Stouffville Farmers Market set to launch June 27 at 19 on the Park

Additional option for fresh produce in town

Yorkregion.com
June 18, 2020
Simon Martin

Fresh local food is something people crave. And while many Stouffville residents have taken up gardening to grow their own vegetables this year, there will be an additional option for fresh produce in town come June 27. Stouffville is launching its farmers’ market behind 19 on the Park.

The market will operate on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. until Oct. 3.

Town chief administrative officer Rob Adams said he has seen first-hand what a successful farmers’ market can do to a downtown, citing his experience in Orangeville. “There is an opportunity to have success with it. I think it can really be an amazing (experience) and add a dimension we don’t have now,” he said.

According to Mayor Iain Lovatt, the market is a low-cost initiative, priced around $10,000, that could potentially drive people to the downtown core. “We are hearing from merchants that we need more people to get down there,” he said. “The risk is incredibly low for us.

Ward 6 Coun. Sue Sherban said the market will be an opportunity for people to come downtown when many of the usual downtown events have already been cancelled for the year due to COVID-19.

Stouffville downtown co-ordinator Tina Sharma said the hope is the market will attract people to the downtown core, which will help businesses along Main Street.

“There has been a really good response from vendors,” Sharma said. “Everybody is looking for opportunities to make ends meet. This ends up being a good opportunity for farmers.”

Places like Willow Tree Farms and Makers Acre will be serving fresh produce. In addition, there will be a host of other vendors like Willow Springs Winery and local baked goods from Wildflour Bakery, Sharma said.

Other vendors include Sage and Shepherd Farm (meat products), Circling Hawk (honey) and Montgomeryshire Orchard. Vendors at the virtual market include Oakridges Finest Farm, Perennial Petals, Forsythe Farms and Monforte Dairy. 

Sharma said they are following the protocols provided by York Region Public Health.

The market is asking one person per family to come to make sure everybody is safe, and shoppers are also recommended to wear masks.

The market will have additional options available to people who aren’t interested in shopping in person. Sharma said they will be offering an online version of the farmers’ market at the website l4a.ca. Residents will be able to make online orders from the website and come for curbside pickup on Saturday.

This isn’t the town’s first attempt at hosting a farmers’ market and some veteran members of council were a little skeptical about the initiative. Ward 5 Coun. Richard Barrtley was on council the last time the town tried a farmers' market. “It was difficult to get it up and keep it running,” he said.

There was sentiment among the town’s rural councillors, including Ward 1 Coun. Ken Ferdinands and Ward 3 Coun. Hugo Kroon that the town shouldn’t be involved in a farmers’ market and that it should be run privately.

“It has always failed for a variety of reasons and this year we have the added complication of COVID,” Ferdinands said. “I’m not hopeful that this is going to be any different.”