ottawa foodies

Went to the Carp Farmers Market for Opening Day. The original plan was to get a back bacon on a bun for breakfast and then wander around and check out the vendors. We ended up not having the back bacon though they looked as good as ever. Even though it was rainy and cold there were long lines at the back bacon vendor and at Mali’s Eggrolls. We ended up sharing a pizza (about 10”, thin whole wheat crust) from the wood fired oven pizza spot. We got the all dressed and it was delicious. They cook up fairly quickly (under 5 minutes) and the crust was thin and crispy, sauce just right and the toppings were generous with just the right amount of cheese. Other foodie items we purchased were a loaf of cheddar herb bread ($5) and an asparagus swiss quiche ($7) from Kathy Cassanova’s Homebaked booth; 2 bridie Cornish pasties and sausage rolls from the English Pie Shoppe-eaten at home later they were delicious; organic asparagus ($5)from a vendor from Almonte; pickled beets and old fashioned bread and butter pickles-$6 each from Needham Farms and one hemp cookie-3 types available, I had the hermit- for $2 that was very good-gobbled up during the short wait for the pizza. We also bought a couple of elk steaks to barbeque on a less wet day. Fresh stuff available at various vendors included asparagus, rhubarb, garlic scapes, shiitaake mushrooms, spinach and salad greens. Lots of the familiar vendors and a few new ones were there. There was a very good busker playing guitar and singing. It was a nice foodie outing on a cool, damp day.

I can understand why some folks would recoil seeing $2.00+/bulb garlic after getting used to $0.20/bulb for the stuff from China at Loblaws etc. but ya gotta admit that the taste and texture of the local garlic is far superior to the imported.

I do agree that $70 for 12 small heads is a bit over the top when others around you at the market are selling it for half that price or less.

I’m fortunate enough to have some insight into the effort (costs etc) local farmers put into growing the superior garlic on offer. To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if most offer garlic as a loss leader to sell other produce.

Consider the up front cost of nicely cleaned white fresh and maybe braided local garlic before it gets to market:

Seed (Not cheap, check it online. Most vendors start from seed to ensure consistent high quality results.)
HR costs (assume minimum wage):
- starting seeds
- tilling fields
- fertilizing (in most cases with more expensive natural products)
- planting
- hoeing & weeding thru season
- losses due to pests/disease
- harvesting
- tossing (composting) inferior produce
- cleaning
- drying
- braiding stocks

Heck, the initial investment in seed alone is a crap shoot based on weather conditions in the coming season. Believe it or not, it cost a local farmer more to pay someone to properly clean a head than it cost to buy a bulb from China.

I’m happy to pay the going local market price for a “fresh” garlic braid that will last for 10 – 12 months and taste as good as the day I bought it when I use the last bulb.

Ken, with all due respect, I submit that your statement “not cheap but the best we could manage” should read “not cheap but the best THEY could manage”.

You can buy them separate but the braided were a a better deal. Those small spanish ones in the picture were $1.75 each.

Can't you buy the garlic lose and not braided for less? There is a lot of labour in braiding.

It's garlic time. Headed out to the Carp market this morning.When we got to Carp road at 10:00am,the road had a 25 minute back up with traffic. Popular place this weekend. We looked around and found that Acorn Creek had the best prices. Shop around there was a vendor trying to sell 12 small heads of garlic braided for $70. I thought they may have been gold leafed but no such luck. Some vendors were charging $2.50 for one head of garlic. We bought 15 heads of music and four heads of Spanish Rojo $38 not cheap but the best we could manage.

Just an FYI, Carp Farmer's Market will be open this coming Saturday for an Easter Market.

www.carpfarmersmarket.com

The Carp Farmer's Market 2009 Schedule is now available on line at www.carpfarmersmarket.com

The Market will run Saturdays from 8 AM to 1 PM at the Carp Fairgrounds

Highlights this year include:

May 9 - OPENING DAY & Mother's Day - FREE Roses to the first 100 Ladies
June 20 - Father's Day - FREE Trees to the first 100 Guys
July 4 - Strawberry Festival
July 18 - Herb Day
Aug 8 & 9 - Garlic Festival (Saturday 8-3 and Sunday 10-3)
Aug 15 - Garlic Festival (Part II) (Saturday 8-3)
Aug 22 - Customer Appreciation Day
Aug 29 - Corn Festival
Oct 17 - Heritage Apple Day
Oct 24 - Tomato Day
Oct 31 - CLOSING DAY & Halloween

Additionally, The Market will be open in December for a Christmas Market
Dec 4 & 5 - Friday 3 PM to 8 PM and Saturday 8 AM to 3 PM

Made my first visit here for Summer 2008 on Saturday. It was their annual Corn Fest Day.

I bought some corn (1/2 Dozen) from Hudson's Farm they were the "Maple Sweet" variety, and 6 cost $ 2.50, while a Baker's Dozen sold for $ 5.00 I only saw a couple of other vendors selling corn, and everyone else was selling 12 ears for $ 6.00 I noticed that Hudson's Farms was also selling some corn relish for $ 7.00 a jar. Other than that I didn't see much "corn themed" stuff.

Got a Quart of Yellow Beans for $ 4.00 from Acorn Creek Garden Farm, and also a large garlic bulb for $ 2.00 They also had some garlic braids (cheaper per bulb than individually) but I decided to put that purchase off until farther into the Fall.

Back Forty Cheese was absent, and Lil' Cakes was pretty much sold out except for cookies by Noon.
:-(

I was disappointed by the "Bacon on a Bun" that I ordered off one of the food vendors, but have since been informed (thank you Chimichimi) that you have to arrive earlier in the day to get the "good stuff", because although back bacon or peameal is available you have to ask for it (before it sells out).

Hopefully, I'll get back once or twice before the market's season ends at the end of October.

My farmer told me on Thursday that you can buy it by the pound and it is a log cheaper than the braids, but I have not yet confirmed this in person.