Farm Fresh Sunday: South Georgian Bay Farmer’s Market

Sunday morning’s in downtown Midland are heating up with patrons coming by foot, cycle, boat and car to stroll through the latest harvest selection at the Southern Georgian Bay Farmer’s Market in the parking lot at 526 Bay Street, open 9-1 every Sunday.

I personally get tonnes of food inspiration visiting the farmer booths and seeing what fresh fruits and produce are available.  I generally do this while I enjoy my Americano and fruit smoothie from Grounded Coffee Co. I pop my head into each of the booths to see what is on offer before coming back to fill my reusable bags with amazing products. This week certainly didn’t disappoint!

It is strawberry season, and you can count on Foster’s Family Farm for farm fresh pesticide-free strawberries grown right in Midland. I got a huge basket of ripe delicious strawberries and  picked up some rhubarb, because if you are like me – that is an easy strawberry rhubarb crumble that will delight for dessert tonight!  If you are up for it, you can pick your own strawberries right off the vine at their family farm location on Balm Beach Road, but as I enjoy the eating of the strawberries more than the picking, I’m happy to pick mine up in a basket at the market!

I am still crossing my fingers that an Indian restaurant will finally open in Midland, but until then, check out  V. Pria’s Foods – Fine Indian Cuisine. Their menu is almost entirely plant based and they make the trek every Sunday to the market from Collingwood. I can’t leave the table without getting a bag of veggie samosas, and I often also get the pakora, potato pattie and chick peas and rice salad. The samosa, potato patties and pakora heat up great in an air frier or oven and are great lunch options with the salad or to use as an appetizer.

Summer for me is about fresh herbs and I use them in everything I cook and every salad or bowl I make. I love elevating greens and salads by adding some extra crunch with parsley or developing the flavour profile with cilantro, mint, basil and dill.  I choose Behr Farms from Hawkestone for some organic mint and cilantro for some fresh rolls I planned to make and I also picked up some Indian red spinach because I have not tried it and why not!?! They also carry other organic herbs, veggies, seeds, spices as well as some handmade linen cloth and home-made cosmetics and soaps.

Speaking of greens,  CampHouse Farm from the 8^th Line of Oro/Medonte has a great selection of organic greens and vegetables. I snapped up some spring mix, black kale, green onions and I couldn’t resist the baby cukes.  They could have been pickled, but I chose to just use them as a great snack, they were so crisp and delicious they sure didn’t last very long.

I love to chat with local producers and hear about their products, and secretly, it also gives me the opportunity to get the inside scoop about what will be ready and at the market next week. Being able to buy produce that is farm fresh, picked yesterday and ready for tonight’s meal, from within 25 kms of town, you certainly can’t say that about most items at the grocery store. The market gives you a way to eat delicious organic fruits and produce and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time. It’s a win-win, and tastes great – support local farmers!

There is also a great selection of other vendors at the market including:  Grampa’s Hungarian Sausage, Boulangers Midland City Bakers, Rosie Rain Meat Pies, Mundy’s Bay Honey, PJ’s Meats, Say Cheese, The Polish Chef and more.