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Where are the good farmers markets in town?

I find St Lawrence a bit underwhelming with respect to produce. Went to Bloor/Dufferin the past two weeks and enjoyed it but it is a bit of a commute and really small. I went to the riverdale market too and enjoyed it quite a bit though it is not exactly in my back yard either (I live close to Queen & Spadina).

So does anyone have a favourite spot?

Despite the few visits, I was impressed by the two above mentioned, but I suppose there must be so many more out there and I'm happy to go anywhere in Toronto for good fruit and veg (and maybe some organic meat, eggs, cheese and bread if that's not asking too much)

"There never was an apple, according to Adam, that wasn't worth the trouble you got into for eating it"

-Neil Gaiman

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It is out of the way, but the farmer's market at Square One (Sunday only) is the one that I routinely visit. Great selection of fruits and vegetables from 10-20 vendors (depends on the time of year). Two cheesemongers, two carts with sausages and smoked meat, one vendor selling eggs and poultry.

Candy Wong

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Tuesday afternoons in cabbagetown in the park at the end of Winchester. There's an organic farmer's market there. I haven't been yet but plan to check it out soon.

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The best markets in TO are Kensington market ( where you can even get "killed-on-the-premises chicken), Old Chinatown (Spadina and Dundas area) where you can get anything fresher than anywhere else in the city, fish that swim, crabs that scramble, little old ladies peddling produce picked out of their plots that morning, exotic fruits and veggies at about 1/2 of the prices that anywhere else charges. Why go anywhere else. Doh!!

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So I went to riverdale yesterday and dug it. Got some sheep yoghurt which tastes basically like yoghurt, but is texturally more like that we found in europe - thick and creamy with a subtle tang. Very good on it's own last night and this morning with some apricot jam mixed in. They had a brebis which was great too and although their meat was all frozen, I was promised any lamb parts I wanted could be brought in fresh (there's going to be some great shepherds pie this year). Got some salad greens and green beans (which fell out of my bag leaving a hansel/gretel trail all along parliament). There was a very cool if distracted (read: spacey) lady selling organic meats and grilling up elk burgers and lamb and goat sausages - the lamb sausage was delicious, slightly fatty and spiced just with salt and pepper the meat flavour really came through. Apparently she raises quite a bit of poultry too and if I wanted she could bring in fresh guineas, pheasant, goose, turkey, duck etc. when seasonally appropriate. Eggs looked good too. Found some jerusalem artichokes which I always think of as a fall thing but they looked great. Couldn't find any parsley for the life of me. Saw some beautiful garlic with the whole green (~80 cm long) attached and no papery skin. Nice orchid vendor too with interesting tropical plants, and a woman selling interesting herbs and plants including anise hyssop which smells just like root beer. It was surprisingly accesible too, Left work (queen/john) at 5.30 and I was tasting various sheeps milk products at 5.45.

I came admittedly late in the day if it starts at 3, but i was surprised to find no herbs (except potted plants) and no bread. Pleasant people though, lots of kids and dogs and a man with serious dreads noodling away some blues. Many vendors say they go to the dufferin grove market on thursdays and if not tomorrow, I'll check it out next week.

"There never was an apple, according to Adam, that wasn't worth the trouble you got into for eating it"

-Neil Gaiman

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evilhomer!

the riverdale market sounds fantastic!

how did you access there so quickly from queen & john?

did you take the streetcar?

also, is it a daily thing? 3pm and onwards?

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it is every tuesday from 3 until 7 (approximately)

every thursday at the same time (and with many of the same vendors) there is a similar market at the west end of downtown in dufferin grove (which is just south of bloor, on dufferin) I aim to go there this afternoon - ideally for some parsely, strawberries and bread, will report back.

"There never was an apple, according to Adam, that wasn't worth the trouble you got into for eating it"

-Neil Gaiman

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