Market Minute: Winter is Coming!
It’s the last week of the Aberfoyle Farmers’ Market for 2015 and I know what I will be doing. Stocking up on winter vegetables so I can continue to enjoy local farmed produce long after the snow flies. While you can freeze some, can and preserve others, storing root vegetables is a great option and can keep for months if the conditions are right. Check out this awesome blog to find all you need to know about storing root veggies, including a list about their shelf life: How to Store Root Crops for Winter
This weekend there will be a plethora of vendors at the market that can help you get you ready for the season ahead. I love that Top Market Meats will have Beer Sausage. The football schedule is full of opportunities to grill up those
babies! My husband Wayne will do a touchdown dance when I bring home a couple dozen. Maybe I won’t tell him and surprise him instead. Hey, I know how to score points and it isn’t on the football field (insert fist pump here!) They will also have grass fed Muscovy duck for those dinners when you have the in-laws over. Ahh…there’s some more points for me.
If you love handmade and unique then treat yourself – go and see what Blair of Stamp and Tea Studio has to offer. This creative artisan will be taking Christmas card orders, as well as Christmas tags. Be out of the ordinary and delight your friends and family with these beautiful handcrafted items and cross it off your holiday to do list. Check!
The other crafters this weekend include: Serenity Soap, Canadian Crystal, Kristal Kreations and Jana Skladan. Think “holidays” people!
Give the gift of garlic this season! Peter McClusky, local garlic farmer and founder of the Toronto Garlic Festival and our
own Aberfoyle Farmers’ Market will be on hand talking about his book “Ontario Garlic: From Field to Festival.” You can
sample garlic grilled cheese, one of the many awesome recipes in his book, while talking to Peter who is passionate
about farming this fragrant tuber. I know Peter and he knows his garlic. This book is at the top of my foodie gift and wish
list this season. A lovely hostess gift with a bottle of olive oil perhaps?
Giving to those in need is always good. The Schnurr family from Aberfoyle will be at the Community Table to help raise
funds for a PAN Missions Canada project. Established in 1997, PAN Missions Canada is a registered non-for-profit
organization that facilitates and ministers to the poor in Nicaragua. PAN has sent workers to build churches, and Sunday
schools, to work in hospitals, orphanages, clinics and feeding stations and to minister through sports, drama, puppets
and music. PAN teams impact the needy by providing basic life and economic skills training, access to clean drinking
water and medical care. For additional information on PAN please visit www.panmissions.org
A family trip is being planned for December of this year. Three local families with kids as young as eight years old will be
traveling together with PAN staff members. The goal is to raise $6000 to build a home for a needy family in Nicaragua.
The team will participate in the build alongside local Nicaraguans and the home is to be given as a Christmas gift. Other
activities may include sports and music ministry, hospital visits and various other ways of interacting with the people of
Nicaragua. Members of the team will be at the market on October 24th, sharing information about PAN and the family
trip, and collecting donations to support the home build.
Get your knives and tools honed for carving because this is your last chance to do so with Sharp My Knife. Everlasting
Design is back with their handcrafted furniture. And Creekside Estates winery will be on hand to sample their award
winning wines. Did I hear wine tasting?! Should go good with that cheese and garlic.
It’s the last week of the market! Stock up and get ready for the holidays before the snow flies at the Aberfoyle Farmers’
Market! Open every Saturday until the end of October from 8am to 1pm at the Optimist Recreation Centre on Brock
Road in Aberfoyle. See you at the market!
