Has it Really Been 6 Months???

It would seem I just started this blog, figured out how to get it from my computer to yours (with some expertise help from NH), laughed more than once about a comment that was made about a market experience, and now, here we are. The last market day of this season, this Saturday, October 31st. (picture to the right is the first day -May 9, 2009)

Many of our vendors operate year-round from their own business locations. Visit the Jaydancin booth inside the building to pick up your free handmade soap - at the market this Saturday only. As a Thank You gift you the customers. You can visit Jaydancin Body & Soul at their year round location on Main Street in Sparta. Gredigs Orchards will have baked goods made from the team at Arthur Voaden culinary class - they have some apples and cider available at their farm location on Ron McNeil Line close to hwy 74. Oegema's operates the Turkey Shoppe at their farm on hwy #4 Talbotville. Farmgate Markets operates a year-round shop at 310 Wellington St - you can also pick up tickets for the Harvest Fest at Farmgates if you miss getting them at the market this weekend. (and there are many more I have mentioned throughout the season)

So much gratitude to all our vendors - this was an AMAZING season and you all deserve a big Thank You! It has been rewarding to watch and be a part of the growth, friendships, and community bonding that has cycled out from the market.

Your chance to socialize and chat with the vendors and other market goers is fast arriving. Harvest Fest Family Open House is Saturday, November 7th 6pm-9:30pm at the market building. Appetizers are prepared by local chef Kim Saunders of The Windjammer Inn of Port Stanley. Coffee, Hot Apple Cider, and wine samples from Quai du Vin are also on the venue. I am looking forward to the photo slide show that charts the memories of the last 6 months - you may see a few pics of yourself in there! We have a table set up this Saturday to sell tickets for Harvest Fest. This will be your last chance to purchase tickets at the market. Why not make it an evening out for you and a group of friends. The kids will enjoy the activities table and everyone, including the vendors, gets a chance to mingle.

And here I linger, a little hesitant to sign off for the night. This is not good bye, but rather see you soon. (or hearing from me again soon). I will send out one more update about Harvest Fest and I will keep in touch over the winter. Maybe a few ways we can help maintain and sustain our local economy.... maybe exciting news about what we're planning for the 2010 Market Season.

See you at the Market!

Tricia Herbert

Market Manager

Harvest Fest Tickets Are Ready.....

The Horton Breakfast Sandwich has become an integral part of the market experience. This week's celebrity chef is Mike Robbins of Kettle Creek Inn of Port Stanley.

The Kettle Creek Inn menu is built around the belief in buying locally—they have developed a long list of local suppliers. Mike has been at the Inn for just over 3 years. He completed Culinary Management Training at Canador College in Barrie and enjoyed stints as chef in Barrie, Collingwood and Wasaga Beach. Born and raised in St. Thomas he was happy to move back to the area near family. I am looking forward to my standard 2 count!

Now, for those details about Harvest Fest. We are hosting a year-end open house at the market building on Saturday, November 7th from 6 – 9:30pm and you’re invited.

You may know Kim Saunders, local chef from the Windjammer Inn in Port Stanley (she flipped a 'whack' of eggs last week as celebrity chef). She is preparing an assortment of sweet and savoury appetizers for this event using as much of our vendors’ products as possible. We are so excited to be hosting the open house at the market building this year – a great way to end the 2009 season; the first season the building has been in full market operation in many years.

The theme is strictly fun and social time. An opportunity to chat with the vendors, members of the board, and other market-goers. There will be an on-going video presentation of the memories captured from the full season as well as an activity table for the kids. The food and beverage samplings come from many of our vendors, including Quai du Vin (samples only; this is not a licensed event).

There are a limited number of tickets for this event. Adults @ $15 each, children (5-12yrs) $10 each. You can purchase your tickets at the market for the next two Saturdays (cash only) – we will have a table set up inside the building. Or you can purchase tickets at any of the following locations: Farmgate Markets at 310 Wellington Street; Oracles Book Shop at 556 Talbot Street; by return email to me to arrange if you are unable to access any of these avenues.
And the vendors keep coming! This week say Hello to new vendors Eileen from Sparta Scrapbooking (she will have pre-made kits for your holiday scrapbooking needs), Karen Huber of Aylmer will have fall produce and decorative items and Hunter Beamish is returning to the market with squash and pumpkins. This is the perfect time to pick up those jack-o-lantern pumpkins!

Mother Nature's Kitchen and Tip Toes Body Care are away this week but will be back for our market season finale on October 31st. The kids will love the straw-bale maze on the 31st. I hear there is lots to find hidden inside the maze - come dressed up - why not make Halloween last all day?

Lastly, the customer appreciation draw has been moved indoors - close to the indoor cafe. It is a little chilly outdoors and the fingers are not moving the pen to paper quite so well.

Look forward to seeing you at the market!

