I think I’ve discovered the essence of Leslieville: The Leslieville Farmers’ Market. The popular market takes place on Sundays in Jonathan Ashbridge Park on Queen Street East between Greenwood and Coxwell Avenues. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought I’d stumbled upon a huge, family picnic with young children and dogs running delightedly through the park.
I checked out the Leslieville Farmers’ Market on Sunday, September 14, 2014. I was amazed to discover how many vendors were marketing their produce. Daniel Taylor, Market Manager, informed me there were approximately 42 vendors at the market that day.
My first stop was the vendor booth of The Healthy Choice Farm of Brampton for some wonderful organic Black Kale for $3.50 a bunch. Many root vegetables such as parsnips and beets were for sale in abundance at The Healthy Choice Farm.
My next stop was Marche 59, where I admired their artisan breads.
I wanted to purchase some of the last wild blueberries of the season and spotted some at the vendor booth of Bizjak Farms of Beamsville. Many customers were lined up at Bizjak Farms so I figured that was a good sign. They were selling wild blueberries for $5 a pint so I bought a pint. Bizjak Farms also had strawberries, raspberries and tomatoes for sale.
I love heirloom tomatoes because their taste is superior to most other varieties of tomatoes; I also love sweet cherry tomatoes. I noticed a lot of buzz around the vendor booth of Haystrom Farm of Picton. The cherry tomatoes in pint boxes included several varieties of tomatoes so I decided to buy a box for $5, as well as a yellow Heirloom tomato for $.50. When I tried some of the yellow cherry tomatoes at home later in the day, I was delighted to find that they were as sweet as fruit. I will definitely be heading back to the Leslieville Farmers’ Market next week to pick up another pint of these tomatoes.
These bouquets of wild flowers absolutely charmed me! Available at The Greenhouse Eatery, they sell for $7 (not including the vase).
I was surprised and delighted to see Vauxhall Gardens skincare products at the Leslieville Farmers’ Market. Vauxhall Gardens’ products contain a high content of beneficial botanicals. I tried a sample of Comfrey Cream, $12, which proprietor Adeèle Hinshelwood informed me was good for aching joints.
Earth + City was offering up some fabulous organic, vegan and gluten-free dishes including these Spring Roll Wraps with Sweet Walnut Sauce and Sunflower Sprouts, $6. Their macaroons with raw chocolate and vanilla bean, $2.25, looked to die for.
More from Earth + City: fresh fruit and greens smoothies, $6.
I thought these Kale and Dandelion and Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Pestos, $8, from Mr. Spinner’s would make great gifts for holiday parties in the months to come. You can also pick up ready-to-go items at Mr. Spinner’s including Jerk Chicken Sandwich, $7, Curry Chicken and Potato, $9 and Curry Potato Chickpea Squash, $8.
What a pleasant touch to have a singer-guitarist performing songs as we shopped at the market.
Families sat on the grass listening to the music while some enjoyed a picnic lunch.
The Leslieville Farmers Market is located at Jonathan Ashbridges Park on Queen Street East between Greenwood and Coxwell Avenues. The market is open every Sunday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. until Sunday, October 26, 2014. If you really want to get to know the market, you can volunteer for a day. Contact Daniel Taylor, Market Manager, at daniel@leslievillemarket.com for more information.
I assumed that prices at farmers’ markets would be really high, but the items you bought were reasonably priced. Those bouquet of flowers look beautiful. Flowers have a way of brightening up a room and our mood, don’t they?
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