Regan Keay is an 18 year old from New Glasgow and she has been singing since she could talk! You may have seen her at the Market for the past two years, as well as the new Glasgow music festival.
Much of her music career has been spent performing for the residents at Glen Haven Manor. You’ll be seeing Regan and her Guitar this Saturday but while she is at school, you will spot her without her guitar and with her girls from the Caledonia’s (Queen’s University A capella group).
This past Saturday, January 9th, marked the Grand Opening of our new building! This facility is the culmination of the dreams and hard work of so many who started the market years ago. Our Farmers Market is beginning its 8th year and it has come a long way. Because of that vision and hard work, many producers, artisans, musicians and so much more will now be able to benefit with a year round place to showcase all the incredible products and talent this amazing community has to offer.
It takes a village and a community to raise a market….the New Glasgow Farmers Market has some valuable partners that got us to this point. The Town of New Glasgow, the Municipality of the County of Pictou and ACOA together with the Market all contributed to help fund and worked with us to make this vision turn into a reality. Then there was Higgins Construction and all the workers associated with the project who worked very hard to make it all happen before the snow flew so that we could make a smooth transition and help the vendors make the most of the very important holiday season. And of course our vendors and board who have donated and supported in an effort to get us to this point. We are the New Glasgow Farmers Market Cooperative…and this really has been a cooperative effort by everyone in every way. This Market is not about one person or one business, it is about everyone and it is for everyone.
That’s great, but what’s the big deal? Good question, this facility brings with it so much potential.
It means the Market can now operate year round, offering a place for local producers & artisans to sell their wares all year round which means more income for those who rely, or would like to rely on their trade for a living.
It means our community has a place to always find amazing local products under one roof, all year round. While of course in our climate, produce and vegetation can be a challenge in the winter, having a year round facility provides an opening for those who might have a love of gardening or small scale farming to fill a niche.
It means that we can now pursue the possibility of running a variety of programs that will benefit many. We will be able to start a kids corner so that kids have something to do while with their parents when they come to the Market. We haven’t had room for that before.
It means expanded space during our peak summer season. The extra space means we will be able to offer indoor and outdoor seating for our shoppers. It means we will be able to accept even more vendors to our market, effectively doubling our capacity. This means more variety of goods for customers and business opportunity for vendors. The additional space also means that we will be able to welcome more local, musical talent. We will now be able to have more than one busker every Saturday, providing exposure for local musicians and a great place to showcase local musical talent.
It means a positive impact on local commerce. When you buy from a vendor at the Market, your dollars go directly to a family. That vendor then has to make more items meaning they must purchase supplies to replenish their inventory, often at local businesses creating a ripple effect. Not to mention it gives a vendor more money in their pocket to spend in the community…your dollars stay here.
It means a greater contribution to food security on both a personal and community level. We give a place for producers to sell their food directly to you. It lowers the carbon footprint and the time/distance from farm to table is negligible with much of the produce being picked the morning or day before market. By providing a marketplace for local producers, it means you have greater access to local food and a market for the farmer to sell at. We welcome farmers/gardeners of all sizes and any time of year.
It means that we are able to provide a hub for the community to gather on Saturday mornings. Beginning January 16th, you will be able to buy a snack and coffee and sit and enjoy local music. There will be a space for you to sit inside or out. Talk to the vendors, meet your friends and neighbours. If you have children, there is a music class beginning on the January 16th that they can participate in for a half an hour every Saturday morning.
The sky really is the limit…we are excited for the possibilities and hope that you stay tuned!
