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Fresh News!

We are still looking for a web volunteer who can help us organize the site. Some web design and code writing experience are preferred, as well as access to a personal computer. If you can help, or know of someone else who can, please get in touch with Roberta at info (at) withrowpark.ca.

Stale news cupboard!

updated Oct. 28, 2009

On Oct. 31, please join us for our last event of the season: Halloween Dress Rehearsal! Let the kids enjoy Halloween all day long by letting them wear their disguises for fright night to market and have fun with some spooky crafts, pumpkin carving and face painting.

In your community: parents and tots (2-6 years old) from the Withrow Park Free Outdoor Playgroup have been meeting every Tuesday from 1:00 ~ 2:30 since September 22 by the smaller playground further north in the park. The Playgroup is part of the ACTIVE KIDS CLUB "a group of parents and caregivers who want to introduce their children to the love of the outdoors in all weather. Bring your children and your ideas and join us! www.activekidsclub.com".

Behind the scenes of a little market that can:

Well, here we are close to the end of another, if at times challenging, mostly fabulous market season. We had fun, frustrations, made new friends, but overall had a great time collectively as the little market community that you had the chance to meet and belong to over the summer, and we hope you, too, had a great time filling your spiffy Withrow market bags with the result of the labour of so many farmers and passionate food entrepreneurs. On behalf of all of us I thank you for your support, and look very much forward to next year. You will see some changes, and sometimes it will rain, and sometimes everything will seam perfect, and sometimes there'll be surprises... We never know what the weather will be like, but we know that our farmers will do their best to keep things growing.

I want to take this opportunity to introduce you to our tireless, hugely dedicated, and creative volunteers: Jennifer who has planned and coordinated kids activities this season has had help from Arturo, Anu, 2 Sarahs, Faye, Danial, Irene, Tricia, and occasionally Michelle, Sherry and Francoise. In addition to helping with kids events, Michelle, Sherry, Anu, Francoise and Jeff have been helping with the morning set-up and late day clean up of the market area, have been assisting our vendors in many ways, have helped with various other aspects of the market and have actually been the ones running the show on Saturdays. Without their help this market season would not have been much fun.

I hugely appreciate the help of all our volunteers, and in addition to the front line folks, there have been others helping out behind the scenes: Brad has been taking care of our graphic design needs, Anna has been photo-documenting the market season, Karen has been working with us on ways to find some funding, and Jen has been helping with schemes and strategies and putting things into perspective. Maria, Elizabeth, Christina and Barb helped with early season market promotion, and the Cook's Place and Book City have let us take over their window displays to help spread word about the market. I also want to draw your attention to Andrew, this year's Parks staff person who has kept the park in ship shape, and has taken good care of us, as well as his supervisors and coworkers who have kept things humming along even during the City strike. And the whole thing was dreamt up and orchestrated by yours truly, Roberta.

Last, but so very much not at all at the least, I want to thank all our vendors and market guests for making our 3rd year a great and encouraging experience, and without their commitment and hard work, there would really be no market, and, of course, there wouldn't be one without you, our fellow eaters and neighbours, and we look forward to sharing good food, fun and memorable moments with you next year.

updated Oct. 8, 2009

This Saturday, Oct. 10, join us for our first Thanksgiving Fresh Food Drive. Please buy an extra basket of potatoes, onions, or an extra squash, cabbage or other storable vegetable to donate to the Eastview Community Centre foodbank. The fresh food drive is an initiative of the Riverdale Food Working Group, a cooperative project hosted by the Ralph Thornton Centre, and working to improve fresh food access to Riverdale residents on low income.

updated Sept. 30, 2009

Christine has had to cancel her free Yoga sessions for the remainder of the market season, and we apologize if you came to market on Sept. 26 and found no class, but we only found out that morning. However, we look forward to have Christine return to the park and our community next season.

updated Sept. 18, 2009

The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation's Tour de Greenbelt, is a fresh air festival on wheels, that explores all Ontario’s Greenbelt has to offer - fresh local food, rural hospitality and fun recreation.

The Tour began in 2007 as a visionary partnership between environmentally conscious retailer, Mountain Equipment Co-op and Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation.

Now in its second year, the Tour takes place September 12-13 and 26-27. This year’s cycling adventure will incorporate four distinct, fully paved, marshalled routes in four Greenbelt regions with each route designed for fun, rather than competition.

