5 Questions about the City Market’s New Downtown Location

When the news broke in March that the City Market would not be returning to its outdoor home on 104 Street this year, reaction was mixed. While some were excited about the idea of a permanent, year-round space, others grieved the loss of something that has become a summer tradition for many.

The City Market was one of the reasons why we decided to move to 104 Street, and I had already been looking forward to showing Emily how our front step transforms every Saturday. There’s no question the setting of 104 Street will be hard to replicate elsewhere; the combination of historic facades, mature trees, independent businesses, and residential concentration all helped create the welcoming and lively atmosphere that attracted visitors from across the city.

With Emily at the last City Market on 104 Street on October 6, 2018

That said, I recognize that the success for outdoor markets is very much weather dependent. Although rain, sleet, and snow has never deterred our family because of our proximity to the market, we acknowledge that many vendors rely extensively on fair weather customers. The last few years have also seen rough inclement conditions, including several windstorms that resulted in early closures as precautionary measures.

So although I’ve slowly come around to being open to the City Market’s new home, I know that many people have some unanswered questions:

1. What will the new City Market look like?

The market announced that its opening weekend in its new location will take place May 18-19, 2019, transitioning from one day per week to twice weekly. The Board worked with the City on securing a lease for the Great West Garment Building (also known as the GWG Building), at 97 Street and 103 Avenue, in addition to the permission to animate some of the nearby streets.

GWG Building

The building has been vacant for more than a decade, having most recently operated as the Red Strap Market that closed in 2007. Built in 1911, some of the original features, including the hardwood floors and pressed ceiling tiles, remain as historical marvels. If the renovations are done right, it could be stunning.

Inside the GWG

However, given the short timeline, we’ve learned that the market will operate outdoors this summer. When we toured the space in mid-March, washrooms were under construction, and they hadn’t moved to creating vendor stalls yet.

Planning for two floors of vendors

When completed, vendors will occupy the first and second floor of the building. The market is currently exploring options to program the third and fourth floors.

2. What can visitors expect from the City Market this summer?

The outdoor City Market will have quite the footprint in the Quarters, taking place not only on 103 Avenue but also spilling onto the Armature on 96 Street.

The Armature

Although a majority of the street may be the same width as its previous home of 104 Street and 102 Avenue, the lack of mature trees and active street-front retail make it feel quite different. In addition, the size of the two adjacent parking lots on 103 Avenue may provide convenience to some shoppers, but ultimately may bring a level of car traffic and noise that can disrupt the ambiance.

103 Avenue, looking west

Dog owners will be happy to hear that the market will permit four legged visitors. Guidelines for etiquette are in place, but otherwise, bring your puppy!

I do think the market’s new location could open up new opportunities for Chinatown South. In touring people through the area over the past two summers, people were interested in learning more about the cultural buildings and services located in the Quarters. Some in the Chinese community have already routinely organized events in Kinistinaw Park on the Armature, so it would be great to see even more engagement from the public because of the market’s presence.

Kinistinaw Park, along the Armature

3. How will the new indoor City Market experience compare to other indoor markets?

Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market has held exclusive court over being Edmonton’s only year-round market. Because of that, some have wondered why they haven’t shifted to a multi-day operation.

A newcomer to the scene has shaken things up, and is perhaps one reason the City Market has already committed to Saturday and Sunday hours. Bountiful Markets, set to open in June in a light industrial area at 3696 97 Street, will be operating three days a week, Friday to Sunday. Some of the same vendors who sell at both OSFM and the City Market will be at Bountiful, including Irvings Farm Fresh, Riverbend Gardens, and Doef’s, but it’s likely a multi-day public market will also attract new vendors who could benefit from the additional hours. Bountiful also promises a food court with multiple options, which may be more appealing to many, in addition to an entertainment stage and a kids play area.

Bountiful Markets may be Edmonton’s answer to the revamped Calgary Farmers’ Market, which moved off Blackfoot Trail in 2014. The renovated flea market has survived its competitors (for a variety of reasons), and is so successful it will be opening a second location in northwest Calgary in 2020.