Cheers,

Tricia

To Market, to market, to buy.....

What a beautiful weekend Thanksgiving turned out to be! Sunny skies and a little warmer temperature made for a picture perfect day. Special thanks goes to Patti Kilmer (my aunt) who is our volunteer photographer. She has done an amazing job of capturing the memories and the bounty of the market this season. Her photos are posted on the interior walls of the building and throughout this blog. I have not even used half of the photos she has taken as I tend to return to my favourites. I am putting together a post-season photo collage that will be available for the Harvest Fest being held at the market building on November 7, 2009.

Harvest Fest has been approved by city council to be held at the market building this year. We are excitedly putting together the details of this celebratory family open house to be held Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 6 – 10pm. This is a time to socialize, to celebrate the 2009 market season, and to gather our wish list for the 2010 season. We will have appetizers, desserts and beverages for all ages. Tickets are $15 each, $10 for children ages 5- 12 (4 & under free). This is a ticket-only event so you may want to purchase yours early to avoid disappointment. I will be taking prepaid orders this weekend and will provide further details in the near future of other locations where you can pick up tickets for this special event.

You may have noticed a particular vendor at the market for the last few weeks promoting the Doors Open Ontario, which is happening this weekend in St. Thomas. The St. Thomas Horton Farmers’ Market building is one of several sites featured on the St. Thomas tour. The market will operate as usual from 8am to 12 noon, however, the building will remain open to the general public for self-guided tours, until 4pm.

Celebrity chef this week for the Horton Breakfast Sandwich combo is Kim Saunders from the Windjammer Inn of Port Stanley. Kim was one of our local chefs at the popular Freshfest event in August. Her menu at the Windjammer Inn is loaded with fresh and local fare. I'm sure we will keep her busy with our breakfast sandwich orders if last weeks' sales are any indication - Wade Fitzgerald from Garlic's made a whopping 150 sandwichs. (and yes, I had my usual 2 although someone tried to announce that I was back for a 3rd but I was only ordering for my Aunt)

The St.Thomas Hawks Football Teams are raising money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Team members will be dying their hair blue this Sunday after practice and then shaving it all off in two weeks at the Elgin Mall. Visit the Jaydancin booth inside to pledge for this fundraiser and to purchase tickets for a gift-basket worth $75 of Jaydancin products. (tickets for the basket draw are $5). All money raised from the gift-basket draw will be donated to this fundraiser.

We are continuing to collect non-parishable food donations for the Caring Cupboard. Remember to bring your donations to the market and leave in the bin set up in the back lobby of the building. Thank you.

You will notice the market contracting a bit more each weekend. ONLY three market days remaining for the 2009 season. Watch for our season finale Straw Bale Maze on October 31st. Fun for kids and adults alike - I wonder if any of the vendors will dress up for Halloween at the market? This is the last week for McSmith’s Organic Produce at the market. Their farm on Shorelea Rd is open year-round for organic meat, poultry and eggs. Rgrow Farms is done for another year as is DeBackere Farms. Canados Mini doughnuts and Sin-o-Buns are both finished for this season.
We had 34 vendors this past weekend – which means there are plenty of vendors still coming to market. (Guess how many times I have heard the jig: “To market, to market, to buy….. I love it!)

I want to start sharing my list of most favourite things about the market. To wind down the season gently. My MOST favourite thing is the recounting of stories about the market, about how it used to be in the good ole' days and how it ‘feels’ like that again. Those memories are priceless. Not only do they live on from years past but we are creating new ones along side of them. Another of my favourite things is the FUNNY jokes that have been told. I cannot recount them here, but you can ask me about them later. And one more thing for this chat – the camaraderie and partnerships formed between vendors. So key to strengthening our local community and economy and it just happens naturally.

Many thanks and see you at the market.

Cheers,

Tricia Herbert

Market Manager

A few Last Minute Updates for this weekend...

Hello All,

It would appear that Mother Nature has other plans this weekend, thus affecting our planned straw-bale maze for the kids. We are moving this activity to be our season finale occurring on Saturday, October 31, 2009.

Also, we would love to donate to the Caring Cupboard but our parishable items are not easily donated. What we can do though, is ask you to bring a non-parishable item to the market for the remaining market days and we will glady drop the donations off at the Caring Cupboard. We will have bins set up inside the market building for your donations. Thank You.

Lastly, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There will be volunteers situated at the market this weekend collecting donations for the pink ribbon campaign.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Tricia Herbert
Market Manager

Thanksgiving at the Horton Farmers' Market....

Thanksgiving at the market has me counting my blessings. Honestly, for all the things we can complain about, we have much more to be thankful for. Freedom of speech, accessible running water, shelter, our choice of where to buy our morning coffee, and a community to call home, to name only a few.

