It’s no secret that I love farmers’ markets! There was one summer that in August, I convinced my mom to take me to markets 6 days each week! Although the food began as my focus, and is still awesmazing, I love developing relationships with the people – the farmers, the chefs, the bakers, the organizers, the entrepreneurs, and regulars that go, too! I always have an amazing feeling when we get to Brickworks Farmers’ Market every Saturday, but going to new markets is also such a great experience. This experience is always better with most of, or all of my family, because we all get to try to share more things, together. It’s also great when the vendors are actually farmers and the food makers and ORGANIC!
Toronto Botanical Gardens is a beautiful space on Lawrence Avenue just west of Leslie, I think we could have gone for a very long walk, before and after the market, adjacent to their pay-by-donation-only parking lot, and the main building with a cute little gift shop with all kinds of gardening tools and accessories, and books! While you browse through the small market (relatively speaking to Dufferin Grove or Brickworks), you can take a look around and notice you are surrounded by lush greenery, which is a nice change from the concrete, asphalt and glass of our city. The market contains around a dozen vendors, each carrying varying product, but cover vegetables, fruits, breads, eggs, cheese, dips, spreads, meals, honey, information, and more. It was all, or mostly all, certified organic! This is a market that I want to frequent, and it’s all year round since there is an indoor space, too!
I have included some of my highlights from the market below in pictures with captions, but go yourself, since there is much that is not in pictures that you will surely love! Enjoy this and all of Toronto’s other great markets (make sure they have organic vendors!) and talk to those organic farmers who work so hard for us, and who will so nicely talk to you!
Eat healthy and feel good about it!
Ryan
