Winter Market at Terra Garden

One of our favourite activities is heading to the farmer's market on a warm summer day and now with the introduction of the TERRA @ Home Winter Market, we can make this a year round outing!  The great thing about this market is you don't have to brave the cold, it's all indoors and heated.  This past Saturday marked the opening of the winter market and I couldn't wait to pack up my two daughters and head to TERRA.

We arrived at the market about an hour in and the first thing I noticed was how busy it was and then secondly, how well managed it was from the moment you turn into the parking lot.  There were parking attendants controlling the flow of traffic and we easily got parked and headed in but not before being accosted by the smell of Gorilla Cheese grilling their specialty sandwiches at the entrance (oh willpower how I miss thee!)

My five year old immediately spotted someone heading out with popcorn and the greeter gave us a smile and let us know we could get some inside, guess what our first stop was going to be. We headed into the market and I have to say it's a beautiful setting; even in the winter the greenhouse is alive with plants which gives it an outdoor feel despite the fact you are comfortably indoors.  There is lots to see before you reach the vendors but I didn't have much time to explore as the chants of "popcorn, popcorn" from both my girls was getting louder.  Lucky for us the Kettle Corn Boss was offering small sample cups of their delicious product which gave me enough time to find my wallet and purchase a bag before the girls needed a re-fill.

Once popcorn was in hand we were able to stroll around and check out the vendors.  Unlike many of the summer markets, this one offers a range of products from baked goods, produce, meats and local artisans.  I was a bit surprised their was only one produce vendor (Ann Brown) but I guess that it's hard through the lean winter to source a wide variety of fresh local product.  The produce on hand was farm fresh and there was a sample of a white radish that was really good, I just wasn't sure what I would make with it so I opted for some red onions which accompanied our steaks at dinner.  There were also other root vegetables and apples to choose from.

Itty Bitty Pies

Next up was baked goods, we picked up some sweet potato loaf from Sweet Potato Johnny who also featured muffins, hummus and soup all made from, you guessed it - sweet potato.  We checked out the amazing Dyment Farm table filled with homemade pies and sweets and made our way to Itty Bitty Pie who were offering up a selection of small savoury pies in addition to the more traditional ones.  After a sample of their key lime pie by the girls, we added more to our bag and continued to Manual Labour Coffee so mommy could get a treat.  

Manual Labour Coffee are new to Burlington and make their headquarters at 93 Plains Rd., when they are not on the road with their old school house trailer that serves up their awesome brew.  The girls loved talking with co-owner Katie who awed them with tales of the Koalas in Australia (where she hails from) while my hand-poured java was brewing. One other cool item that they were selling is a fire starter called the Coffee Log, made from grounds, wax, and molasses & it burns clean! With coffee in hand, we were ready to continue. 

As someone whose job it is to promote all things culinary, I try to make sure that my girls try everything and I am very lucky that will eat just about anything I offer up.  That said my oldest is a huge fan of Smokeville who we visit regularly at the Burlington Farmers' Market and boy was she pleased to find them handing out samples at this winter market!  With a choice of smoked salmon, whitefish or trout it's hard to decide and that's why she felt the need to return several times for more tasting.  We decided upon the salmon bacon and it provided a healthy snack when we got home, I think there might even be a small piece left for the rest of us. 

My youngest is two and a half and is very petite however she has an appetite that never stops.  Not to be outdone by here sister, she opted for the vegan chili being served up by The Naked Spout, which if you are not familiar with them is the only full service vegan restaurant in Burlington. Chef Peter was busy cooking and it smelled great, we ordered a cup to try. I did manage to get a spoonful for myself and for those of you that think vegan cooking can't taste like the real thing, I urge you to give this a try.  I could have sworn there were pieces of ground beef in the chili and the taste was awesome.  

Our last sample stop was at Cherry Lane where the girls both tasted the cherry juice from concentrate which was a big hit, we brought some home in addition to the dried cherries (perfect for snacking).  Our whole household loves cherries so this is a great way for us to enjoy them year round.

We spent some additional time wandering around and checking out the other vendors before it was time to go.  The winter market looks like it's going to be a popular destination.  It was filled with people of all ages tasting, buying and enjoying the atmosphere.  There were lots of families and children running around (mine included) and everyone seemed just a little calmer in this setting - no harried grocery store faces to be seen.  

We are so happy that TERRA has created this winter market to showcase local and neighbouring farms and producers and we look forward to our next visit.

The market will run Saturdays until March 23 from 10am to 3pm at TERRA on Hwy. 5 between Brant St. and Guelph Line.  List of vendors below.

Dyment Farm

Smokeville

Sweet Potato Johnny

Itty Bitty Pie

Perfectly Natural

The Naked Sprout 

Terra Teas 

Cherry Lane

Crafty Owl Designs

Manual Labour Coffee

The Little Truffle Maker

Purple Daze Lavender Farm

Lovin Oven Bakery

Kettle Corn Boss

Epicure

Country Girl Cooks

Acropolis Organics

Inspired by Nature

Pies and Such

Epicure  

For more on farms and markets in the Burlington area be sure to visit our website.

