Do you have a Saturday morning ritual? For me, Saturday morning means Farmer's Market... We are lucky to have a wonderful year round weekly market here in our city, and it is recognized as one of Canada's Top Ten community markets! It has been in its current location since 1951 - so this year is a 60th Anniversary year! But before that, dating back to the mid 1800's, it was held in Phoenix Square on Queen Street. My father attended market every Saturday with his father, traveling by horse and sleigh in the winter when he was a boy in the '20's. And as a child, as soon as I could walk well, my father started taking me to market with him. And that's how Saturday rituals are born... I thought you might enjoy this historical photo of market day in 1907, from the souvenir view album Fredericton, The Celestial City and the River St. John (Toronto, W.G. MacFarlane, 1907) Credit: National Gallery of Canada.
Yes the Market has changed since those days, but it is still as popular. "The Market" as it is known by locals, is a Saturday morning institution. It is THE gathering spot - for fresh food, crafts and good conversation, with stall holders, your neighbour or a local politician. It is THE place for seasonal produce like fiddleheads in the spring, just picked berries in the summer and maple syrup all year 'round.... fresher than fresh garden veggies all summer and apples in the fall... the best meats, seafoods and cheeses... fresh baked goods - breads, cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, you name it.. jams, jellies and pickles,
fresh-squeezed juices and made on the spot fruit smoothies.. you can even find wine, chocolates and specialty coffees! Not to mention photography, jewellery, stained glass, candles and other crafts.. the market has it all! And you can eat breakfast or lunch- inside or out...And.. at this time of year, they have the smell of Christmas: fresh cut trees, wreaths and bunches of greens for decorating. This morning as I walked around in the warm sunshine, the scent of the evergreens was so wonderful. Why is it that a smell can bring back a flood of memories? This morning, there was even "live entertainment" - my great-niece Mallory was there with other Theatre New Brunswick Young Company members singing carols. They did a great job and received lots of applause. Way to go Mal!
Peace,Linda
"The merry family gatherings, the old, the very young; the strangely lovely way they harmonize in carols sung.
For Christmas is tradition time- traditions that recall the precious memories down the years, the sameness of them all. ~ Marshall
4 comments:
We enjoy the market too. We go pretty early, so that's why we've never bumped into you there. I love the smells of the bbq's and all the fun food. I miss Patels samosas!!
My intention is always to go early too, but we have a one and a half hours drive :(
Love the market, the (long snaking line up for) samosas and the cheesecake and the great atmosphere....
We go to the market in spring through fall. In the winter, there are a lot of empty booths, or winter crafters that lease until the farmers are back. I love to go, but its quite a drive. The Polish bakery that made my wedding cake 40 years ago has a booth so I love to go for pastries that I can't get anywhere else.
We have lots of farmers markets and there is one big market in downtown Baltimore. It takes some getting to...and we have to get up early...which Jim rarely does so we don't go so often anymore. When Jack was a baby we did. Your market sounds absolutely wonderful...And I think I spied some of that maple syrup!! When your maple syrup ran out, I bought another bottle of 100% pure Canadian maple syrup from Trader Joe's...they had 3 or 4 different bottles to choose from so I chose the most expensive...I think it was $18!, thinking that was the "best" one. It didn't even come close to the maple flavor in the one you gave so I'm back to the drawing board.
You triggered all kinds of memories about my Aunt Catherine and her weekly trips to the market on Saturdays when she would take me along...I think I might have to do a journal piece on that one...I signed up for the CQ Journal project...how about you??
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