Below are some links about the Grand Opening…if you weren’t able to make it out, then be sure to drop by this Saturday and make it part of your weekend routine! We are open for the Winter Market on Saturdays from 10am until 1pm
We really are Local, Fresh and Flourishing!
http://www.ngnews.ca/News/Local/2016-01-09/article-4399090/Grand-opening-at-farmers-market/1
http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/mobile/video?clipId=784761
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1331919-new-glasgow-farmers-market-a-big-draw-in-new-building
http://www.catcountry995.ca/news/story.aspx?ID=2190718
http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=781278
http://www.pictouadvocate.com/2016/01/06/chill-out-a-cool-event-for-cooler-weather/
Part 3 in our series of gift buying! We have many great gifts for kids. From brightly coloured animals, to change purses and mittens. Lip balm and doll clothes, we have what you need, all made with love and care! And as always, we have new vendors every week from now until Christmas so it’s best to come check it out for yourself…so many great unique and local gifts to be found at the Market! Buy a few of the items below and create a very special local gift basket…a hat, a washable mat, a stuffy and treat from Chapel Cove Chocolate. Maybe a wallet, some lip balm, a bath bomb wrapped in one of Quilted Chaos quilted bowls. Maybe a honey flavour shot, a special mug from Piedmont Pottery and some personal products from MacD’s Bee’s.
This is a first in a series of posts that is aimed at guiding you to find just the right gift for everyone on your list. The New Glasgow Farmers Market has something for everyone and in every budget!
Why is buying local so important?
Well it’s like this, all items at the Market are hand made, baked or grown locally, they are not imported. By purchasing from one of our talented artisans or producers, you are directly supporting a local family and by proxy, the community at large. When a producer or artisan sells their items, they have to go make, bake or grow more. By doing so, they are putting money back into the community when they buy their supplies. Whether it’s supply stores, feed stores or other local shops, it all supports the community and promotes healthy economic growth in our County. That’s why Farmers Markets are a sustainable and very important part of the future.
The beauty of it is that you are giving a very special gift that was handcrafted with love, thought and care to give to someone special and the people on your list deserve nothing less.
Think outside of the big box!
As we begin, please keep in mind that we do have new vendors that come time to time or are new and may not be showcased here and there’s many more items than we have space to show, so that’s why it is important to come to the Market every week, you never know what hidden gem you’ll find!
This photo may just seem like pavement with a cut in it and some cones to some, but to many, it represents so much more!
Everyone’s been talking about the new Market building for what seems like forever. A new, year round building has been a goal for a long time and we have been waiting for the day to come that we can see the dreams and hard work of so many become reality.
We’ve been asked when’s it starting? Where will it go? What will it be like? For a long time now we’ve been asked these questions and we are happy to finally be able to answer these questions. The building is the first of many phases as the New Glasgow Farmers Market area undergoes some awesome improvements that will benefit the whole community. it will continue to be a gathering place, a place to experience our community, great food, great crafts & arts, great music and great friends, a showcase to visitors. And it will soon be a place that everyone can experience all year round. There are so many possibilities and that’s what this represents.
We will be raising funds to go towards some projects for the new building, including but not limited to our new open concept demonstration style kitchen, new tables for increased vendors and any other odds and ends that pop up along the way that are bound to occur with expansion. The proceeds from our weekly 50/50 draw goes towards the cause and we will be hosting a Market Kitchen Party with a BBQ on September 13th that showcases all the great local foods you can find at the Market, with local music and proceeds will benefit upcoming Market projects & programs. Your continued support is much appreciated!
We will document the progress as we go, so keep an eye out on our Facebook page, but the best very best way to stay in the loop is to come and see it yourself as you shop every Saturday morning from 8:30 until Noon!
Another great Meal from items you can find at the Market! No real recipes on this one, just ideas….
First the finds:
The potatoes came from our garden, but Lakenman’s Farm, Firefly Farm and Friesens’s Farm and more all have beautiful potatoes to choose from!
We seasoned the steak and BBQ’d it…just a little spice for flavour, our own personal preference is no sauces so we can taste the meat itself. We boiled the potatoes and added two cloves of the garlic to some butter and tossed he potatoes and then you can add whatever toppings you like such as sour cream, fresh chives, bacon etc…. The veggies were steamed but we left a little crunch and left unseasoned for everyone to season themselves.
There are so many meal combinations to find at the Market…be sure to share your Market Meal with us, tell us what you bought, who your vendors were and how you cooked it!
An American Infographic, but not far off the mark.
One of the many awesome things you can find at the New Glasgow Farmers Market is an impressive array of fresh herbs. Now if you’re like me, you have awesome intentions of using everything fast and fresh, but sometimes time slips away and things don’t go according to plan and you find those fresh herbs are not so fresh by the time you remember you have them. And in the winter time when you need herbs and spices for all those comfort food dishes, you miss the freshness of summer.