Eating Local in Burlington & Halton

With summer in full swing and the sun shining almost daily, it’s the perfect time to spend some time outdoors and enjoy the deliciousness that is local Ontario foods.  We are incredibly lucky to live in an area that is ripe with farms and markets, from pick your own to farmers’ and on-farm sales, we have it all!

At my home we are lucky to have a garden that produces a modest amount of vegetables and herbs for our own use and as anyone can tell you, fresh produce has a taste that cannot be matched.  My girls love to pick and eat tomatoes and peppers straight from the vine and I love that they are gaining an appreciation for eating “farm to table”.

Burlington and Halton are home to many farmers’ markets and visiting one can be as simple as popping by and picking up what you need or if you have the time and inclination you can make it an experience.  For those with children it’s a great opportunity to talk about farming, where our food comes from and for the really wee ones it’s a great place to explore colours, shapes and sizes – see learning can be fun.

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday until the end of October, Burlington Mall plays host to the Burlington Lions Club farmers’ market.  As a frequent visitor to this market, I can tell you that the vendors are more than happy to spend time chatting with you about their products and most are actual farmers bringing their goods to you.  This market has a wide variety of goods including produce, meats, cheeses and some specialty vendors offering baked goods, ice cream and more which makes it a one-stop market plus they send out a newsletter weekly in-season to let you know what is available and links to recipes in case you need some inspiration.

For those that live, work or play in Downtown Burlington, you will be happy to know that Centro Garden on Brant Street has added a small farmers’ market in their back lot on Fridays (running until the fall).  This market focuses on primarily organic product with Plan B Organics, Featherstone Farmers and Farm to Table Meats as the main suppliers.  Other vendors and special guests pop in so be sure to visit their website to find out what’s happening week to week.   While you’re there give yourself a few extra minutes to chat with the gang from Plan B Organics, they are very passionate about what they grow and can give you great ideas on how to use that produce you just purchased.  I know this for a fact since I purchased some kale (after hearing so much about the benefits of it) but had no idea how to cook it and make it taste delicious – thanks to Rod my sautéed kale was a hit at dinner that night.

If you are looking for an on farm experience, Halton is home to many pick your own farms that give you a chance to harvest your own fruits and vegetables.  Every year I take my girls apple picking, they run down the rows of apple trees looking for the perfect low lying branches to fill their bags.  The temptation of the juicy red fruit is usually overwhelming and a couple of apples are consumed en route. It’s such a fun day out for everyone and the added bonus is we come home with bags of freshly picked fruit to enjoy.  This year the weather has not been kind to our apple farmers but we are hoping their crops make it.  Speaking of apples, be sure to visit Ireland House at Oakridge Farm Museum on September 30 for their annual Applefest Fall Fair. 

For those that prefer to buy direct from the farmer, many also offer on-farm markets and some such as Springridge Farm, Andrews Scenic Acres, Chudleighs, Stone Haven Farms and others have activities and events for kids and families to enjoy.  For a complete list of farms offering farm fresh produce visit the Halton website.

One of the newer things happening here in Burlington is the community garden.  This initiative from Burlington Green gives local residents that don’t have green space the chance to have their own garden.  For a small fee residents purchase one or more of the thirty available plots in the garden and then tend to and harvest their produce.  This garden also helps the local community with two donations already this year to Food for Life and a third expected before year-end.  The garden at Central Park is open to the public to tour as long as the gates are open.  Burlington Green is hosting a speakers series focused on helping you eat local, check out the schedule here.

Looking for a more interactive garden experience?  Head to Royal Botanical Gardens and explore Veggie Village where you can tune into an audio tour using your cell phone.  Learn all about edible plants and what you can do to eat local year-round then take the “Veg Pledge” and be committed to eating locally.  The produce that is harvested from this garden is used in the restaurants at the RBG plus they offer the Edible Weekends series with cooking demonstrations, educational programming and special menu items.  The final weekend for this series is August 25-26 (featuring garlic)!

If you live in Halton Region and have fruit bearing trees that you don’t harvest, consider contacting the Growing & Sharing program which benefits everyone.  The way it works is, throughout the growing season, small groups of volunteer pickers will go to your property and harvest the fruit. The harvest will be shared 3 ways: 1/3 to the property owner, 1/3 to local food bank, and 1/3 to the pickers.  It’s a great way to avoid a yard full of rotten fruit plus you help the community and have fresh fruit to eat.

If all this talk of food is making you hungry and you don’t want to cook, don’t despair, several restaurants in Burlington are committed to the use of local foods and you can regularly find fresh Ontario produce, meats and cheeses on their menus.  Be sure to visit Red Canoe Bistro, Spencer’s at the Waterfront and Water St. Cooker to see what their chefs have cooked up.

No matter how you slice it (or dice it or cook it), eating local is a great way to support our farmers, eat nutritious, sustainable food and reduce your carbon footprint.  It can be fun and easy and no matter whether you do a little or a lot, it all makes a difference.  Come discover the foods and farms of our Region and taste the difference.

Eat Well.