmgate Markets bringing a full range of meat, deli meats and cheeses available all year long.

Welcome to the little Sweet Shoppe of St. Thomas. Our own chocolatier is bringing a few sweet treats for all your special occasions.
And the new City Coffee are back with their certified organic fair-trade coffee, a full range of baked goods, sandwiches, and speciality drinks. You can sit at the indoor cafe and listen to some live music or lounge in the Gravel Cafe outside in the north pavilion and soak in a few rays of sun (me being optimistic that the weather will cooperate.

Jaydancin is back this year, and setting up shop in the building with soap-making workshops, all natural skin care products and mineral makeup.

Spring Roles for breakfast? I have heard that many times - Lotus Thai is famous for their spring rolls and will serve them up fresh every Saturday.

Have you tried watercress before? Beaverbrook Culinary Herbs will have fresh picked watercress available starting May 9th. Check out Michele's sample of recipes that include ideas for season-ready produce.

"Spring Spear-it" is a new venture starting at the market this year. Can you guess what fresh, hand-cut vegetable they are selling?

Did you know that the market provides a great venue for fundraising events? Pets Friends for Life will be there each Saturday selling Farmgates' Oktoberfest sausage and other BBQ specialities. You may also remember Word & Deed from last year selling fresh cut flowers (perfect for Mother's Day!), and the St. Thomas Senior Centre bringing Cherry Cheesecake Pies.

The market is growing - we have some seasoned veterans like Janssens, McSmiths Organics, Erie Gardens and Empire Valley Farms and some new farmers such as Kosciks Greenhouses and Debackere Farms, but you need to come and see for yourself.

As I have been saying a lot these days: ‘See you at the market!'