Weekly Newsletter: Issue 12

2007: ISSUE 12

Greetings Covent Garden Outdoor Farmers’ Market Customers!

The Farmers’ Market is now running full throttle with more vendors and product coming in with each passing week. Wednesday’s London Free Press (City & Region section) included coverage of the Buy Local Movement (and accordingly, coverage of our Farmers’ Market), with comments from both Dorothy Green of Mill Stream Farms and the Covent Garden Market’s general manager Bob Usher. The article can be found posted at our new info website: coventgardenfarmersmarket.blogspot.com. This site contains both archives of our weekly newsletters and pertinent news and information regarding local producers.

The Fringe Festival begins this week on Market Square. Kobbler Jay the Eccentric Juggler and Pic-nic-Nac will provide entertainment beginning at 11:30 AM on Saturday.

It will be a Blueberry Bonanza at this Saturday’s Farmers’ Market! Every customer will receive a ticket for a free blueberry treat from the Covent Garden Farmers’ Market Info Booth. Here you can also fill out a ticket for our Gift Basket Draw and pick up a copy of our brand new Buy Local map. Following the lead of several surrounding regions, a map has been created that will make buying local as easy as possible. Whether you are looking for fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs or maple syrup, this map will show you where products can be located in the area. Keep in mind that everything at our Farmers’ Market must be produced by the seller. We are the only London market where you can always guarantee you are supporting local producers and receiving local products.

Irene Puddester will be back this Saturday with her delicious (and very fast-selling) no-spray blueberries from nearby Rodney, Ontario. Dolway Organic Garden is here both Thursdays and Saturdays with an abundance of great produce. Zucchini, rhubarb, raspberries, spring mix and a variety of onions are just a few of the items you will find at their table. You can restock on venison now that long-time vendor Heinz of Ferio Farm Venison is back from the West. Ferio Farm animals are raised naturally without growth hormones, antibiotics and dyes. Dee at Made from Scratch is busy baking chocolate zucchini muffins, apple squares, and much, much more for Saturday’s Farmers’ Market. Remember to get here early! I learned my lesson last week when I did my shopping at the end of the Market only to find Dee almost sold out.

Blanbrook Bison Farm will likely take a one-week hiatus for the Civic Holiday weekend, so you will want to stock up on bison products this Saturday. Judy’s One of a Kind Unique Jewellery has been selling fast. The best thing about her jewellery is that no two pieces are exactly alike! You might have seen Bourne’s bath and body products featured on the A-Channel this week. You can pick some up at the Thursday or Saturday Market. Mark Wales has rejoined us at the Farmers’ Market and will bring out fresh blueberries, raspberries, garlic, onions, corn, and green and yellow beans this Saturday. Lorraine from Lynch Farms will soon be taking a brief vacation so this is your last chance for a few weeks to pick up her local maple syrup and maple syrup products. She plans to have some sugar-free jam made for Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Guille have plenty of wonderfully handcrafted products. I’ve been lighting one of their Georgia Peach candles all week. International Bakery has become a staple of the Farmers’ Market and is always here on Thursdays and Saturdays with fresh-baked, whole-grain breads.

Janine from En Fleur Lavender hopes to have some lavender pillow liners prepared for this week’s Market. She is here on Thursdays and Saturdays and offers some delicious samples that allow our customers to see the many uses of her fresh lavender. Lavender can even be used on the barbecue! Mill Stream Farm will “be here with bells on” this Saturday. Tomatoes, herbs, squash, French Fingerlings and onions are among the fresh produce they will have to offer. Fair Haven Mission Farms will be here Saturday and encourages you to check out their grapevine wreaths. Bloomer’s joins us outside at the Farmers’ Market with colourful fresh-cut flowers at a great price. As always, arrive early to ensure best selection.

Recipe Of The Week - Blueberry Pizza

Filling: 8 oz. cream cheese, 1/2 C sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla
Topping:1 C sugar, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 C water, 4 C blueberries, 3 tbsp. cornstarch, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 tbsp. butter

Bake pie crust at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 min. Blend cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla with a mixer and pour over crust; return to oven for 10 min. Cool. To prepare topping, mix 2 C of blueberries with 1/4 C of sugar and set aside. In a saucepan mix remaining sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and water. Add remaining 2 C blueberries, then butter. Bring to boil and simmer until thickened. Add the sugared blueberries, cool. Pour onto the pie shell. Yields 1 13" pizza. Chill and serve in wedges with whipped cream.

A Little Lesson On Organic - What Does It All Mean?

(from the July/August edition of Nutrition Action)

Organic fruits and vegetables - were grown without synthetic pesticides, synthetics fertilizers, or sewage sludge, and haven’t been genetically engineered or irradiated.
Organic beef and chicken - come from animals that were raised on organic feed and were never given hormones, antibiotics, or other drugs. The meat was never irradiated.
Organic milk - comes from animals that were raised on organic feed and were never given hormones. No milk can be sold if it has antibiotic residues.
Organic eggs - come from hens that were raised on organic feed and were never given hormones or antibiotics.
Organic seafood - hasn’t been defined by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Free range - has no official definition, but producers have to explain on their packages what the claim means. A free-range animal isn’t necessarily organic.
Raised without the use of hormones - means something for beef and dairy products which come from animals that can be given hormones. It’s irrelevant on pork, poultry, and eggs because farmers aren’t allowed to give hormones to pigs, poultry or hens.
Hormone-free - is an illegal claim, since all animals produce their own hormones.

The Farmers’ Market is open from 8am-1pm on Thursdays and Saturdays. We hope to see you there!

“Buy local, or bye local.”