This family-oriented cycling event includes visits to farms, farmers’ markets and wineries. End-of-ride meals feature delicious, local Greenbelt food. Check out the action on these tour dates:

• Saturday, September 12th – St. Catharines/Niagara: Starting and ending at Henry of Pelham Winery and moving throughout Niagara ending with a catered local food lunch at the winery.
• Sunday, September 13th – Burlington/Halton: Starting and ending at the Mountain Equipment Co-op store in Burlington – going north into Halton ending with an urban street party, local food BBQ lunch and live entertainment.
• Saturday, September 26th – riding on the Nokiidaa Trail then touring up to Lake Simcoe and east to Musselmans Lake.
• Sunday, September 27th – Toronto/Durham: Starting and ending at the Greenwood Conservation Area in Ajax. This route will explore the Rouge Park, and journey along the shores of Lake Wilcox, tour past the scenic farms of Uxbridge Township and ending with a local food BBQ lunch and live entertainment.

Visit http://www.tourdegreenbelt.ca/ for more information and to register.

updated Sept.10, 2009

Coming this week: fresh filler-free organic lamb sausage from the Quinte Organic Farmers Co-op!

Coming Sept. 12:

Here: A Celebration of Local Living!

Here is a quick preview of some of the things we've got planned:

• 11a.m.: winter windowsill herb garden starter workshop: bring fragrant memories of summer indoors by starting a windowsill or kitchen garden from seed or cuttings (a small pay as you can material cost will apply). Seeds for this workshop have been graciously donated by Urban Harvest!
• 10a.m.: heirloom tomato tasting and seed saving demo: this has been a tough year for tomatoes, but there is enough to show you how to save your own seeds now for next year's crop (info on tomato seed starting and growing will be provided)
• bike jam: we will have a mobile bike shop, winter riding information, a bike drive (bring us your old bikes and bike parts; they will be refurbished and donated to charity), and more
• Riverdale Food Working Group fresh food drive for the Eastview Community Centre food bank
• ongoing: Knit-a-Row, Share the Warmth: literally knit a row for charity! If you don't knit, Anu can show you how.
• mini Riverdale craft show presenting the work of Riverdale artists and artisans
• worm composting demo (ongoing) with Green Oasis on Broadview: learn how you can compost indoors, and get a worm farm starter kit
• 11:30a.m.: cooking demo with Julie Daniluk, probably best known to Big Carrot shoppers as their chief in-house nutritionist. Julie is also the author of the newly published Meals That Heal Inflammation, and we are still waiting to hear if she'll have some copies for sale at the market.
• 11a.m.: Positive Spin Hoops: Allison will be returning with her hoops: learn how to hula your way to fitness, health and happiness.
• CANCELED: the Riverdale Meadow community gardeners won't be attending this event
• LEAF (Local Enhancement for the Appreciation of Forests) will have something special up their sleeves, and will also continue to answer your questions about urban tree care

And there will be a whack of things to do for kids:

• Who can resist an inchworm salad? this is a really neat way for kids to eat their veggies and play with their food!
• U Can Do It Woodworking for Kids will be back to show you how your kids can indeed do it and be the builders of their own toys.
• From 10:30 - 11:30 chill out during story time with staff from the Toronto Public Library's Pape branch.
• Leanne and Alicia will be bringing their Picture It Picture Books to market. The books allow readers of all ages to be their own illustrators! The books are written without pictures on purpose in order to co-create with the reader. Picture It Picture Books is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint, and the plots are tinted with earth-friendly messages. Get set, sharpen your pencils and get ready to draw!

updated Sept. 3, 2009

Danielle from Troinoa is back with Yogalicious, a yummy probiotic frozen dessert. Troinoa is a young Toronto company that has developed the first ever probiotic iced kefir dessert (now also available at Sun Valley on the Danforth). Troinoa works with local farmers in the procurement of their ingredients, and also support fair trade practices. Meet the woman behind this new local food business, and have a scoop or two.

updated Aug. 21, 2009

We are happy to welcome Deer Valley Farm to our market community. Tony, Irene and their family raise venison on organic pasture, and feed them GMO-, drug- and hormone-free feed and hay in the winter. Visit their web site at http://www.venison.ca/ for recipe ideas, and come meet them in person at the market.

This weekend we are the testing ground for a new probiotic frozen dessert: Troinoa is a young Toronto company that is launching Yogalicious, the first ever probiotic iced kefir dessert on Aug. 29, and we get to sample the goods before the official street date. Troinoa works with local farmers in the procurement of their ingredients, and also support fair trade practices. Meet the people behind this new local food business, and be one of the first to taste Yogalicious. Yogalicious will be available at Sun Valley on the Danforth from Aug. 29 on, but Danielle from Troinoa will be visiting the market again on Sept. 5 and Oct. 3.

