Farm Friday

The sun is shining, the vegetable crisper is empty, and you want to whip up something fresh and delicious for dinner. Does a trip to the grocery store fill your lust for crispy, crunchy carrots or is a trip to the local farmers’ market in order? There are about 25 to choose from, but who has the best lettuce, eggs, or fruit? Or is there one right around the corner from you, open now, that you could drop in on the way home from work? And if there isn’t, then why not?

Starting next week, I’m going to undertake the delightful task of profiling the array of farm fresh, Greenbelt-friendly farmers’ markets in the city. There is one almost every day of the week throughout the summer, with an abundance of weekend markets and a handful open year-round.

But first we’d like to go to the core of the farmers’ markets: the Greenbelt itself. Most of the farmers who bring their wares to market are situated within Ontario’s Greenbelt, which encompasses the Niagara Escarpment, the Oak Ridges Moraine, and Rouge Park and home to over 7,000 farms. It’s the richest agricultural land in the country; Birkhard Mausberg, president and CEO of Friends of the Greenbelt, says that of the 1.8 million acres of protected land in the Greenbelt, one million of those are agricultural land.

Mausberg says that Ontarians will never have to fear that our access to food runs out. Unless we experience a nuclear holocaust, we will always have access to farm fresh foods. “We have our own food basket in our backyard,” Mausberg says. But despite the quality of the land, and the amount of production (there are four pounds of carrots produced in the Holland Marsh for every Canadian – how does that satisfy your desire for crispy carrots?), farmers face tough competition from foreign suppliers who have lower overhead costs and sell to the shelves of supermarket chains. Chinese apples can afford to be so cheap because the labour wage in China is dismal compared to that of a farmer’s aid picking apples in Stouffville.

This also means that, as Canadians with a want to support these local farmers, we have to pry ourselves away from the desire for year-round fruits that simply cannot be produced in our own backyard in the middle of winter.

Mausberg explains that farming has been split into two major categories: feathers and dairy work on a supply management system with a guaranteed price method, while fruits and veggies don’t have that market protection — and therefore are greatly affected by the competition from cheaper apples from China. “Overall,” he says, “the challenge is that they are having a hard time making ends meet.”

That’s where farmers’ markets come in. When a famer packs up his or her produce and lays it out on a table at a market, it completely cuts out the middle man — working to benefit both the consumer and the seller. The purchaser is able to interact with the farmer, inquire about growing methods, and ask about the kinds of things they have to look forward to throughout the year or special products that the farmer is working on.

“There’s much more of a dialogue going on there than if you buy your vegetables in the supermarket,” says Mausberg.

But a farmer is only as successful as the market, he reminds us. So what makes a farmers’ market successful? A market has to not only advertise to the community that it is there and has a desirable product, but it has to create an atmosphere where people (both local and from across the city) want to be. Market managers are tasked with this role; attracting not only farmers and visitors, but setting the scene for an enjoyable morning or afternoon. Local entertainment plays a large part in the setting of some of Toronto’s markets.

I remember a morning from when I was a child at the Weston Farmers’ Market; there was a band set up on a stage on the street and a pancake breakfast for charity. These additional draws get people out and enjoying their neighbours and help to create a sense of community. It’s like a street party every week, and I’ll provide details on what kind of atmosphere each market offers.

I’m also going to explore how Toronto’s farmers’ markets contribute to their communities. Some target poorer communities in order to provide them with access to fresh food, or are supporters for local food banks. Many have community-based programs that offer information about growing food or the Greenbelt. I’ll find out how they entice people to come and support Ontario farmers and, of course, what kinds of foods and homemade goods they carry week after week.

We’re interested in your perspective on Toronto’s farmers’ markets. What is your favourite market or spot to pick up homegrown produce, and what makes it so great?

Photo of Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market by StudioGabe on Flickr