This is my 100th post – I can’t believe it!
What has happened to the farmer’s markets in Muskoka? Farmer’s Market. This implies that either a farmer owns the market, or it is a market for farmers’ items. And a market that one would go to get items that FARMERS sell. I made the mistake of getting caught up in the romance of a farmer’s market again this year and attended Bracebridge’s Farmer’s Market this long weekend.
Do I want gluten-free baked goods (3 booths!)? How about buckwheat heating pads? Or perhaps to have my face painted? No. What about wooden crafts? Aprons and other items made with colourful fabrics? No, No, NO! I was Ontario Fresh Asparagus. I want organic spinach. I wanted rhubarb! (well, no, I didn’t, but I wanted to see it being sold). And maybe even some early cherries or strawberries? Okay – I’ll buy a pie or cookies from a farmer, but please people! This is not a craft show. It is a FARMER’S market. Things that grow – or things that eat things that grow. Please leave your “I’ve-already-seen-it-1000-times” stuff at home. Or haul it to the craft shows. Or rename this Farmer’s Market to Craft Market.
There were two vendors selling vegetables at the farmers market (out of 30+ booths). One was a real farm that was selling seedlings and rhubarb. Good work, guys! I can’t garden (really – I can’t – I kill plants with my aura) and I don’t like rhubarb much. No matter, I was proud to see this local farm selling obviously farm grown items. The other is an outfit that has duped tourists for years. What was the first hint today? It was the 15″ long celery for sale. Celery is available in Ontario in July and home-grown celery does not look like what you buy in the grocery store. It is May! Ontario Farm grown celery is normally shorter and with more leafy greens than the standard from the supermarket. Anderson Produce – you know I’m talking to you! Please stop selling vegetables at the farmer’s market – at premium prices I must add – that you know and I know you purchased from the food terminal in Toronto. Yes, the tourists from Toronto don’t know any better, but the locals know your game.
There were a couple of places selling meat and fish. I wasn’t particularly looking for either, but glad to see a couple of places selling such items. One was trout from Milford Bay. Considering my aversion to anything fishy, I didn’t even linger, but good and local!
The smart farmers have given up these wastes of time markets and instead started selling CSA shares. That’s when you purchase a part of the farm’s bounty at the beginning of the season and you share in what is produced. I’d suggest you’d better get a share because the farmer’s markets doesn’t seem much of source of any local food!
May 19th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary: Beginning of this season’s boycott of the Muskoka farmer’s markets. Thank goodness I have another source for farm fresh asparagus – even if I have to import it from Tilsonberg!
Maintenance May Day 19:
Found away to discuss our future options with Emile in way that we could both hear each other. (career, connection, soul)
The Daily EO 