Trinity Bellwoods Farmers’ Market

Name: Trinity Bellwoods Farmers’ Market
Location: North West corner of Trinity Bellwoods’ park, near Dundas and Shaw
Date & Time: Tuesday’s from May 11 to Oct. 26 @ 3:00 – 7:00
Number of Booths: 17-18, but not more than 20
Contact: info@tbfm.ca, or follow them on Twitter

Any other day in the summer, Trinity Bellwoods Park is a hub of activity: children playing in the playground, dog-walkers strolling across well kept lawns and sunbathers soaking in the sun. But there’s one group of people that random bouts of downpour couldn’t scare away, and that’s those looking to stock up on their weekly supply of farm fresh produce, meat and baked goods at the Trinity Bellwoods Farmers’ Market.

Despite the rainy weather on the day of the market, people milled about at the shady intersection of foot paths at the North West corner of the park while I sat with market manager Carolyn Wong behind the volunteer table set up with a bucket for a ‘toonie drive’ to replace some dollies and carts that had been stolen from the parks storage shed a few weeks ago.

Originally an initiative of Friends of Trinity Bellwoods, the emphasis on “slow food,” products that people can purchase to take home and make their own meal with, has been present from day one. She says there have been numerous requests from bakers and community members to be part of the market but who don’t meet the criteria for local, organic, or cooked in a certified kitchen. Also, says Wong, the word market confuses many people who hope that they can sell their homemade soap or creative cupcakes alongside farmers. “Initially farmers’ markets were a catch-all for resellers and flea markets. Now there’s a shift in thinking that a farmers’ market is for farmers.”

Another focus that Wong stresses is strong management to prevent overlap. She wants to make sure that the market is well rounded so people can come and purchase everything they may need for the week, while still making it worthwhile and sustainable for the farmers to come back week after week. And diverse it is, from St. John’s Church Bakery with their popular olive cilantro green onion loaf to MonteForte cheese, Twin Creeks and their grass fed meat, Anne Porretta’s hand roasted coffee beans at Bona Fide Bean and of course Woolerdale and Thorpes farm’s with their vegetable produce.

Having been around since 2007, many of the 18 vendors have been there from the beginning, allowing for a solid education base where market attendees can learn what’s in season and what can be grown locally. All the vendors are extremely passionate and friendly, ready to share the story behind their product. There are still the random market-goers who ask about out-of-season produce, but volunteers like Sara quickly explain that’s not how the market works.

There were a couple familiar faces from the Dufferin Grove farmers’ market on Thursday, such as Under Ground Organics who are from Hamilton and only come to Toronto for the Dufferin Grove and Trinity Bellwoods markets. Shane Eby is one of three people who manage their rented farmland where they believe that a more traditional approach to growing is better. “We don’t think farming is the best thing ever, we actually think it’s pretty stupid, hunting and gathering brings you closer to the land.”

Under Ground Organics has 40 acreas of farm plots, but prefers allowing things to grow in their natural habitat without much tending, so 20 per cent of their land is open forest where they grow apples, herbs, vegetables and 125 varieties of fresh cut flowers – free of any pesticides and perfect for deeply inhaling the natural scent of a personalized bunch.

Sprouts grower Mojo LaViolette, set up a cooler next to trout farmer Sean Lovell and his spring fed water trout which is such a hit at the market that he takes advance orders. Mojo was selling bags of different sprouts, such as sweet popcorn sprouts, perfect for adding flavour to other leafy salad greens. Sprouts is part of Foodcycles and works to showcase their not for profit work  in their urban garden and greenhouse in Downsview Park. Their goals are to educate people about what they can grow on their own and how to make and use chemical free, vermin composted soil.

Unfortunately Sprouts won’t be a regular at the market as next week is their last week. Losing precious growing and harvesting time is quite strenuous on many farmers, and Wong says that shoppers, and quite often vendors themselves, don’t realize how much work goes into preparing for and getting to the market. Of course, many farmers also have connections to local restaurants and sometimes independent grocery stores, but many say that they love their time at the market because they get to interact with shoppers who are learning something new every time they shop.

Another popular vendor at the market is Carole Ferrari and her school bus kitchen. Ferrari was featured in newspapers such as the Toronto Star last year, and with her organic cookies, soups and granola has been a fixture at the market since 2007. While she’s had many requests to cater to vegan weddings (one came as I was speaking to her on Tuesday) she still loves Ruth’s MonteForte cheese and some of the organic, grain fed meats from Twin Creeks. Ferrari buys most of her ingredients from neighbouring vendors at the markets she goes to- “I like to buy from my friends,” she says. You can also catch a glimpse of Ferrari’s bus at the North York Farmers’ Market, or weaving her way through town to a catering job.

A passionate endeavor for Wong since the initiative was brought up in 2006, she hopes that the market will continue to grow and utilize the green space of the park while maintaining one of their key principles of leaving no footprint. Every other day of the week, says Wong, no one would know there was a market here because the only trace would be some lightly trampled grass and indents from crates and tables.

Photo of Shane Eby and his organic, handpicked flowers courtesy Carolyn Wong