Calgary Farmers’ Market

The Calgary Farmers’ Market seems designed with the intention of getting customers to linger – through a large food court with ample seating, a kids play area, and special events. I’ve also always found it very easy to navigate the wide aisles – even on our most recent visit in April with a stroller.

Food court at the Calgary Farmers’ Market

Given Bountiful’s opportunity to transform an empty warehouse to spec, it seems the Calgary model (including choosing a location really only accessible by car) is what they may be trying to emulate.

4. Will the new indoor City Market have a food hall?

Food halls are a hot trend in North America, with choices carefully curated and the quality elevated from a typical food court. The City Market has a food fair in its plans, with a dozen vendors proposed.

Mack and I checked out Calgary’s Avenida Food Hall & Fresh Market in April. It opened last fall, and though they have a few fresh food vendors, a majority of the stalls are dedicated to prepared food (interestingly enough, they also had a hybrid vendor – Sunworks Farm had a stall selling their fresh cuts of meat and some other products, but it was also equipped with an oven so they could sell hot rotisserie chickens).

Ample seating in Avenida

My favourite thing about Avenida was the diversity of the food they were offering. In addition to the more conventional Italian and Southern Barbecue stalls, there was impressive representation from other ethnic cuisines, including Mexican, Salvadorian, Ethiopian, Indonesian, Thai, Indian, and Japanese.

Some of the food options in Avenida

There are currently plans for a food hall downtown, located in the revamped YMCA Building at 100 Street and 102A Avenue to be known as Williams Hall. The tentative opening date is fall 2019.

5. Will the new City Market continue to be a summer destination?

Although those aforementioned parking lots may make it easier for some to reach the market in its new location, parking doesn’t create a destination. Only time will tell if the City Market will be able to retain and attract a strong mix of vendors, create an atmosphere that encourages visitors to linger, and hopefully promotes some of the area’s nearby amenities as additional attractions. If not, those seeking better outdoor market experiences may end up heading to competitors like the St. Albert Farmers’ Market or the 124 Street Grand Market.

I’m hopeful that the City Market will make the most of this change, and I am looking forward to the long weekend in May to see what they have in store.

Recap: Canmore Travels

Felicia and Jeff’s wedding in the mountains a couple of weeks ago was the perfect excuse for Mack and I to spend a few additional days in Canmore. While we stopped in the town two years ago en route to Lake Louise, it was winter, so we were keen to explore some of what it had to offer in the peak of summer.

Travelling with a baby can be tricky, but as we’re learning, giving yourself a lot of time, and going with the flow are the lessons we’ve taken to heart so far. It has meant not doing as much as we were used to on vacations past – one or two activities per day are more than enough. So we’ve had to choose even more wisely!

It was still pretty smoky while we were in Canmore, so we limited ourselves to one hike. The Grassi Lakes hike seemed to be one of the more reasonable ones, recognizing that Mack would be carrying a 16 pound weight up the slope. It was a nicely shady path for the most part, which we appreciated for Emily (and for us!).

Hiking with baby

We’ve also found that it’s often more convenient to have meals at home, so we’re definitely eating out a lot less when travelling. However, we did plan to visit the Canmore Mountain Market, which was within walking distance of our AirBnB.

Canmore Mountain Market

While they didn’t have the breadth of vendors I was expecting, I always enjoy browsing the stalls and seeing what local products are on offer. It was also clear there are many regulars who frequent the market, not just tourists like us.

Crepe with curried beef and mustard greens

We bought lunch from a couple of the food trucks, and my savoury crepe with curried beef and mustard greens turned out to be the best thing I had to eat in Canmore. Mack couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sample a coffee from The Rocky Bean Co., which brews its coffee in a converted VW van.

The Rocky Bean Co.

We did venture out to Blake for dinner one night (also within walking distance of our flat). Their kitchen was really quick, but overall, we found the portions to be small and quality inconsistent (the fried chicken, for instance, was disappointingly dry). The most interesting dish was their ramen cacio e pepe – the noodles were a touch overdone, but the flavours were there.

