Selling at the Friday Night Farmers Market!

Arrival!

We've had a pal visiting from Vancouver; George wanted to come for a little visit and have a day-in-the-life experience of the little farm in Manitoba.  It's the weekend, so that means the Friday Night Farmers Market and Saturday morning at the Farmers Market at Riverbank Discovery Centre!  It was a great opportunity to get some 'action' photos.  We find that setting up for a market is always a scramble and a bit stressful - there is just never enough time no matter how organized you think you are!  We put George to work in a small way, he helped clean and bundle carrots and beets.  His big job, though, was getting photos of the process at the Farmers Market!

The canopy is interesting on
a windy day!

What goes where?

By the time we arrive at the Friday Night Farmers Markets we've already been at it for six to eight hours!  Farmer Man is usually out the door by around 6:00 AM; first he opens up the chicken coops and turns the goatlings out into their pasture, as well as checking everybody's food and water.  Then he has a quiet tour around, checking on what's ready to harvest.  By 8:00 AM when our little staff arrives, he has a plan and dispatches everyone on their tasks.  This Friday Henry and Blake were off to dig a specific list of seven different kinds of potatoes, Cheryl and Nataliya were off to pick beans.  The harvesting goes on all morning, with the garage being the depot.  As veggies come up to the garage, they are set up for washing, cleaning and drying.  By noon, Cheryl has started to package: weighing and bagging potatoes was first on her list.  Nataliya and I kept harvesting: tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, flowers.  Blake and Henry helped Farmer Man cut summer and winter squash, dig carrots and beets.  By 1:00 PM, Carissa has arrived.  Carissa comes to help sell at the Farmers Market, and immediately jumps into the bagging.

The final touch - prices!

And we're off! 

As always, as the time approaches to leave for the Market, there's a flurry of activity!  Farmer Man is loading the truck with crates of vegetables, I'm picking out baskets for displays and making sure I have a float for change and bags, Carissa is still packaging.  We always run out of time:  this week I kind of forget to cut herbs for Friday Night - it's always something!  By 2:30 we're ready to leave.  Shortly before 3:00 we arrive at Shoppers Mall, the Zellers parking lot.  Buddy George is the official photographer today.  First, the little canopy: always a challenge on a windy day.  This is important to keep the sun of the veggies, protection in case of rain (it was a little cloudy Friday, with something like a 20% chance of a shower) and it gives us a little 'presence'!  Next folding tables get set out, table clothes go on, our sign goes in front of the table, baskets come out of the truck.  We start unloading crates from the truck; we need to get some emptied into baskets because we use empties as the base for little 'tables' of crates of squash.  Sorting, arranging, displaying, all with that deadline of a 4:00 PM start.  Next, clips for little cards with the name, price and maybe a little description on each item.  This time of year, there is really not enough room for all the goodies.  A last check: everything is out, everything is accessible, everything has a price!  The big whistle at 4:00 PM and we're having a Farmers Market!  George found it so crazy, busy and crowded that he had to get out of there!  He didn't know people were so enthusiastic about fresh, local vegetables!

Back at home, Farmer Man starts after supper with harvesting for Saturday mornings' Farmers Market.  Henry came back for a couple of hours and helped dig more potatoes and onions.  Farmer Man and I are in touch by phone, so I can let him know what's selling out.  I'm home from the market by shortly after 7:30 PM, and Farmer Man, George and I have a little visit and a bite to eat.  We're up early Saturday morning to dig more carrots and such.  That gets a little harder as we get later in the season because it gets dark earlier on Friday evenings and stays dark later on Saturday mornings!  Farmer Man has been known to harvest late in September with a head lamp on over his ball cap!  Cheryl will come at 8:00 AM on Saturday morning to help clean and package and then her and I are off to the Farmers Market at Riverbank Discovery Centre, leaving at 9:00 AM for at 10:00 AM start.  By Saturday afternoon at 2:00 PM - it's nap time!  Whew!

Nanking Cherry Jelly Time!

