What’s for sale in May?

The calendar says April 30^th but Mother Nature disagrees!  What an unusually cold and snowy April we’ve had.  But this is the opening week of the market!  Wednesday May 2^nd and Saturday May 5^th are our first market days of the season.  What does a cold spring mean for the market?  What can you expect us to have for sale in May?

Many of our vendors have product that isn’t really affected by the weather.  Braelea Acres and Russett Farms have had extra work on their plates at the farm this month, keeping their spring calves and lambs warm and dry, but they’ll still have lots of lamb, pork, and beef for sale.  We’re also excited to welcome new vendor Healey Falls Bison Farms (starting on May 12th) who will have delicious, grass fed, bison meat products to try.

Cold weather doesn’t keep our home bakers out of the kitchen. They will have tables piled high with sweet treats!  A2 Baking Creations will have all their old favourites (butter tarts, cookies, pies, mini pies, and chocolate cream cheese muffins) and they’re expanding to include some new offerings.  I can’t wait to see what they bring!  The Philosopher’s Scone will be back too.  I love to see the different scone varieties that Val comes up with each week.  Maple Bacon and Cranberry White Chocolate were two of my favourites last year!   On Wednesdays we’re also happy to have Anita Barker of Anita’s Creations join us.  Anita makes beautifully decorated cookies for all occasions.

Howson’s Pure Maple Syrup and Honey are just coming off a terrific spring for maple syrup making. They’ve got some great photos on their Facebook page of their first batch of syrup on February 25^th, right up until their last batch on April 14^th.

What about vegetables?  Many of our produce vendors get a head start on the season with all manner of season extension techniques – indoor seed starting under lights, heated greenhouses, unheated tunnels, cold frames etc.  They also know what plants grow well in the cold, which varieties come to maturity quickly, and what vegetables do well to be harvested young.  So you’ll see baby salad mixes and radishes before you know it.  And don’t forget about sprouts and microgreens from Glenlea Farm!  I’ll have a big batch of Zesty Mixed Sprouts and another of Sunflower Micro-greens, both ready for Saturday.  Most established vegetable growers have also taken the time to grow perennial plants that produce food early in the season.  You can always count on Lost Road Gardens for rhubarb and asparagus, and Vokes Farms has lovely early perennial bunching onions.

May is also the month that you start to see plants for sale at the market.  Evegroen Gardens and Rainbow Terrace will have lots of vegetable, herb, and perennial plants for sale.

Also this Saturday:

• The multi-talented Chandra Rice will knock your socks off with her beautiful ceramics, fabric art, and more! Don’t forget to ask about her local workshops.
• Have you ever heard of fluid art?  Lynn Carnrite of Auntie Hoss’s Fluid Art will have some of her fascinating pieces for sale.
• New vendor Melly Rolls will take care of your snacking needs.  Homemade sushi and pastries?!!  We are so excited!
• Cuppa will be brewing up coffee, tea and hot chocolate for you to sip on while you stroll through the stalls.  Word on the street, is that they have a sweet new stall design – you’ve got to see it!
• Don’t forget to bring your bicycle on Saturday. Guest vendor Dale McIlmoyl of Campbellford Bicycle Repair will bring the tools, supplies, and know-how to make minor bike repairs on site.  His rates are reasonable.  He wants to get you and your bike back on the road!  For more involved repairs, arrangements can be made with Dale to get your bike into his repair shop.

Despite this cold spring, Wednesday or Saturday, there’s lots to see and do at the market.  We really look forward to seeing you!