Ramen cacio e pepe from Blake

On our way out of town, we had lunch at Rocky Mountain Flatbread. The prices were reasonable at lunch (not something that can be said of all establishments in Canmore), and while we did appreciate that they sourced many of their ingredients locally, the pizzas weren’t particularly memorable.

Pizzas from Rocky Mountain Flatbread

The highlight of our stay surprisingly had nothing to do with food. I’d had my eye on doing a workshop tour at the Rocky Mountain Soap Company factory for some time, but the timing hadn’t worked out prior to this trip. Although the tour tickets are priced at $25, the value is more than covered – $20 is returned in the form of a voucher that can be used at any of their stores, while the product samples we received exceeded the remaining $5 cost.

We learned that edible, cornstarch-based packing peanuts exist

It was a neat experience to tour the factory and see where all of the products are made. Some aspects definitely reminded me of food – the racks of soap bars drying, for instance, recalled the cheese aging rooms I’ve visited in the past.

Soap drying room

I was astonished to see just how much of their products are made and packaged by hand (their bath bombs, for instance, are all individually hand-pressed). It is undoubtedly a part of their brand, but it’s something hard to fathom as most companies are moving towards automation, not away from it.

We also had the opportunity to make our own bath salts, customizing with our choice of essential oil scents and herbal add-ins.

Making lavender and orange-scented bath salts

I’d definitely recommend the tour! As a bonus, a couple of other noteworthy businesses are located in the same vicinity as the factory, so it makes it a worthwhile trek just outside of town. After the tour, we walked over to Valbella (known for their meat products), and Mountain Blends Coffee Roasters to pick up some food souvenirs for home.

It was a quick trip to be sure, but won’t be our last to the mountains with Emily!

104 Street Feast by Edmonton Food Tours

Mack and I were very fortunate to be able to spend Food Day Canada in early August with Karen Anderson. Karen is a culinary ambassador based in Calgary, well-known for her food writing and tours of markets and dining districts in our neighbour to the south. However, in the last year, she expanded her Calgary Food Tours business to encompass Edmonton and Canmore as well, rebranding as Alberta Food Tours.

In Edmonton, they presently offer three types of tours: Strathcona Feast centres on the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market and adjacent area; 104 Street Feast winds its way through the City Market; and the newest Downtown Delights tour exposes diners to old and new gems in the core. Karen engaged several well-known food personalities to lead the local tours, including Edmonton Journal writer Liane Faulder and chef Cindy Lazarenko. But on occasion, Karen leads the groups herself, which is how we came to meet her in August.

Karen had invited us to attend one tour of our choosing; although Mack and I are weekly patrons of the City Market (and residents of 104 Street), we selected the 104 Street Feast option because we wanted to see how Edmonton Food Tours would highlight something so close to home for us (for the record, Get Cooking also offers a City Market tour, followed by a cooking class).

All Edmonton Food Tours are $115 per person, and cover all of the food and drink samples over the course of three hours. We learned later that Karen prides herself on compensating the restaurants and producers she has partnered with. In total, Alberta Food Tours supports over 70 producers in the province.

104 Street Feast begins at Kitchen, Chef Brad Smoliak’s culinary studio. Home to cooking classes and wine dinners, the space is warm and inviting, and Brad made us feel right at home. The small group gathered around the large island for coffee and an introduction of what to expect that morning.

Starting off at Kitchen

We started off with a hearty Ukrainian brunch that we would contribute to. Brad gave us a quick tutorial on how to assemble perogies before setting us loose. He’d prepared a basic dough (a simple and ingenious 2:1 ratio of flour to Dairyland sour cream, mixed together with a dough hook) and a filling of potatoes and Winding Road cheese for us to use. Since his philosophy at the studio is to get people back into the kitchen, Brad recommends having a perogy party to socialize while making up enough batches to go around.

Making perogies!

This was the highlight of the day for me – it was my first time making perogies “from scratch”, and it is something I could definitely see myself doing in the future.

After that, the dishes just kept on coming from the kitchen. Served family-style, this was a unique brunch that I couldn’t imagine being offered anywhere else. Although all of us had big appetites, we barely made a dent in the food.