Jackie and her team from Hands on You Therapeutic Clinic have a special bag of fun and relaxation prepared for this Saturday! For aching and stiff muscles line up for a free chair massage, or win a prize by participating in either a push-up competition (whoever can do the most push ups receives a FREE fitness assessment and a FREE 1 hour personal training session), or a Yoga Tree Pose competition (whoever can hold the pose the longest receives a 3 class pass and a $10 gift certificate towards any of Hands on You services), or both!

updated Aug. 12, 2009

Our first Edible Container Garden Show has been a lot of fun, and we will be posting pictures and stories in our picture gallery, and on the web site of Toronto Balconies Bloom. Stay tuned and don't miss the show next year!

updated Aug. 5, 2009

Aug. 8 is the date of our 1st Edible Container Garden Show! Get inspired by eco-responsible potted crop designs, and meet writer and master gardener Lorraine Johnson, Paul Zammit, director of horticulture at the Toronto Botanical Garden, and yougrowgirl.com's Gayla Trail at noon. Gayla's new book is due next Feb., but you'll be able to get a copy of her first book ("You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening") at the market and have it signed, too.

This is a joint show with Toronto Balconies Bloom, and to find out more about Toronto Balconies Bloom and their activities, visit torontobalconiesbloom.ca.

This week Inside Out Studio is bringing some FFF to market: Fun Family Fitness... Together! Interactive games for parent and child, light-hearted races and relays with loads of spirit! We mix it up differently each time. Obstacle courses, motor skills and kooky exercises too :) Great for family togetherness and feeling good. Get in great shape with this fun group workout!

Adult Fitness (Beginner Level) Interactive and geared for people who need a bit of a push this fun workout includes some sprints, push-ups, abdominal work, shadow boxing, jumping jacks, burpees and other surprise exercises. Get in great shape with this fun group workout!

www.insideoutstudio.ca

This weekend in the park:

• Dusk Dances - until Sunday, Aug. 9, starting at 7 p.m. Visit http://www.duskdances.ca/DDFrameset.html for more information.
• "The Menaechmus Twins" by Plautus, performed by members of Theatreworks Productions - performances daily until Sunday Aug. 9 at 6 p.m., with additional 2 p.m. matinees on the weekend. For more info visit http://www.theatreworksproductions.com/aboutus_theatre_toronto.htm.

Both events are pay-what-you-can.

This weekend in the neighbourhood: The 16th Taste of the Danforth from Friday Aug. 7 to Sun. Aug. 9! Please note that Danforth Ave. will be closed to traffic between Broadview and Jones starting Friday at 11 a.m.

Make Withrow Park and the market your staycation destination!

updated July 29, 2009

We have revised the submission criteria for our 1st Edible Container Garden Show:

The Withrow Park Farmers’ Market and Toronto Balconies Bloom are introducing their first collaborative Edible Container Garden Show, on Saturday Aug. 8, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine.

The show is open to participation from urban gardeners from 3 to 103: bring anywhere from 1-3 containers of any type, in which at least 50% of the plant material is edible (either the whole plant or parts of it). What to grow is only limited by your imagination: grow a mini herb garden in a shoe, or an edible flower garden in an old car tire. If you can get it to the show without the use of a truck and a crane, the size is up to you, but we prefer you use sustainable transportation options: wheelbarrow, wagon, bike trailer, bundle buggy, TTC, carpool…

Help spread the enthusiasm and experience for growing edible containers by exhibiting your funky bucket of homegrown eats at this first-time event! Send your submission by Monday Aug. 3 with a little bit about your gardening self to contact(at)torontobalconiesbloom.ca (please replace at with @ in the e-mail address), listing “ECG show” in the subject line.

updated July 22, 2009

Do you have a new, young, or troubled tree near your house, or are thinking about getting one planted, but don't know what kind to choose? Bring your questions to LEAF volunteers, this Saturday, July 25.

LEAF stands for Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests, and is a no-profit organization that concerns itself with the health, wellbeing and propagation of native trees in urban areas.

Visit http://www.leaftoronto.org/ to find out more about their programs and on how to get involved.

updated July 14, 2009

On Saturday, July 18th the Buy Local Share Local campaign will be making a stop at the market on its 2nd annual Farmers’ Market Tour of Ontario. Buy Local Share Local is a campaign of the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB). The OAFB will be collecting donations of fresh produce from market goers and donating them to Daily Bread Food Bank. There is a great need for donations as 350,000 Ontarians are forced to turn to food banks each month, and an increase in usage has left food banks struggling to keep up with demand. Last year’s campaign raised over 190,000 pounds of produce for food banks across the province. By buying local you’re helping support your local economy and getting great tasting food at the same time. By sharing local you can help people in your community that are in immediate need of food. So come on out to the market July 18th, buy some fresh Ontario produce and donate to the local food bank at the same time!