It's good to have extra hands.  So much is ready, all at once, in this odd growing year.  We're still picking and trying to jam raspberries, and the nanking cherries were soooo ready for picking.  So, put the Sisters to work on a lovely summer evening!  Niece Meg was interested in seeing the process of making jam or jelly so the sisters picked and Meg and I dripped the juice and discussed the process.  Too busy with tonights' Friday Night Farmers Market to actually make jelly, so the lovely red juice got frozen for now!  Next, the Evans sour cherries are just about ready for picking and yes, the raspberries are still going!

Entertaining at the Friday Night Farmers Market!

Roxanne from Maple Valley 

'Diamond Dust' doin' it up!

A great night at the Friday Night Farmers Market!  'Diamond Dust', a great little duo from Vancouver, dropped by to play on their cross-Canada tour!  Added a great vibe to the Market!  Gardens are finally kicking into gear here in Brandon - Maple Valley Farm's table was really 'groaning' with good stuff for the first time this year!  We had a great pick on raspberries, the first good pick of beans, and finally some summer squash: some zucchini, some Italian Largo and one nice Patty Pan!  Our herbs are doing really well, and we made some people really happy with some fresh dill to go with our baby potatoes, and a nice cut of basil!   If you'd like to hear 'Diamond Dust', a folk/rock singer/songwriting duo - they'll be at the fabulous Siesta Cafe in Clear Lake on Sunday night at 7:00 PM I do believe!

Manitoba Maple Syrup and Pancakes!

Almost done!

Ready to flip!

I've blogged about Manitoba Maple Syrup a few times, here and here.  I love the idea of this local product and loved the product itself, once I had some!  Our neighbors Amanda and Ed were nice enough to share a jar, but really only make enough to supply their family.  I was searching around for some other sources.  Serendipity brought Hiltje to the Friday Night Farmers Market this week, with her maple syrup.  Score!  And, through Organic Sheri in Portage, I got connected to Linda of Oakman Enterprises in Portage la Prairie;  Farmer Man's sister Lene and her husband Dale picked up some on their way through for a visit here at the farm on Friday.  We've got Manitoba Maple Syrup!  So, what do you do when you have maple syrup?  You make pancakes!

Now, I am crazy about pancakes.  My Mother loved pancakes, too, and I inherited an electric fry pan dedicated to pancake making.  Yes, an electric fry pan my Mom received as a wedding gift in the '50's has hardly ever been used for anything other than pancakes.  I don't have to oil it or anything, something I find wrong about too many pancakes is that they can be almost greasy!  Remember, you're not frying them, you're sort of baking them one side at a time!  Here's my Mom's easy pancake recipe: in a large bowl mix 2 cups flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons sugar.  In a small bowl mix 2 eggs, 1 3/4 cups milk, 1/4 cup oil like canola or corn (olive oil has too much flavor).  Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the wet, mix.  We make a smaller pancake, one scoop of batter from a soup spoon, comes out about 3 inches across.   The recommended setting on the electric fry pan is 380 degrees, about medium high.  Cook the first side until bubbles are coming through - about 2 to 3 minutes.  Flip and cook the second side about 1 to 2 minutes.  I, like my Mother, keep a small pot of water simmering on the stove with a bowl on top; this keeps the early pancakes warm until I'm finished the batch.

Both these producers are tapping Manitoba maples, also called boxelder, botanically Acer negundo.  Linda is also tapping Silver maples, Acer saccharinum.  If you're interested in some of this great product,  you can follow Aagaard Farms on Facebook or Twitter, and I'll let you know when Hiltje will be back at the Friday Night Farmers Market.  Or contact us at aagaardfarms@gmail.com!  If you're in Manitoba, if you're interested in eating local and supporting small producers you've got to try this stuff!  Or how about tapping your own trees this next Spring?

Strawberry-o-rama-ding-dong!

