Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Support Your Farmers' Market

The biggest thing you can do is understand that every time you're going to the grocery store, you're voting with your dollars. Support your farmers' market. Support local food. Really learn to cook.
~ Alice Waters

maynooth market
Every Saturday, from May through mid-October (our Thanksgiving), the small town of Maynooth holds a farmers' market.

I had planned to be there as much as possible through the summer but you know what they say about the best laid plans. I did manage at least a half dozen trips to the market where I purchased delights such as;

~ Pure, raw honey made from local early summer wildflowers. I can't begin to describe how delicious it is.

~ Dark maple syrup - ditto on the yum factor.

~ Vinegar infused with calendula flower and basil. I am now addicted to this, mixed with equal parts of olive oil, a few fresh herbs and a splash of the above-mentioned maple syrup, combined well to make a fresh salad dressing.

~ An organic soap called Sunflower Dance - if summer had a scent of its own, this would be it. I just bought the last five bars she had in stock, lest I not have it again all winter.

~ Sugar snap peas so sweet, they could be enjoyed like candy.

~ Pickles which we've not opened yet since it's suggested we wait until November. Frank picks up the jar and rubs it against his cheek every so often in sweet anticipation.

~ Heavenly homemade pies, muffins, carrot cake, scones, corn bread, jams and hot coffee on the premises.

The photos below are from my first visit to the market.

maynooth bustle
The market was bustling on this last day of May.






maynooth music
As I approached the grounds, I could hear organ music which immediately put me in mind of the old SCTV skit with Dave Thomas and Andrea Martin - Tex and Edna Boil's Organ Emporium.





maynooth tex boyle
Ain't that right, Tex?





maynooth edna boyle
That's right, Edna.

She played non-stop every time I visited. She was actually pretty good.





maynooth quilts and tables
It was much too early in the season for any produce but there were lots of seedlings, baked goods and crafts - like these lovely quilts.





Maynooth girl and dog
Just across the road, I could see this stylish young girl and her dog waiting patiently for her parents to bring her to the market.





Maynooth antler jewellery
At one booth, a man was selling these necklaces made from the cross cut of deer and elk antlers. Since we had deer in our back yard just about every day through the winter, I selected one made from their antler.





Maynooth antler art
This one, in fact.





maynooth take my picture
The artist's young daughter quite enthusiastically asked me to take her picture. With dad's permission to snap and to post, I did.





maynooth farmers market
It was a fine day - followed by a few others through the course of the season. Now that I know just how good some of the products are, I'll look forward to it even more next year.

More photos will be ready for picking soon.

50 comments:

ADRIAN said...

I enjoy shopping for food at markets. Much more enjoyable than shopping in shops.

Anvilcloud said...

Not a tart in sight.

Theresa said...

Great pics! And next May is working its way towards us again.

We are lucky enough to have a pretty good farmers market here too. Depending on the day of the week you can find it in different towns in the valley. I usually hit it on Thursday mornings.
Local honey is awesome, love the lavender goats soap at one vendor and the pears this year, first rate!

June said...

I love farmers markets. I tend to buy everything in sight, so I have to be careful. But I do love 'em.

Tabor said...

You have made me feel guilty about not visiting our Makers Market which was every Saturday through much of the summer. Next year I will!

Kerri Farley said...

LOVE the necklace!

Brian Miller said...

nice...i love going to the farmers market...so many people to see...and some of the most creative uses of crops as well...and i like fresh veg....

Anonymous said...

I enjoy the Farmers markets. In town it runs Tues. Thurs. and Sat with Saturday being the busiest day of course. It does run all year but I must admit I only go in the summer and fall.

Leah J. Utas said...

Farmers' markets are the best.

DJan said...

I love our Farmers' Market. It runs from April until the last weekend before Christmas. It is well attended and wonderful! I see lots of winter squash and stuff from greenhouses at this time of year. And lots of Christmas presents to buy next month! :-)

messymimi said...

Farmer's markets are my favorite, when i can go. The ones here are at such times and in such places that i'm usually at work or across town!

TexWisGirl said...

love the necklaces! sweet girl and her dog!! i love sugar snap peas (even if i buy mine at the grocery store) but i have gotten some local honey at a farm stand a time or two.

TexWisGirl said...

and i laughed at the pickle jar rub. :)

Linette said...

Love the antler work for the necklaces, my bf get those as well when he goes up north the Inuits make them as well of wolves and polar bears ♥ just beautiful art work.

Love those quilts, the hand-stitched ones always are better than the ones done by sewing machine so much love goes into them I think.

We (my bf and I) always put money back into our local farmers pockets without them we would be all eating modified fruits and veggies, eewww.

Have a beautiful day my friend ♥

William Kendall said...

It looks like a busy market!

Our main market is a minute's walk from my front door, though it'll now be moving back to its traditional location as of next spring. It still has a couple of weekends to go before it's done, and it stresses local food.

Catherine said...

Farmers' markets are really popular here in the UK too and go on all year round. A wonderful way to support small farmers and businesses and so enjoyable too. Those quilts are wonderful - I have always admired the North American quilting culture.