Brad serves up perogies

The meal highlighted ingredients sourced from the City Market. There was a simple and fresh salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, and radishes dressed with cold pressed canola oil that helped cut through the richness of some of the other dishes (I especially loved the flecks of dill).

Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes

Meatballs, made with Acme ground beef and Irvings Farm Fresh pork, were simmered in a rich mushroom gravy, while Brad’s house-made kielbasa was accompanied by local Brassica Mustard.

Meatballs with mushroom gravy

House-made kielbasa

The nalsknky were easily my favourite, a house-made buttermilk cheese rolled in a crepe then doused in a mustard cream sauce. The perogies held up well, considering the inexperienced hands that had created them, and were served in Mack’s preferred way – with onions and lots of butter.

Nalsknky

Satisfied and eager to stretch our legs, the group wandered over to the City Market to commence the tour. In all, we would stop at ten different vendors or shops.

With Pat Batten from Ocean Odyssey Inland

At each vendor, Karen would provide some background about the business, then for most, we were offered a taste of a product or a sample to take home.

Sampling steak and cheese pies from Meat Street’s Thea Avis

Given the market was in full swing with other customers to serve, it wasn’t possible for each vendor to tell their own story, but I did appreciate when this was possible. For instance, Alan Cosh, one of the founders of the Fruits of Sherbrooke, shared with us the evolution of the non-profit that began in order to reduce food waste. They began with the production of applesauce, then pies, but finally found their form in jams. Today, they make 45 different varieties (including their bestseller, a chipotle rhubarb ketchup), and having finally broken even two years ago, is now making fruit snacks and applesauce tubes for inner city schools.

Alan Cosh from Fruits of Sherbrooke

We also had the opportunity to chat with Ian Treuer of Winding Road Cheese. Based in Smoky Lake, Winding Road is unique because of their use of a plant-based thistle rennet (as opposed to the more common animal-based rennet). Ian was also fresh from a second place award at the American Cheese Society Conference for his washed rind RDB cheese, which is quite the coup for a cheesemaker who stared as a hobbyist just a few years ago. Winding Road currently offers seven different types of cheese, ranging from the stronger Highland Hall, a soft bloomy rind cheese, to a mild German butter cheese. Mack, upon sampling the award-winning RDB, actually stopped in his tracks to appreciate its flavour.

Ian Treuer from Winding Road Cheese

The entire tour took place at a relaxed pace, and we never felt rushed to move on. The three hour length was reasonable, and would allow guests to continue to browse the market afterwards on their own if they chose to do so. As a whole, the 104 Street Feast is a good resource for locals hoping to learn more about the market, as stories and firsthand connections to producers can be very powerful, but I did think the selection of vendors leaned more towards prepared products. It’s my bias as the City Market provides the foundation of our weekly groceries, so I would have liked to see more farmers included apart from Gull Valley and Reclaim Farm. A meat or egg producer would have rounded things out nicely, and might provide locals with a reason to return to the market on a more frequent basis.

City Market

Still, the fact that not one, but two tours centre around the City Market is encouraging. 104 Street Feast definitely sets itself apart with the decadent Ukrainian brunch, perogy lesson, and the opportunity to hear from producers firsthand. If you’re hoping to learn more about one of Edmonton’s food institutions, I’d encourage you to consider joining this tour.

Edmonton Food Tours’ 104 Street Feast continues weekly every Saturday until October 7, 2017.

Back in the 6ix: Toronto Attractions

My sister Amanda moved back to Toronto in the fall, and I promised to visit her in the spring. I was finally able to keep that promise in April. It’s no secret I love visiting the city, and each trip allows us to discover (and in some cases, rediscover) our new favourite spaces, places and events.

Nathan Phillips Square

Evergreen Brick Works Farmers’ Market

Many years ago, Amanda and I had complained our way through a covered-but-outdoors Toronto Underground Market at Evergreen Brick Works. I haven’t been back since then, but their weekly farmers’ market seemed like a great opportunity.