I'm seeing a little red.  Little red, shiny berries!  Such an amazing amount of strawberries were offered at our two weekend Farmers Markets that I went a little overboard.  At the Friday Night Farmers Market, Mayfair Farms from Portage came with their luscious berries, and at the end of the day offered a wee deal.  I came home with three flats.  Then, at the Saturday morning Farmers Market at Riverbank Discovery Centre, the lovely little family farm Good Earth came from Glenboro with their gorgeous berries and, wanting to support local growers (!) I came home with two more flats.  After my standard Saturday afternoon nap, I rose to a fridge stuffed with berries!  So, time to start the canning for 2011.  Sunday, which we usually take as a day off, was a berry day; 'Strawberry Fields Forever' kept running through my head as I washed, hulled, rinsed, crushed, stirred...well, you get the picture!  As it stands, I have fourteen jars of conventional pectin jam, five jars of honey sweetened jam made with Pomona's, I have two batches of strawberry-balsamic-rosemary jam marinating which I'm about to can and, as I faced the last flat at 9:00 PM last night, I got out the blender and the dehydrator and I have ten sheets of pure strawberry leather currently cooling. Whew!  Now, what if strawberries show up at the Farmers Markets again this coming weekend.......

That's What I'm Talking About!

After a slow start, the Farmers Markets are kicking into gear.  With a little warm weather this week, gardens are starting to take off, and more market gardeners have something ready to sell.  Local food is getting a whole lot easier in Brandon!  We have made the tough decision to cancel the Thursday Night Farmers Market at Riverbank Discovery; there is just not enough produce or vendors to fill four markets a week.  Some of our poor grower friends are still under water from flooding, and will never make it to market this year.  The Friday Night Farmers Market had more vendors, more customers and more action this week!  Fresh strawberries from Portage were a nice addition, since strawberries are going to be a little rare around here this year due to the flooding.  Saturday Morning at Riverbank Discovery Centre was also bigger and better, and nice strawberries from Glenboro were a hit.  For us, a good cut of some lettuces (finally) including baby romaine, a buttercrunch type and a gorgeous, frilly loose leaf.  We had the first little dig of baby potatoes, the last cut of garlic scapes and loads of fresh herbs with a nice cut of cilantro!  The 2010 jams are selling out, with lots of interest in my sugar free jams, made with honey using the awesome Pomona's Pectin.  Coming home with me both nights: strawberries!  Let the jamming begin for 2011!

Garlic Scapes: Get Them While You Can!

If you love garlic, you will love garlic scapes.  It's a short-lived delight, available for a couple of weeks early in Summer.  We always say it's what gets us through until the garlic bulbs are ready later in the summer!  Not familiar with scapes?  Lots of people aren't.  We took them to both the Friday Night Farmers Market and the Saturday Morning Market at Riverbank Discovery Centre this week.  A few people were delighted to see them; most asked what the 'curly' thing was!  Love introducing people to something new at the Farmers Market!

Garlic scapes are the flowering stocks of garlic plants.  They should be removed so that more energy goes into the formation of the bulb.  The upside to all that work is that they are delicious eating!  Milder than a garlic clove but stronger than garlic chives with a fresh, almost sweet flavor, this first cut will be very tender and awesome for fresh eating on salads, in a tuna salad, salsa and such.  They are also great for cooking, although they should be added later in the cooking as they are a little delicate.  Perfect for sautes, stir-fries, in omelettes; we diced them and put them on a pizza with shaved asparagus a few nights ago.  Yummy!  Later today, we're doing a garlic scape pesto from this recipe, which has almonds instead of pinenuts.  On the food blogs, they're pickling them!  Very useful for the garlic lover, but in another week they are all gone.  We'll have them at Tuesdays' Neighborhood Country Market, and the last cuts will be available at the Friday Night Farmers Market and Saturdays Farmers Market at Riverbank Discovery Centre.  Have you tried garlic scapes?

Our Farmers Market Season Gets Underway!