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

That was one sweet little girl

Out on the prairie said...

One finds favorites to go back for. I grow most of my veggies so don't get much on that. Here they give coupons to low income people so they can enjoy the event.

Red said...

It's amazing the cool things people can come up with to sell to us. We have a large and active farmer's market here.

Anonymous said...

It is Edna and Tex! I would love to get to know those people. :-)

stephen Hayes said...

Here in Portland we have many farmer's markets during the late spring and summer when it isn't raining. I love prowling the fruit and vegetable stalls for fresh items.

Shammickite said...

There's a farmers market here every Thursday afternoon and evening throughout the summer and fall, I think the last market was the end of October. I don't go every week, but the produce is always good. The stalls with canvas roofs look a lot like the Maynooth variety.

Rob-bear said...

My goodness; you do get around! Bancroft, Maynooth, all manner of surrounding points.

Farmers' Markets are a lot of fun, aren't they? Ours is partly indoors, so it runs year round. Not that we have good field produce year-round, but there is always something cooked, baked, bottled or hand-made to look at.

And those two girls were cute, weren't they?

Blessings and Bear hugs!

Bob Bushell said...

What a loving people all smiling. It must have been beautiful.

L. D. said...

Wonderful photos of such an interesting event. You really captured the heart of all that was there with the people and one wonderful dog.

EG CameraGirl said...

I'm impressed with how many farmers' markets that have opened up in the past few years. I am now looking forward to next year's produce. Let us know how the pickles tasted!

Linda said...

We try to support farmers markets as well. We have been to Maynooth and visited tour country store where the bear carvings stood out front.

Hilary said...

I am a supporter of our local Farmer's Market....and have gotten my husband to go, explaining the whole time why it is so important to buy here. I think he is actually getting it.

yaya said...

It's so fun to get caught up in the festivities of Farmer's Markets! I love ours! It runs from July to mid October. There's usually a good assortment of produce and handmade items. I enjoyed seeing yours and now I'm sad to have to wait until next Summer!

Ruth Hiebert said...

Interesting photos and descriptions. We have a good Farmer's Market in my home town as well and on some weeks it is the busiest place in town.

Betsy Brock said...

That looks really fun....I could stroll around those booths and shop for quite a while!

Mage said...

Oh, such magic. I would have had real trouble walking away from the quilts. In the first shot, everyone has grey hair.

Kat said...

I just love a good farmer's market. This one sounds lovely!
And now you've made me hungry for some sugar snap peas. One of my favs!

Mandy said...

I try to go to farmer's markets too but I just love all the quintessentially Canadian wares at this market! I tasted maple syrup whiskey at our Canadian thanksgiving feast. It was yummy.

Pepper Medley said...

Love your necklace choice! It's just perfect.

Barb said...

I love farmers markets. We have 2 in this county, and I also sometimes go to the one in Vail. Unfortunately, ours are over by the beginning of Oct - too cold. Like you, I'm addicted to infused olive oil and balsamic. My current favorites for salads are lemon olive oil and black fig balsamic.

Anonymous said...

This has so much more than the farmer's market in our little town! I think I'd go every week!

Unknown said...

This is a REAL Farmer's Market, Hilary and very nice! You have to have a ton of friends there who must say, "Oh there's that girl again with the camera. Let's see if we can get in a photo!" :)Fun...

ellen abbott said...

we're having our fall market in this small town now. two growing seasons here so two markets. it's just too damn hot in the summer for vegetables or markets.

Daryl said...

oh great choice on the necklace, wear it in the best of health … i love farmer's markets … we have one along Columbus Avenue behind the Museum of Natural History every Sunday all year 'round except if its snows ...

photowannabe said...

I truly love Farmer's markets. The food is so delightful.
The dressing you talk about sounds so good as does the honey and infused oils.
I got hooked on an oil that's infused with Mandarin orange. Not too sweet but so aromatic. Its almost time for the Mandarin Fest and then they will be fresh from the tree for a short time. makes my mouth water just thinking about them.
Thanks for the kind birthday wishes and all of your nice comments on my blog. Its appreciated.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful day out!

sage said...

Where I lived in Michigan there was a good farmers market, twice a week, which kept me in supply of tomatoes for thick sliced tomato sandwiches along with greens and other goodies.

Birdman said...

Try to hit a farmers' market every Saturday.
btw Tex should NOT dress in the dark. hahahaha Sorry.

Linda said...

These markets are good places to get fresh veggies and eggs! I miss them in the winter; the squash in the supermarket looks like someone hit it with an ugly stick!

Jenn Jilks said...

I so love local markets!!!

Scott Law said...

What a fun visit to Maynooth. Thanks.

Indrani said...

This a wonderful event, very helpful to local farmers. Those pendants are good work.

Gail Dixon said...

One of those necklaces looked like it had a grebe carved into it...my favorite duck. Would love to buy some of that soap! Does he/she have a web site?

Jenn Jilks said...

End of season. Some carry on, indoors, in winter, but there aren't the crowds.