Near North Locavores: restoule

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Farmers Market Season Starts!

This is a photo of our booth last year at the North Bay Downtown Farmers' Market. We will be there again this year!

Here is an article from the North Bay Nugget giving details about various farmers' markets in the Near North region. Many open this Victoria Day weekend, including the North Bay Downtown Farmers' Market on Saturday and we will be there!

Farmers' market outgrows its home
By MARIA CALABRESE
Source found here.

The buzz around buying local is taking the sting out of trying to find a place for producers to market their goods.

Board’s Honey Farm has been selling its golden nectar at the North Bay Downtown Farmers’ Market since the venue opened eight years ago when there was less noise about leaving a carbon footprint.

“It’s about food value, quality and taste,” says Ann Board after tapping some honey at the farm nestled in Restoule, about 65 kilometres southwest of North Bay.

The market gives the public a chance to buy direct from the producers and build a trust that the food is safe, Board says.
“It’s bringing the country into the city.”

The busy beekeepers have a dozen hive locations and a menu of honey flavours depending on what flowers are in bloom, like wildflowers, meadow blend, basswood and buckwheat.

There’s scores of value-added goods like skin products, candles, creamed honey, and there’s relish and salsa made with their sweet yield instead of sugar.

The North Bay Downtown Farmers’ Market opens for the season Saturday with small business owners, crafters, artists and producers selling locally grown and handmade products.

While market manager Ron Warman is pleased to see the explosion of interest from vendors and buyers, he’s frustrated to cap the number of vendors at 30 and turn away 17 others who are interested in joining this year because there isn’t enough space for them at the current location on McIntyre Street across from city hall.

He won’t bump crafters who have supported the market in its lean years in favour of new producers who want to plant their roots now that homegrown, handmade goods are hot commodities.

“That’s our problem right now is trying to accommodate this new interest,” says Warman, adding seniors and young families prefer that central spot with free parking and within walking distance for downtown residents. “We’re hesitant to move, but we can’t grow in that location.”

Friends of the Waterfront offered an area in front of the Discovery North Bay museum, but it’s too small to fit the growing market, Warman says.

It needs an area that’s at least 30-by-60 metres to accommodate 40 vendor spots — some vendors need more than one spot — with access to electricity, parking and washrooms, although Warman would like to see a bigger space so the market can bloom.

Warman would also like some kind of covering, whether it’s a tent or permanent structure, when the weather isn’t on their side. Exposure to biting wind and blowing sand is the main reason the market abandoned its first haunts on Oak Street.

“I’m not going to move unless it’s a step up,” he says.

The cost and global impact of transporting foreign foods to grocery stores and a push to eat local has even spawned a reality TV show with six families from Mission, B.C., volunteering to only eat food that has been produced within 100 miles, named after the book of the same name.

This year’s farmers’ market will offer a new baker and steady favourites, with maple products, perennials, jewelers, crafters, handmade soaps, woodworking, fresh-grown produce and other goods.

There’s also a booth with hot drinks and a new coffee club to reward repeat customers.

Also new this year is a pancake festival May 30 with syrup provided by vendor Matthews Maple Syrup of Powassan.

The market is open every Saturday rain or shine until the Thanksgiving weekend.

On the web: northbayfarmersmarket.ca

mcalabrese@nugget.ca