HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-08-20, Page 2PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015.
Brussels
Farmers’ Market
Fridays ~ 2 pm - 6 pm
August 21
Food booth: Brussels Leo Club
Music: Mary Smith, singer
Fire Safety Trailer on site
Downtown Brussels
Many vendors offering
flowers, produce,
organic ice cream
& more
Horse-drawn carriage rides
Provincial program helps family start market booth
Utilizing the Ontario Summer
Company program, Monica
Brouwer has set up Fresh from the
Garden, a home-grown company
that is operating The Naturally
Organic booth at the Brussels
Farmers’ Market.
Brouwer, along with assistance
from her two employees Becky and
Maria Lubbers, has been at the
market since May 15, though the
Summer Company program didn’t
technically start until June.
Through the program, Brouwer
was given $1,500 to help start her
business, which sells organic
vegetables, beef and chicken as well
as organic ice cream from
Mapleton’s Organic Ice Cream.
The money went a long way to
creating the booth, buying the
necessary cooling units and
preparing the garden at her
Moncrieff Road home.
“It helped us build raised beds
with irrigation and plastic covering
to let us keep it organic,” she said.
The 25 year old said that the
summer has been going well and,
through selling ready-made meals,
the booth is seeing a lot of
foot traffic.
“We offer what I call market-
meals,” she said. “They are all
locally harvested vegetables with a
recipe to make a meal or a side. It’s
an easy way to eat a variety of
vegetables in one meal.
“It’s convenient, because it comes
with just the right amount to make a
serving for four with the included
recipe,” she said, adding that some
meals need meat and they try to keep
it to beef, which they sell at the same
booth, or pork which can be found at
the market.
The recipes are switched up every
two weeks, she said, depending on
what is available in her garden.
Last week, for example, the meal
was kale and swiss chard roast.
“It needs kale and swiss chard, as
well as zucchini and fresh herbs
which comes with it,” she said. “The
recipe calls for it to be roasted in the
oven which gives it a crispy texture
instead of steamed. All people need
to do is add some olive oil and
parmesan cheese.”
Vegetable soup was also offered
and included carrot, celery, leeks,
onions and herbs as well as a sample
of real salt, which doesn’t remove
other minerals providing a more
natural flavour.
Brouwer said that the sides cost $3
while meal packages (which
typically require meat) cost $5.
While the ice cream is imported
from the Mapleton’s factory in
Drayton, the toppings are all home-
made according to Brouwer.
“We make the toppings ourselves,”
she said. “There are organic
chocolate sauce, maple syrup and
fruit toppings made
from whatever is in season
that week.”
Fresh from the Garden also offers
chicken, however it can’t be sold at
The Naturally Organic booth due to
government guidelines according
to Brouwer
At the completion of the summer,
Brouwer said participants in the
program receive another $1,500. She
said that, while that may be the end
for the program, her business is
NEWS
FROM BRUSSELS
The fun of summer continues. The
choices of warm weather are such a
blessing – do we hit the beach or
should we go to one of the Blyth
Festival plays? Is this a pool day or
how about camping? Market days
are all ready for a visit and music is
available in several spots in our area
all for your enjoyment. Notices and
advertisements need to be read so
you’ll get your tickets or be on time
for your chosen entertainment. Oh
yes, the days of summer are
such fun.
Walton Motocross, oops Canadian
Motocross, had great weather for a
terrific weekend for all the activities
that make this such a popular spot to
be. Racers, family, vendors and
visitors pop the population of Walton
over the top for this busy time in
August.
Friday continues to be a fun day in
Brussels as the vendors at the
farmers’ market show their goodies
with pride. Don Chesher and Jim
Lee have been doing a good job of
making music happen each Friday.
For many, it’s a pleasant way to
spend a summer afternoon, a little
music, a bit of chatter and finish off
with a burger from one of the
community groups that make food
available each market day.
Like any community effort, it
takes many people to make
something happen. Rene Richmond,
with Bob as back-up, manages the
market and is pleased with the
choices they offer. Check for posters
about the village for upcoming
events. Farm animals trucked in by
the Brouwer family were very
entertaining this week as well as a
table of used books. Marking the
market one of the things to do in a
week helps many – the vendors, your
health and the board of
the market.
Audrey Cardiff has had a good
week. Jack’s sister Jean and
daughter have been visiting from the
west. Daughter Janet and family
arrived, partly in anticipation of
granddaughter Victoria’s wedding
last Saturday. A beautiful day made
this family celebration complete.
Holidays hit churches too. With
our organist Glenda touring the west
and Gary leaving the country, Bob
Kellington stepped out of his
comfort zone and did a fine job of
the church service at the United
Church on Sunday. Mary Douma
looked after the music with our
thanks. It’s not easy to be the
substitute and so we thank you both
for a fine job.
My learning curve lately is the
inside working of policing. Son Curt
joined the Barrie Police this year and
seeing the steps along the way is
quite enlightening. So all is well in
his world as he made all the right
moves and is now okay to be on his
own. That’s their opinion, now
perhaps I’ll start to worry.
Take care of yourself and be sure
to take in lots of fluids as the
humidity hits the heights.
Bye now, Betty G.W.
At the Branch
Legion members help
at Drivers’ challenge
By Jo-Ann McDonald
The members of the Brussels
Legion Branch attended the Drivers’
Challenge at the Clinton Raceway
on Sunday afternoon. The Branch
sold 15 dinner tickets for the event
and donated a set of Adirondack
chairs made by member George
Adams for the event. The event
supported local Legions around
Clinton. It was a very nice day.
Members helped at motocross to
host Bingo and the Branch thanks
volunteers Sandra and Catrina
Josling, Andy Overholt and Don
Chesher for their help.
44786 Rowland Rd., Ethel • cochranesrepairs@hotmail.com
Dripless Undercoating
Oiling 7 days a week by appointment
See us for all your automotive and
farm equipment repairs, body work and paint
By Betty
Graber
Watson
Call
887-9231
A NOTE FROM BETTY
Good things grow
As part of the Ontario Summer Company program, Monica Brouwer received funds to set up
a booth at the Brussels Farmers’ Market to sell organic produce and beef from their farm as
well as Mapleton’s Organic Ice Cream. The business has been in operation since May and will
continue until Labour Day. Brouwer hopes to re-open the booth next year as well. (Denny Scott
photo)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Continued on page 9
Farmers’ Market made possible by volunteerism
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