Evergreen Brick Works

We probably shouldn’t have taken her boyfriend Jason’s vehicle, given the number of times we had to circle around, but it did make us wonder why anyone would drive there on a regular basis at all – it would incite road rage in most people. Inside, there weren’t as many produce vendors as we were expecting (recognizing that farmers are now down to their cellared products), and not one greenhouse producer. We did pick up some Best Baa sheep’s yogurt to try (not as tangy as the cow’s yogurt we’re used to), and refilled our supply of my favourite mustard, Kozlick’s.

Shipping container vendors

The covered part of Evergreen housed vendors in shipping containers (great idea, though it must have still been chilly for the vendors), and some food trucks. It was our chance to try Eva’s Chimney Cakes, a genius marriage of Hungarian cinnamon-sugar doughnuts (available one year at K-Days) and soft serve.

With my doughnut cone

The "cone" had to be cooled in order to not immediately liquefy the ice cream, and lost its chewy doughnut quality in the process. I did enjoy the mix-in of apple preserves though.

Gladstone Flea Market

The Gladstone Hotel is considered (along with The Drake Hotel) the anchor of West Queen West. They host a monthly flea market curated with unique, independent vendors.

Gladstone Flea Market

Amanda and Jason sampled some sustainable pasta sauce (with mealworms blended in), while Mack and I picked up some Toronto Bee Rescue honey, made from undesired hives rescued from homes or construction projects. Best of all, there was no entrance fee to the market.

The Social

Mack had never been to a television taping in Toronto, but was still a good sport when he agreed to accompany me to an episode of The Social. It’s not something I watch regularly, but on and off if I happen to be home during the day. Still, it’s always interesting to see how they produce the show behind the scenes (set changes, cues, etc.). Mack’s highlight was getting a high-five from actress Arielle Kebbel, who was the guest host that day.

With The Social hosts Melissa Grelo and Cynthia Loyst

Battle Sports

I stumbled upon the Battle Sports website after learning about their Rage Room on a segment on The Social. They were featuring 50% off their archery dodgeball, and Amanda and Jason were game, so we tried it.

Our Battle Sports team

In hindsight, even an hour in the arena wasn’t a good idea for our out-of-shape bodies, as we were not used to all of the crouching and quick movements required of us to stay in the game. At any rate, this sport required the use of foam arrows and axes to fell opponents, and between the adrenaline-inducing music and some overly aggressive participants, it was much more stressful than I thought it would be. While I enjoyed the actual archery, I could have done without the format.

New Urbanism Film Festival

I convinced Amanda to join us for the New Urbanism Film Festival, in its second year. It was a screening of a collection of North American short films, ranging in topic from the blight of raised freeways to the failure of pedestrian malls. As expected, some films were more engaging than others, but I would have appreciated a more localized context following the screening. A panel discussion about ideas as they related to Toronto would have been fascinating.

Toronto Blue Jays

Mack hadn’t been to a live Blue Jays game before, so Amanda made sure that was on our agenda.

Our view at Rogers Centre

The tickets were so reasonably priced ($26), and there was even a giveaway that day – Josh Donaldson bobbleheads. It was great to be in a packed house (46,000+), much different than the last game I attended. And even better, the Jays beat the White Sox, 6-2!

With our Bringer of Rain bobblehead

Toronto Raptors’ Jurassic Park

Before our date with Real Sports (a tradition whenever I’m in Toronto), we had the chance to visit Jurassic Park outside the Air Canada Centre before Game 4 during their series with the Pacers.

Jurassic Park

It wasn’t as packed as we expected (we learned later that the crowd is smaller for away games), but there was great energy in the square, with a live DJ, a big screen, and alcohol available.

Ready to beat Jason one on one

I know there are plans for something similar in Ice District’s winter plaza (if the Oilers ever get to the playoffs), so it’ll be interesting to see how an Edmonton version of Jurassic Park would play out. And yes, I’m still keeping my fingers crossed for an Edmonton branch of Real Sports in the District.

We the North!

I’ll be back with a food-centric post later this week.

Date Night: Beverly Farmers’ Market and Historical Tour

A few years ago, Mack and I had dinner followed by a carriage ride, and in that post I wrote that this was only possible in Highlands. Well that wasn’t true.