Donations collected at Withrow will go to the Eastview Community Centre food bank.

For more information and dates of other stops on the Farmers’ Market Tour check out: http://oafb.ca/blsl.html

updated July 1, 2009

The market continues despite the Toronto City workers' strike, but please note that washrooms will continue to be closed while the strike lasts. To assist in keeping the market area and park as waste free as possible, please use the garbage bags in the market area for coffee and juice cups, etc. Farmers and specialty prepared food vendors are expecting you with lots of goodies, and we all thank you for supporting your neighbourhood market.

We are expecting another delivery of sweet and juicy strawberries at market this week, but come early. Please bring your own containers for the soft fruit, and return cartons to farmers.

3 berry topped puff pastry from Saucier Foods

little guy into big flavour

updated June 17, 2009

For this fresh news alert we have just 3 words: strawberries have arrived!

updated June 10, 2009

Starting Saturday June 13, the market is launching a series of free fitness activities starting with Yoga, brought to us by Christine Hall. Join Christine from 10 - 11 a.m. for energizing and relaxing postures designed to introduce Yoga methods to beginners and "improvers". Other free Yoga session dates are June 20, July 4, 11, and 18, and August 8, 15, and 29.

Classes focus on building strength and flexibility as well as bringing a sense of well being and stillness to your yoga practice. Pranayama (breathwork) and mindful contemplation are integrated and encouraged within the sessions.

Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat and/or towel/blanket.

Christine comes from an administrative background and currently works in the health care industry and teaches yoga part time. She achieved her yoga certification and training at Neo Yoga Centre (Himalaya Yoga Valley) in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India and is a member of the Canadian Yoga Alliance. Christine lived in India for a short period of time where she worked within the Tibetan community. During her stay in India, she studied under the guidance of her gifted yoga teacher Lalit Bharaj. McLeod Ganj is located in northern India and is currently the home of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet.

In case of rain, the class is automatically canceled.

For more information, please contact Christine Hall at 416-435-4633 or email christineforpeace(at)gmail(dot)com.

We are happy to announce special guests for our kids activities area for this Saturday (June 13) from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: the Alan Howard Waldorf School a story with Master Storyteller Dawne McFarlane at 11 a.m. "It is through storytelling that the Waldorf teacher nurtures the children's power off imagination and they learn to appreciate the beauty of language." Kids will also be able to join in other creative ways, by doing colouring with the school's traditional beeswax crayons.

Have you ever wondered how you can have access to growing your own organic foods, but are limited by the amount of space you have? On Saturday June 13th at, Zora Ignjatovic, a Riverdale resident and horticulturalist, will be doing a container gardening demonstration from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Zora’s Living Food Boxes are the perfect and portable way to continue to grow your own foods throughout the seasons, and in small spaces such as apartments, condos, residences, hospitals, schools, and co-ops. Come check out all the amazing things you can grow in container gardens and get inspired! You can set up your own consultation with Zora or come by the Green Oasis on Broadview table on Saturday to pick up your own Living Food Box, or learn how to create your own.

This Saturday our featured market performer is Kristin Lindell, an east-end singer songwriter who performs original roots/jazz music infused with folk and blues inspired sounds. Her lyrics sing of lilacs, shady summer days and whimsical dreams of a "Month of Sundays". Hear more of her music at: www.songweaver.ca.

updated May 28, 2009

The Withrow Park Farmers' Market flung itself full force into a fresh Ontario growing season, and although not all of our farmers have made it back to market yet, a definite promise of good foods coming was in the air, and the weather could not have been more perfect.

Our first seedling swap and perennial divide was small, but successful, and we'll work on making it bigger next year. In the meantime stay tuned for news about our first edible container garden show (open to general public submissions!), on Saturday August 8 (during the Taste of the Danforth).

If you are worried that you missed your chance to get your thumbs on veggie seeds and seedlings, annual and perennial ornamentals, and native plants, you will have the chance again this Saturday (May 30). The North American Native Plant Society will be back, so will Urban Harvest, and the Green Gardeners/Green Oasis on Broadview team.

New to the market this year is Martha Preston with empanadas. You don't want to miss these sweet or savoury morsels of organic crispy goodness (there is a breakfast variety with egg and all sorts of good stuff). The Greenbelt apple empanada tastes like a mini apple pie: heat it up and break-out the vanilla ice cream... yum!

If you want to ensure a St. John's Bakery loaf of bread for the weekend, come early! Although they are working hard to meet the demand, the early bird gets the worm in this case (figuratively speaking).