The Friday Night Farmers Market is back in action!  First Farmers Market for us this year!  It was, unfortunately, a cool, windy and rainy day.  Doesn't exactly make for a fabulous market.  But we've all got pop-up tents so everything and everybody managed to stay fairly dry!  It's so nice to see our regulars and catch up with them, as well as having a chance to visit with and catch up with our vendor pals.  Only three vendors made it and there wasn't a whole lot of fresh veggies ready in this cold, wet Spring.  We had some nice, fresh spinach, a good selection of fresh herbs and asparagus, Maple Valley had spring onions and rhubarb and Mann Apiaries was there with, of course, local honey products.  We had all done some baking to fill our tables and what a delightful assortment of breads, buns, sweets and treats!  And we all do different canning so there was a great selection of jams, jellies, pickled beets and relish.  The weather forecast for the upcoming week is a little better, so hopefully the veggies will grow, grow, grow!  Same time next week for the Friday Night Farmers Market: 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the corner of 18th and Richmond!  Hope to see you there!

The Last Outdoor Farmers Markets!

Friday and Saturday when by in a blur - a grey, sodden blur. However, the Markets were certainly better than Thursday night at Riverbank Discovery Centre! The Friday Night Farmers Market at Shoppers Mall was well attended by vendors and shoppers. Friday's weather held great promise, and it was actually nice for a while in the early afternoon while we were harvesting and packaging. But, on our way there it clouded over, and shortly after start time began to rain quite steadily. it only lasted a while, though, and the shoppers continued to pull up and jump the puddles to check out the wares. Saturday morning's final market at Riverbank Discovery Centre was very grey: solid, gloomy grey but no wind and no rain. We were a little shy on vendors and customers, but it was a fine day! Now, we look forward to going inside for Saturdays in October! We'll be at the delightful Green Spot Home and Garden Centre where it's too easy to spend as much money as we bring in! I'll have to be careful and stay out of their store! And away from the houseplants! And the pots! And the trees and shrubs, which are probably on sale big time! Hope to see you there in October: Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM!

The Last Thursday Night Farmers Market!

This is the final weekend of outdoor markets, and with the weather the last little while - I can hardly wait for it to be over! Don't get me wrong; Farmer Man and I really love 'growing good food for our neighbours'. But I'm tired of getting rained on, frozen and blown over to the next province! I mean, really! The weather in September has been less than pleasant. And the perfect topper was the final Thursday night market at Riverbank Discovery Centre. It has been cloudy, cool and rainy for a few days, about noon it began to rain quite steadily. We proceeded undeterred: it has to be really awful for us to cancel a market. Besides, most of the time the weather clears before the market starts. But not Thursday! We went to Riverbank Discovery Centre to find we were the only ones who bothered to show up! Tent up first to protect from the rain, we set up and at start time, had a few of our hardy regulars and a couple of people just leaving some event at the Discovery Centre. And then nothing......for almost forty minutes! So, just before 7:00 PM we shut her down. I must confess we stopped to pick up the makings of a cocktail on our way back to the farm - for a wee celebration and to warm us up! Fortunately, the forecast is much better for the final Friday Night Farmers Market at Shoppers Mall and for the final Saturday Morning Market at Riverbank Discovery Centre! Hopefully, the work gloves have dried out as we get back to harvest and prep.........

Fall Is Here - Oh, Yeah!

We'd avoided the few light frosts that hit the Brandon area last week, but this weekend hard frost hit us. And how! Now, we are fortunate to have a lot of well-established shelter belt, which did give some parts of the gardens good protection. But, the open areas and the low areas are pretty much finished! Our late-seeding of lettuce got a touch of frost, the summer squash are all pretty much toast, the tomatoes (which never really ripened) are done and gone. The winter squash plants are dead but the squash is mostly fine - except those that the deer have started to crack and gnaw. The sweet potatoes, well protected, seem to be okay. The basil is finished but the calendula next to it is okay. The garage, our staging area, is crammed with things we tried to save like watermelon, cantaloupe, summer squash, peppers and tomatoes. So, we'll still have a good supply for the final outdoor Farmers' Markets this weekend; it's hard to believe there are only three more regular markets: Thursday night and Saturday morning at Riverbank Discovery Centre and Friday Night at Shoppers Mall!

Farmers Market at Riverbank Discovery Centre is On!

