Is the Byward Market open yet...? [Food/Vendor]
2007 Mar 31
Good question!
Incidently, here's a great website that lists all the farmer's markets in Ontario.
farmersmarketsontario.com/
Incidently, here's a great website that lists all the farmer's markets in Ontario.
farmersmarketsontario.com/
2007 Mar 31
Drive out west to Pembroke and you'll probably find it in every small corner store pretty cheap. Even last year's batch is tasty and fresh. it will keep a few years in cans. i am still going on the 12 or 15 cans of it i bought from a coworker's uncle in the eastern townships and it's still as fresh as it was this time last year when it was delivered. In fact my coworker is taking orders again for this year. It was $5.50 for a 550ml can last year and i seem to recall it's up just a hair this year. Very good "extra light" grade syrup.
I used to have a room mate from Pembroke when I was a coop student at BNR back in 1989. His family had about 5 years worth in their basement because they rented out their stand of sugar maples and the evaporator in exchange for something like 80% of the production. So his parents just got a free 20% every year for using their property and maintaining it. I spent that whole year trying every recipe in my life that used lots of maple syrup because he was literally just bring gallon jugs of it home every time he visited them. It was awesome!
I used to have a room mate from Pembroke when I was a coop student at BNR back in 1989. His family had about 5 years worth in their basement because they rented out their stand of sugar maples and the evaporator in exchange for something like 80% of the production. So his parents just got a free 20% every year for using their property and maintaining it. I spent that whole year trying every recipe in my life that used lots of maple syrup because he was literally just bring gallon jugs of it home every time he visited them. It was awesome!
2007 Apr 2
I would recommend all of the vendors at the market at Landsdowne Park... I live in the market and I have become disenchanted with the vendors there that I see peeling the hothouse stickers off of their peppers so that they can sell them as their own. Although the market at Landsdowne is expensive, you are paying the buyers, not the vendors that line-up in front of the same trucks at 5am and then try to undersell the other vendors...
2007 Apr 2
From what I understand, to be allowed to sell at the landsdowne market, you have to have grown the products yourself, within 100 km of Ottawa. No re-selling there, and you are guaranteed that nobody is pulling a fast one on you. The only vendors at landsdowne that I have noticed at parkdale, or the byward market are Bryson Farms, and Rochon (i think).
2007 Apr 3
I will just point out that there ARE lots of local hothouses around the ottawa area - so just because there is a sticker on it does not mean it's not local. Just ask.
It's a tough call on the local thing. I prefer local for sure - but certain things are only available at certain times of year. I always ask at the Parkdale Market - there is actually a fair bit of local stuff there at the right time of year. You just have to ask.
In the end I go to Parkdale for everything because it's about 100m from my house. Part of the reason I bought the house in fact :-)
It's a tough call on the local thing. I prefer local for sure - but certain things are only available at certain times of year. I always ask at the Parkdale Market - there is actually a fair bit of local stuff there at the right time of year. You just have to ask.
In the end I go to Parkdale for everything because it's about 100m from my house. Part of the reason I bought the house in fact :-)
2007 Apr 3
If you only sell local produce, than for a good part of the season you wouldn't have very much to sell. On the other hand promoting trucked in produce as local is dishonest. Some of the market vendors are good...one lady was bringing me rhubarb from her personal garden when it wasn't available elsewhere yet. And one of the guys who sells berries would always give me a deal at his stand. In the summer I make a trip to the market everyday to buy stuff for the bakery.
2007 Apr 4
In late February, I bought several bottles of "tourist grade" maple syrup from a Market vendor (to hand out to family on my visit to Switzerland). While overpriced, it was still cheaper (by almost half) than the same size bottles at the "Ottawa Souvenirs and Gifts" store in Rideau Centre...
The actual product isn't inferior to the stuff we non-tourists buy. It comes from a maple farm, just like all the other stuff. So yeah, some sarcasm, nice packaging, and a steep price pretty much describes it! :)
The actual product isn't inferior to the stuff we non-tourists buy. It comes from a maple farm, just like all the other stuff. So yeah, some sarcasm, nice packaging, and a steep price pretty much describes it! :)
2007 Apr 4
Okay, thanks for the clarification about the maple syrup 'cuz I always buy my syrup from a market vendor (we actually buy it by the case). It is cheaper (the cans) than buying it at the grocery store and I would rather give my money to the guys freezing in the market than the Westons.
Am I the only Ottawan who buys maple syrup in the ByWard Market?
Am I the only Ottawan who buys maple syrup in the ByWard Market?
2007 Apr 12
When I visited the market last week there was one person there selling a few veggies. On a later visit I noticed that the shelters have gone up so I guess it won't be long until the rest of the vendors move in. Even though I live downtown I don't really shop at the Byward market much anymore. The look and taste of their hothouse veggies are kinda tasteless and seeing fruit with the Dole stickers still on them is kinda pointless - I might as well shop at Loblaws. However there is one guy there on Wednesdays later in the season that sells organic stuff from his own garden. His stall is located on a sidewalk facing the World Expedition Shop. When I go to an outdoor market I usually shop at the Ottawa Farmers Market at Lansdowne Park. It will be opening on May 6th this year. There is another smaller organic farmers market at Bank and Heron behind the Canadian Tire store and they are open year round. The veggies they sell during the off season are brought up from southern Ontario but are still quite tasty and they have a good selection of breads and dairy products.
As for the maple syrup I don't buy it in the store - too expensive and not good quality - but the stalls outside sell good quality maple syrup for much cheaper. I buy the smaller cans - around 500ml I think - for $5.50 a can.
As for the maple syrup I don't buy it in the store - too expensive and not good quality - but the stalls outside sell good quality maple syrup for much cheaper. I buy the smaller cans - around 500ml I think - for $5.50 a can.
kmennie
Has the fruit and veg shown up yet there? Or at Parkdale?