My favourite local farmer's market began another season today. The market in Wakefield Quebec runs each Saturday from now until mid-October. For anyone not familiar with Wakefield, it's located north of Gatineau just off of autoroute 5. There's definitely a progressive, counter-cultural feel to the place. The village self-proclaimed itself as a fair trade zone a few years ago. The market vendors mostly emphasize their local origins and sustainability. Even the local Anglican parish, which has a coffee and tea stand at the market each week, does not provide refreshments in paper cups. The purchaser either pays one price and returns the crockery mug when finished, or a higher price to keep the mug--which has the name of the parish on it. The coffee is locally roasted from a fair trade source. These are not Maxwell House or Nabob Anglicans.
I decided to see what the big deal is about kale. I first encountered the phenomenon in Vermont a year ago when I saw "Eat more kale" signs all over, and large amounts of it for sale at a farmer's market in Waterbury that was very similar to Wakefield's. I spoke with one of the kale growers at the market today and she unfortunately could not provide me with a free sample because her supply was already sold out. I told her I would be back in two weeks. She cautioned me against buying it at the supermarket in the interim. I assured her there was no chance of that happening.
Fortunately at today's market, the friendly Leonard Adam family from nearby Denholm was there selling pork from their farm. I had basically given up on pork chops and sausage before I discovered their products last year. I grew up in an area of extremely intense, industrialized pork production. Hundreds, possibly thousands of pigs are in giant barns being fed the same feed. From an animal rights and health perspective it is questionable enough, but from a gastronomic perspective it's also bad. Mass-produced meat tastes like it came from a factory, which is basically what most modern pig farms are. There are fortunately a few farmers around though who get the idea that letting the livestock outside to root around and live off the land a bit leads to a much tastier product.
Wakefield market also has vendors selling apple cider, maple syrup, honey, wine, smoked salmon, homemade jewellery, and soap. There are always two or three local musicians set up in the middle of the green playing really good music on fiddles, accordion, and guitar. It's a friendly place with a good sense of community and purpose. It's worth the 20 minute drive north of the city on a Saturday morning.
The Wakefield Farmer's Market goes from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm each Saturday and takes place on the green next to the Alpengruss Cafe in the village.
http://www.wakefieldmarket.ca/
No comments:
Post a Comment