Farmers Market season is now officially on for us! Yes, we've done the Friday Night Farmers Market a few times already, but with opening day at Riverbank Discovery Centre under our belts, it's full tilt from now on! CSA and the Neighbourhood Market on Tuesday evenings starting July 13, Thursday nights at Riverbank starting this coming Thursday, Friday Night Farmers Market and Saturday mornings at Riverbank Discovery Centre. That's our life from now until the end of September!!

We call Saturday morning's market at Riverbank Discovery Centre 'the mellow market, where we let you sleep in until 10:00 AM'. It's a later start to allow out-of-town vendors to arrive. We didn't have much to prepare so it was a mellow morning for us: not the usual frantic scurry from 4:00 AM on! The market itself was very mellow - not that many vendors, not a whole ton of customers. Thursday being our national holiday, I know a lot of people took Friday off and went out to the lake or off for a visit. I know because I spoke to a whole bunch of them at the Friday night market as they loaded up for the weekend! Everything will just get busier and busier as more and more of the crops are ready! If you're in the area, you can download the schedule for all our Farmers Markets here.

Eating Local is Getting a Whole Lot Easier!

Homemade bread and yummy tomatoes! Now that's summer. As the Farmers' Market season starts for us, eating local and fresh is getting waaaaaay easier. The tomatoes in the picture came from Julie at JR Greenhouses in Souris. She's got a hot house going and it's making me very happy. Julie is selling at the Friday Night Farmers' Market at Shoppers Mall, and I scored a few of her awesome tomatoes! Almost as good as one off my own vine and way better than those in the stores. And, as my tomatoes are only blossoming, hers will do very nicely, for now! She should have cucumbers soon - put cottage cheese on the shopping list!

Hard to believe that this coming Saturday is the first Farmers' Market at Riverbank Discovery Centre. Hugh and Linda Moffat think they may have new potatoes. Maple Valley already had a few bags at the Friday Night Farmers' Market. I dream of new potatoes from about February on. I'll have to get Farmer Man to sneak beneath a few of our plants to see if he can find any - even for a little meal, let alone to take to the Farmers' Market!

I spent part of the morning 'finding' the beets and the Swiss Chard. The rain has encouraged the weeds, and it was really time to wade into the rows and find the good stuff before it gets overwhelmed! I adore Swiss Chard;I have a recipe from my sister Cathy for a green relish made with chard which I'm anxious to try! I'm probably still a couple of weeks away from harvesting any. Patience, patience! It's hard when you read as many international blogs as I do - they've been harvesting in California and Texas and such for months, while we're just cheering on the seedlings! Oh, well, our time is coming......

Friday Night Farmers Market!

It kind of snuck up on us - just doesn't seem like Farmers Market weather, and the growing season doesn't seem long enough yet. But, last night was the first Friday Night Farmers Market at Shoppers Mall. It was not great Farmers Market weather - chilly, blustery and threatening rain! Not much to sell, a tiny bit of asparagus, a tiny bit of rhubarb, fresh herbs from the over-wintered pots, some winter onions. Did have some tasty garlic scapes, which made a few people happy and baffled most. Took some bread, so we'll see what the feedback is on that! Did get some shopping done: some local honey, a local grape jelly and some hothouse tomatoes! Time to get busy!!

Last Farmers' Market!

The photo is Wee Man, the Green Spot's Vice President in charge of Rodent Control. We know exactly how he feels - found a warm, cozy spot and got comfortable! That's what Farmer Boy gets to do, at least for a while! Today was the last Market of the season, and we are ready for a break. It was a good Market, and we have really enjoyed October inside at the lovely Green Spot. But this year, with the addition of the new Friday Night Market at Shoppers Mall, we have done over fifty markets. Hard to believe just five years ago we started this adventure with twelve markets - every Saturday morning at Riverbank Discovery Centre. Time to curl up for a little nap!