One of the ways you can ensure fresh, local herbs year round is to dry them and save them for later. This is also a great way to get fresh herbs at an affordable price, suitable for most any budget. Ranging from $1.50 to $2.50 per bunch or bag, buying and drying your herbs makes it affordable to make your own herbs instead of paying for them at the grocery store where a jar of spices can run you well over $5. And really…where did those spices come from?
There are a few ways you can dry herbs and each have their pros and cons. I am hanging dill in my kitchen right now and simply cut what I need off as I use it….but if you don’t like your house to smell like dill, this may not be the best method for you. You can use a dehydrator, it is faster, reliable and easy but if you don’t have one, you may not want to put the money out for it. That leaves you with a couple of other options. You can lay your herbs flat on wire rack and leave them to air dry. This has its drawbacks too…it can take a while, especially in humid climates like ours. It is free though, with no cost for electricity or a dehydrator. My first batch of sage, took about 4-5 days…and not everybody has time for that. Or patience…and I fit into this category. So for my subsequent batches, I opted for oven drying. This of course will add a bit of cost to your power bill, but it shouldn’t be too bad and you are trading for time.
To oven dry your herbs, place them on a baking sheet, I prefer a perforated pan to help with air circulation but any baking sheet will do. Be sure that they are placed in a single layer, no overlapping. You can put two cookie sheets in, just spread out the oven racks accordingly. Set your oven to 175 degrees, you can go a bit warmer, but no more than 200 degrees or then you will simply bake them. Keep the oven door open a crack to encourage air circulation and even drying.
They are dry when they are crispy and break off easily. usually about 20-30 minutes depending on the herb. The freshest way to keep them is to put the dry herbs in an airtight container, but you can also grind them, which is what I did with the sage. As long as no moisture enters the jar, they will stay fresh…they won’t go bad, but may be less pungent as time goes on. You can get creative and go all decorative and Pinterest-y or just bottle them for your pantry like I did here. They also make great hostess and Christmas gifts.
To grind them, I just slid the leaves off the stems into a coffee/spice grinder. You can find these for about $10-15 at any home store that carries small appliances.
What are the other benefits of drying your own herbs beside its cost effectiveness? Well of course, it’s the fact that you know where they came from and you know what’s in them….or more importantly what’s not. The herbs at the Market are not sprayed and when you dry and bottle your own, you know there are no fillers. Just herbs. Plain, simple, clean eating.
You can find fresh herbs from Lakenman’s Farm, Jubilee Produce and Bramble Hill Farm, but you will also find there are other vendors that sell them from time to time as well. Red Road Farm will have ginger and turmeric once in a while and many vendors have garlic. As always, we recommend that you take the time to peruse all vendors because you never know what you might be missing!
Your New Glasgow Farmers Market…always Local, Fresh and Flourishing!
Crabby Pants Cloth Diapers was born shortly after owner Lynnette MacKay’s second child. Her friends loved the diapers she made for her daughter and asked her to make some for them. Lynnette has been sewing most of her life and has a diploma in Costume Studies. Making cloth diapers combined her sewing skills with her belief in environmental sustainability.
Crabby Pants also makes cloth wipes and wet bags that are great for wet swimsuits and travel as well.
Lynnette has always been a supporter of the New Glasgow Farmers Market and loves being a vendor because of the sense of community and getting to chat with new people and introduce them to modern cloth diapering.
Ginny Arnold started making jewellery soon after she moved to Nova Scotia about 10 years ago. It all started when she lost an earring and decided to try to buy some beads to replace it. She was mesmerized by the beautiful selection; thus as she says “…ended a somewhat neatly kept household.”
The mess progressed from beads to include sea glass which she now sells at the New Glasgow Farmers Market.
“I love the market. The warmth of the people and fellow vendors at the market as well as the great selection of fresh food and crafts make it a great place to spend a Saturday morning.”
Drop by Gem Creations and have a look and check out her Facebook page Gem Creations.
