Fresh. Ripe. In-season. Scrumptious. Local. These are all perfect descriptors for the produce and other items found at the Liberty Village Farmer’s Market. It takes over the west side of the Hanna Street GreenP parking lot every Sunday from 9am-2pm until November 27th. This farmer’s market is operated by the organization called My Market. Have you been? If not, here are a few reasons why you should go.
Support Local Liberty Village Businesses
While not every vendor or farmer is from Liberty Village, there are two that come to the market that you need to take note of which include Maizal and Monforte Dairy. Both of these businesses take food seriously. Maizal is a very tasty and authentic Mexican restaurant. They were recently awarded Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. Monforte Dairy, an artisanal cheese company, has a storefront in Liberty Village a farm located in south western Ontario whereby they use seasonal and sustainable dairy to make their products.
MyMarket Selection Process
To be a vendor at any of the MyMarket Farmer’s Market is not easy. They are very selective to ensure that the produce is top quality and that the farmer’s are ethical and only selling what they truly grow or make. It is not uncommon for individuals to pose as farmers and buy produce from The Ontario Food Terminal. Since 2007, MyMarket has verified every farmer or vendor and have taken their due diligence to vet their credentials. In fact, MyMarket was the first organization in Canada to have such a strict process. They currently operate farmer’s markets at Bloor/Borden, East Lynn Park and of course here in Liberty Village.
Benefits of Eating Ontario and Local Produce
It is proven that eating local produce has many healthy benefits. Local produce has not spent days upon days on a transport truck or in warehouses. Rather, local produce is often picked the same day or within a very short time frame. McGill University reports in one article, “Produce such as broccoli, green beans, kale, red peppers, tomatoes, apricots and peaches are susceptible to nutrient loss when harvested and transported from longer distances”. You are supporting the community when you buy locally and reinvesting back into the small business ecosystem. Many people and food experts commonly rave that local produce tastes much better than imported items.
Keep in mind that local and organic are not the same. An organic farmer uses sustainable, ethical and natural methods in growing their crop or produce. A local farmer is someone that is from around the area. It is very common that farmers can be both local and organic, but in some instances, they could be just local or just an organic farmer. Do your research into each vendor you purchase from.
Vendors and Farmer’s at the Weekly Farmer’s Market
We have a compiled list of all of the various farmers that are at the weekly Liberty Village farmer’s market (excluding our already previously mentioned Liberty Village businesses):
- Austin’s Fruits and Vegetables from Waterford, ON
- specializing in sweet corn, tomatoes, beans, garlic, pickles, jam, apples
- Bosco Farms from Waterford, ON
- lettuces, basil, onions, peppers, tomatoes, chard, kale, carrots, cantaloupes, squash
- VanHart Farms from King, ON
- Certified organic farmers and specialize in: lettuces, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, kale, chard, spinach, carrots, cauliflower, beans
- Sun-Ray Orchards from Beamsville, ON
- specializing in tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, chard, carrots, onions, apples, peaches, plums, pears, cherries, jam, pies and tarts
- Thames River Melons from Innerkip, ON
- watermelons, cantaloupes, garlic, onions, zucchini, zucchini blossoms, honey
- De La Terre Bakery from Lincoln, ON
- Certified organic bakers and specialize in: sourdough breads / baguettes, croissants, muffins, sticky buns, cookies
- Secret Lands Farm from Proton Station, ON
- specializing in sheep milk cheeses, yoghurt, kefir
- Pasta Tucci from Toronto, ON
- specializing in handmade fresh pasta, pasta sauces
- A Real Handful from Toronto, ON
- specializing kale chip clusters
For more information on MyMarket, visit them here or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.