This Saturday we are welcoming back Plan B with fresh succulent greens, and some hothouse cukes. We are also welcoming for the 1st time Saucier Foods with French style prepared foods and grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic free Limousin beef from Top Meadow Farms. Come and check it out!

Lucy from Compostellae Farm and Ben from Sosnickis Organics will be back as well, and as the season progresses the rest of our farmers are slowly returning.

New for this year is our monthly "Family Health Day", open to all ages for participation, and best of all it's FREE, courtesy of Hands on You Therapeutic Clinic. The "FHD-s" will be on June 27, July 25, and August 22, and here is a preliminary schedule of what you can expect:

• 9:30am-10:30 am - Mixed Yoga
• 11:00am-11:30am - Baby Massage workshop (benefits and techniques will be discussed)
• 11:30am-12 - FIT For ALL (a fun activity for adults and kids)
• 12-12:30 - Baby Massage Workshop
• 12:30-1pm - FIT for ALL

During the Fit for All Jackie from Hands on You will do complimentary 5 minute chair massages!

We have found a volunteer web master who will be helping us make the site more user friendly and "prettier". When Brad (who incidentally designed our so very markety logo) gets to it, we'll post a full calendar of kids activities, for now, we'll be sending weekly updates on kids stuff in our e-newsletter.

To receive our weekly market updates please subscribe via the link above this post, or from the box on our "About Us" page.

Mark Saturday May 23 in your calendars as the start of the new season, which will kick off with our 3rd annual Spring Fling, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine!

updated May 19, 2009

Our children’s activities this market season are not to be missed! We have planned a full season of fun and educational activities, crafts, and special guest appearances at the market - just for kids! For Spring Fling kids can go on a Market Scavenger Hunt, start their own garden from seed, and take a break with Pape Library staff during story time from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The folks from the Riverdale Meadow Community Garden will bring their fantastic raspberry vinegar (add a touch of maple syrup, and your salad dressing is complete), live and dried catnip, Jerusalem Artichokes (also known as sunchokes - a native of North America!), potatoes, strawberry plants, and books on season extension.

We had hoped for some free City compost for Spring Fling, but weren't able to get any. We will try again later this season, hopefully in time for your fall garden cleanup.

In June 2008 Through the Garden Gate was our special market neighbour, and this year we'll be sharing some neighbourly banter with Toronto Solar Neighbourhoods. Want to energize your home with green power? These folks will tell you how. Visit www.solarneighbourhoods.ca/ for more information on the initiative.

updated May 11, 2009

Here is the long-ago promised Spring Fling and market start update:

This year join us for the first of what we hope will become a tradition: our first ever Seedling Swap & Perennial Divide!

What is it: gardeners who grow their veggies and annual flowers from seed often have a "problem" with too many seedlings, too little space, and an aversion to tossing the extras into the compost. This is your chance to offload some of the extra seedlings, and get your hands on something new. We do it with seeds on Seedy Saturdays (and Sundays), why not do it with seedlings? Have any extra divisions of perennials? Bring them along. Don't have anything to share? No problem! You will be able to get plants for some cold, hard cash.

How does it work: gardeners who want to participate need to register with Roberta, one of the event organizers, by phone (416-461-2825) or e-mail (withrowpfm @ gmail.com - please do not use spaces when you type the e-mail address).

Other highlights of our first market day: the North American Native Plant Society will have pollinator friendly native plants for sale; Green Oasis on Broadview, a new urban agriculture organization will bring seeds and seedlings; folks from the Riverdale Meadow Community Garden will bring among others divisions of herbs and berries; the Toronto chapter of the Canadian Organic Growers will be on hand to answer any of your questions about organic food; and more.

Of course, there will also be crafty and green activities for the kids.

This is not all folks. We will keep updating this post as more details become available, so visit us again, or subscribe to our e-newsletter.

On the market news-front: we are looking forward to welcoming back our farmers from Plan B, the Sosnickis, Ted Thorpe, Jim from Haystrom Farm, Feast of Fields, and the Webers with their summer sausage and other eco meats. We are also welcoming back Bees Universe, St. John's Bakery, Cacao Monkey Phil, and Superhealth (with the very much needed and greatly appreciated morning coffee).

We are also warmly welcoming for the first time Lucy from the Compostellae farm (who will be bringing fruit, veg and flowers), Martha of Preston Empanadas (providing ready to eat treats for hungry farmers and market shoppers), and Happy Grain Organic Bakery (offering gluten free breads and cookies).

The Withrow Park Farmers' Market is open Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from May 23 to October 31, rain or shine, 1 block south of Danforth Ave., between Logan and Carlaw.'''