You won’t be able to miss our Straw-bale maze at the west end of the pavilions. Bring the kids and join them on a mini tour through the maze. There will be candy treats at the end of the maze. And for the Thanksgiving celebration at home, pick up a fresh turkey from Oegema's (they will have approximately 20 available with little other stock for this Saturday) and a pumpkin or apple pie from the ladies of the Fingal United Church.

The Horton Breakfast Sandwich combo has taken on a life of it’s own. Celebrity guest Wade Fitzgerald from Garlic’s of London is cooking up the breakfast sandwich – a la Wade. Wade’s background is diverse, starting with his beginnings in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, chef training in PEI, working through Halifax, Ottawa, and landing in London at Garlic’s in 2007. His mandate is to support the local growers and producers and he often visits the farms to develop a personal relationship with the growers. He’s bringing his own specialty bun and adding the option of fresh lettuce and tomato. Yum – definitely a two sandwich day for me!

And this note from Kim McCarvell of Green Leaf Pastry: I will have a limited number of fresh apple and fresh pumpkin pies( all individually handcrafted and decorated with leaf shaped pastry) as well as the usual tarts, squares and cookies. Also, my soon to be famous Golden Jewel Butter(a decadent take on cranberry sauce!!- my husband's grandmother reportedly ate hers by the spoonful out of the jar!!) as well as other fruit jams. NEW THIS WEEK - the long awaited Gluten-free pumpkin, apple and butter tarts & date squares. This is my second last week at the market so I will have information available on how to order Christmas baking(thinking ahead) For the little kids(and big ones too) there are Thanksgiving sugar cookies. Also, three kinds of foccacia bread this week- Sundried Tomato Herb, Olive Fougasse, and Fresh Herb and Feta.

This is the last week for Janis Smith Flowers – Janis and Mark are bringing ornamental pumpkin centerpieces to complete your Thanksgiving table. Also, the last week for Rgrow Farms and DeBackere Farms. We’re starting to wind down the 2009 season, with our last market day being October 31st.

To celebrate the 2009 season, we are holding a Market Harvest Fest on Saturday November 7th. This is an opportunity to celebrate a wonderful season at the market building. It will give everyone (vendors, customers, kids, city officials, and manager) a chance to mingle and socialize. It will be an Open House from 6 – 9pm, and there will be samplings of appetizers and desserts, sourcing everything local from the market. We have many details to put together in a short period of time – I will be sending out a separate email regarding just this event, including ticket details and menu items.

Four more market days left. I can remember marking off my calendar when I began this position – 26 market days. That’s the longest amount of time I have consistently arose at 5am on a Saturday morning (Ray may attest to that as he has made it to the market doors maybe a few times before me). I don’t mind the early mornings, what is more difficult for me is when the party’s over. It gets really quiet very quickly shortly after 12 noon. I imagine though that it is much like that whenever there are large amounts of people in short periods of time - just want the fun and blessings to continue.

Cheers and see you at the market!

Tricia Herbert

Market Manager

Happy October.....

The first Saturday of the month of October and hence, the St. Thomas Public Library will be at the market this weekend. Be sure to bring your library card and take home a few timely books about fall and harvest.

We have been harvesting a bit of rain these last few days and will likely continue into the weekend. Rain at the market does not seem to be a problem – our pavilions are sheltering structures, and of course we have the indoor building which also provides shelter and blessed warmth. New inside the building this week is Carol Smith Permanent Christmas Trees. Carol is a returning vendor to the market and will be lighting up the inside this year with her crafty creations.

We continue to average 32 vendors per Saturday. That number includes various vendors finishing for the season and new vendors just beginning. And then there are those who have been here full-time from May 9th right to October 31st. New vendors this week include Quai du Vin with their Concord Sparkingly Grape Juice (non-alcoholic beverage). Sin-o-buns, RGrow Farms, and DeBackere Farms will be done on Thanksgiving weekend, so if you're like my mom and have been waiting for a special occasion to try the sin-o-buns, Thanksgiving is it!

Watch for LOCAL CELEBRITY CHEFS cooking up the Horton Breakfast Combo during the month of October. The breakfast sandwich combo has been a huge success this season. Kudos of gratitude to Sandy and Ray from Farmgate Markets (bacon, sausage, juice, water and all the other fixin’s including the cooking!), Amber from Frisa Farms (eggs of the combo), and the gals from Coffee Cultures (the coffee of the combo). We are proud to include the Horton Breakfast Combo as a ‘feature’ for the Doors Open Campaign which runs in St. Thomas October 17 & 18th. The Horton Farmers’ Market is a part of the tour on the 17th only so we hope to see extra visitors to the market that day!

We do not yet have the final details approved for the season-end Harvest Fest. When that happens, you will be the first to know. As I finish up this writing, the sun is shinning brilliantly - perhaps a sign of tomorrow's weather - I have been called the eternal optimist before!

See you at the market!

Cheers,

Tricia Herbert

Market Manager