The Citizen, 2006-03-16, Page 31CALL (519) 335-6768
MURRAY HALL -
FORESTRY TECHNICIAN Farm fresh
PAGE A10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2006.
Agriculture 2006
Markets a social way to supplement income
other job to get away from this."
For consumers, however, it's the
best of both worlds, with the
assurance that the product at the
market has met, government
standards, but is also good Ontario
produce.
Storey said there does seem to be
an increase over the past five years in
people attending the farmers markets
but there's still. a long way to go. "I'd
say maybe 20 per cent of the people
in Huron buy from the market, and
they aren't on a regular basis."
One-stop shopping and weekly
specials still keep the majority of
people at the grocery store, even
during the summer months when the
markets operate. "If it's cheap they
buy rather than support the local
grower or buy Ontario produce."
The unfortunate thing is that many
of the consumers, Storey feels
certain, are unaware that they are
often buying imported meats and
produce. "That's another thing the
farmers market gives us an
opportunity to do. We can promote
Ontario goods and educate the
people on what they are buying."
The farmers market in Blyth is
open from June to September every
Saturday afternoon. Goderich's
farmers market runs from the
Victoria Day weekend until
Thanksgiving every Saturday.
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The farmers markets are another way to supplement the farm income. (Bonnie Gropp photo)
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
The chatter and social atmosphere,
people wending their way down
rows of booths that bear the bounty
of this good earth, are part and
parcel of a farmers market.
Springing up in various places
throughout rural Ontario and afar;
the farmers market is at times
reminiscent of their trendy urban
counterparts, while being so
thoroughly down home. Offering
freshness and quality they are must-
stops for health conscious shoppers,
and an opportunity for farmers to
boost their income.
Barb and Ray Storey of Winthrop
have become well known for their
maple syrup. She began selling it
over 20 years ago at the Goderich
farmers market and craft shows.
"One year our total farm .income
was $2,000. We were both out of
work at the time, but we survived.
Our two little children had
Christmas presents and we paid our
bills. That was when I first started
getting into the farmers market." said
Barb. "It gave us a little extra."
Looking at farming as income,
Storey said in over 25 years they
would never have been able to afford
the necessary extras or major
purchases such as appliances and
automobiles without at least one of
the couple working off farm.
"If I had to rely on the farm
income we would never be able to
buy things. People see farmers with
big houses or other things. It
probably was the off-farm income
that helped them buy it."
And. while the profit from
weekend trips to the farmers market
aren't going to make her rich, they
too, by now have helped to
supplement the income. "You have
to get established and that takes a lot
of time and effort."
The other side, however, is that it's
a good place to meet people. Storey
said when she first started her
children were small and the trips to
farmers markets gave her a chance to
get out and meat people. "You often
didn't make minimum wage, but I
really enjoy being - out with the
people."
However, the farmers market may
not exactly bring early retirement,
there is a residual benefit, that of
self-promotion.
"There was a fellow here recently.
He had been in Seaforth and was not
sure where we lived, but came down
our road and stopped in. He bought
stuff that he would normally have
got at the market so that is nice to
have, a little extra money."
The Storeys have also expanded
their product line over the years,
eventually adding pork prodtrcts and
now, as their son is a beekeeper,
honey. Everything is government
inspected, the meat through the
butcher shop and the honey and
syrup through regulations. Samples
are taken at various times to ensure
standards continue to be met.
"So we deal with inspectors which
can be frustrating. Often government
seems to be pushing the little guy out
of business. They are not keeping the
family farm as it used to be and
you're sometimes glad to have that
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