The Rural Voice, 2005-10, Page 51AgriTech
Learning about farmers' markets
Janice McIntosh and Northern Spy to blue Berry -growers are well
Becker is a and green grapes and Bosc pears.
computer If it is vegetables you are looking
enthusiast for, October is prime time for
and stocking up on great produce such as
journalist beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage,
living near onions and potatoes.
Walton. ON. Take advantage of gorgeous aut-
umn days by taking your family to
one of the many pick -your -own farms.
Foodland Ontario's site will link
you to websites for other organiza-
tions that offer such lists. At
www.harvestontario.com, the home-
page provides a pull-down list from
which one may chose pick -your -own
operations. A map of Ontario then
allows you to click on the city of
choice for farms in the area.
1 checked out the Owen Sound
area, finding a dozen sites with
offerings ranging from berries to
apples, with cider and gifts also
available and one farm that had a
wide selection of vegetables.
The colourful, illustrated guide
makes a search fast and easy.
This site also lists numerous
farmers' markets, including months
of operation for easier planning.
Now well into the autumn season,
the fields are emptied of beans and
soon all the corn will also be gone.
The last of the garden vegetables and
fruits are being harvested with root
crops, pumpkins, squash and apples
offered fresh from the field.
While many villages and towns
across the region feature farmers'
markets throughout the summer,
October is the time to make that last
trip out to stock up on goodies for the
coming cold.
At www.farmersmarketontar-
io.com, sponsored by Foodland Ont-
ario, surfers can check out just which
of their favourites are in season. The
availability guide shows fall as the
peak season for everything from
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46 THE RURAL VOICE
represented on the Foodland Ontario
site, with links to both the Ontario
Berry Growers' Association,
www.ontberries.com, and Eastern
Ontario Berry Growers Association,
www.berryfarms.org.
Ontariogardening.com also allows
visitors to the site the opportunity to
search specific cities for pick -your -
own farms as well as searching by
product.
Though not currently in season,
the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers
are also represented on the site.
Back at Farmers' Markets Ontario
(FMO), surfers can seek a market by
region. The Western Region, which
includes everything west of Owen
Sound to Toronto, lists 19 cities with
markets.
A click on the link provides times
of operation as well as a contact
number. It also lists the average
number of vendors.
Now that you have had your fill of
fresh Ontario produce, the trek may
have sparked an interest for your own
hometown.
The FMO website provides
information for those looking to start
a farmers' market or rejuvenate one
already up and running.
Contact information for a consult-
ant is available or a flyer outlining
material detailed in the book, Sharing
the Harvest, can be downloaded.
Ordering information is included.
At www.ruralroutes.com, there is
also information on farm markets and
you -pick operations, but it is more
difficult to track down. However, by
doing a search, and filling out the
questionnaire, farms meeting specific
criteria can be found. As it warns on
many websites, because of the
lateness of the season, it is always
best to call ahead to the intended
farm stop to ensure the products you
seek are available.
Of course, a nice weekend drive
through the countryside just to
venture to a few different farms is
also a great way to spend a little time
in the fall.
Contact me at jlbecker@wight-
man.ca or through The Rural Voice
office, with topic suggestions or
feedback.0