Last of the Outdoor Farmers' Markets

Well, the season is certainly winding down. This weekend was the last of the outdoor markets. It was quite a beautiful weekend for it - we have shivered in our toques and mitts some years! This year it was quite lovely: for the last Thursday Night at Riverbank Discovery Centre, the last Friday Night Farmers' Market at Shoppers Mall and the last Saturday Morning at Riverbank Discovery Centre. It seems like summer just got going in September - some of the best temperatures all season. It's always, like CSA, a happy and a sad time when we get to the end. Happy 'cause the hard work is almost over and sad because we enjoy 'taking our wares to market'. Saturday was a little quiet because it is the day of the annual Mennonite Central Committee sale - one of their biggest fundraisers of the year, and they are an organization that we wish well, they do lots of great work. Farmers' Market fans in Brandon - don't worry! We'll be indoors at the Green Spot every Saturday in October, with a lot of our market friends, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Lots of good veggies, baking, honey, preserves and crafts to be had! We'll see you there!

Ah, Ground Cherries!

Ground cherries are another one of those items that Aagaard Farms grows and makes a few people very, very happy. The vast majority of the customers have never seen or heard of them. Ground cherries are in the tomato family, more closely related to tomatillos and the ornamental Chinese Lantern. Some people recall Grandma always having a patch and making awesome pies and muffins. A hardy little plant, ground cherries (also known in some areas as Cape gooseberries) always seem to grow, no matter what the weather. This year, for us, they are late and not prolific. But at least we got a few baskets to take to the Farmers' Markets both Friday Night at Shoppers and at Saturday at Riverbank Discovery Centre. When fully ripe, the papery husk enclosing the fruit is dry and brown, and the fruit falls readily from the plant. These fruits will have a sweet taste rather like roasted pineapple. If taken when the husks are green, the fruit tastes more like kiwi and lime. Just delicious!!!

Farmer Boy's Other Talents....

With family here to help out, Farmer Boy got the night off from going to the Friday Night Farmers' Market. But he kept busy....meeting us girls at the door upon our return with a golden tray of cocktail or beer of choice. The table was beautifully set; candlelight, place mats, cloth napkins. And waiting to be served: fresh pickerel with a raspberry sauce, lovely banana potatoes pan-fried with onions, broccoli and, not in the picture, Magda summer squash stuffed with goat cheese. Almost all local (not the goat cheese) and most from our garden! Ah, summer! For dessert: Eton Mess - and what a delight that was!

An Excellent Weekend for Farmers' Markets

Finally, it feels like summer here in Manitoba. Only took until the third week in July! The Friday Night Farmers' Market is developing nicely - it's got its' own regulars now, people we don't see at the other markets. And they are quite enthusiastic about fresh, local food. We're also getting some travellers; drop-ins who see the action from the road and pull in. There is certainly something to be said for a high profile location! Friday night was a bit windy - we took our tent down early, Mann Apiaries had to take theirs down when it started to levitate!

Saturday's Farmers' Market at Riverbank Discovery Centre was perfect! It was a gorgeous day, and the setting is sooooo delightful it just felt great. Variety is improving at all the markets - but vegetables have been slow to grow for everybody. We had a hit with our raspberries and some baby summer squash. Our cucumbers don't want to grow, so were we surprised when Farmer Boy took a stroll in the squash and found some gorgeous baby Papaya Pear, Romanesque and Golden Zucchini. Made some customers very happy!

Farmers' Markets in Full Swing!

It's July and Farmers Market Season is in full swing. This Saturday is the first Farmer's Market at Riverbank Discovery Centre! That's just great except we will have very little to sell. In this cold spring not much has germinated well, and everything is slow. The asparagus is about finished and what we do have we will take to the Friday Night Farmers Market at Shoppers Mall. So, we will have onions and some radishes. CSA is suppose to start next Tuesday and we may have to delay it - not much point in dragging our families out for a couple of bundles of onions and radish (especially with no lettuce to put with them!)This is the first year ever we've even had trouble with the germination of the Swiss chard! We could get some bundles of fresh herbs together; sage and lemon balm that we over-wintered in the house in pots are doing very well, but how much fresh sage do most people use?