On Tuesday, Mack and I headed to the neighbourhood of Beverly. I’d been meaning to visit their farmers’ market for some time, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to combine a few activities.

A smaller market open Tuesday evenings from May to September, it is definitely modest in its offerings, but anchored by two recognizable vendors, Riverbend Gardens and Steve & Dan’s, it does draw regular shoppers.

Beverly Farmers’ Market

Rounding out the offerings are more than a dozen other vendors, with wares ranging from baked goods, seafood, and crafts. It was nice to see that the Beverly Farmers’ Market had an incentive program in place – if customers purchased $10 from the featured vendor of the week (in this case, it was the kettle corn truck), they would receive $5 in market dollars to spend at a future market.

Steve & Dan’s

An inflatable play structure was set up in an adjacent field (accessible by admission), and we were told that live music was also a mainstay. Three food trucks were present, but Dolce & Banana immediately drew our attention. We had the chance to sample their mojito-flavoured Italian sodas at our last What the Truck?!, but we were keen to finally try one of Ernesto’s sandwiches on this occasion.

We ordered the The Soprano, filled with spicy salami, mortadella, banana peppers, muffelata and vegetable spreads, basil pesto and mozzarella. Made fresh and pressed to order, the focaccia was hot and delightfully crispy, each bite layered with salty pops of flavour.

The Soprano from Dolce & Banana

We actually ended up taking our sandwiches on the carriage ride. A part of Doors Open Edmonton (on until July 12, 2015), the free historic tours of Beverly provide a chance to learn more about a neighbourhood that just celebrated its centennial in 2014.

We had to pre-register, and given the group was at capacity, I was especially glad we did so. Seated in a horse-drawn wagon, it was a comfortable introduction to Beverly. Mack and I were particularly taken with the Cenotaph Park. Built to commemorate the men who served in the first World War, we were told it is the oldest cenotaph in Alberta.

Cenotaph Park

Unfortunately, the majority of the tour, led by a member of the Olde Towne Beverly Historical Society, was difficult to follow. The chronology of the events shared were not linear, and given a vast majority of the historical buildings are no longer standing (another discussion altogether), some photographic resources could have been shown for reference. In some ways, it was disappointing that a quick perusal of their website and Wikipedia was more informative than the in-person tour.

Horse and wagon

Still, we were directed to some beautiful murals we wouldn’t have otherwise looked for, such as Beverly Beginnings, which shows, among other things, the town’s coal mine foundations.

Beverly Beginnings

To end our evening in Beverly, we stopped by Take 5 (11801 48 Street), a doughnut shop I hadn’t heard of until recently. Lucky for us, they still had multiple varieties for us to choose from. The ones we tried tasted really fresh and springy, and both agreed that the most straightforward flavours of honey glazed and raised sugar were the best.

Hawaiian and banana cream

It was great to spend the evening in a corner of the city we haven’t frequented before. It has been said before, but a stay-cation in Edmonton over the summer is a blessing in so many ways.

City Market 2014

I haven’t been up early for the City Market much this season, but in preparation for a potluck tomorrow, I thought it best to make sure we had our pick of produce. Good thing too, given how busy it was right at the start!

Overhead view

I haven’t written much about the market this year, a deviation from previous summers, and because of this it’s harder to reconcile that we’re nearly halfway through the outdoor market season already! On the bright side, it means we’re that much closer to some of my seasonal favourites, including green beans and field tomatoes. But in the meantime, this week saw the return of carrots, new potatoes and peas.

Kale from Sundog Organic

Rhubarb from Sundog Organic

Carrots from Sundog Organic

Lettuce from Sundog Organic

Peas from Kuhlmann’s

Radishes from Kuhlmann’s

Swiss chard from Kuhlmann’s

Green onions from Kuhlmann’s

Broccoli from Green Valley Farm

Tomatoes from Doef’s

Potatoes from Riverbend Gardens

Carrots from Riverbend Gardens

Beets from Riverbend Gardens

Peaches from Steve & Dan’s

Berries from Steve & Dan’s

Cherries from Steve & Dan’s

One can only hope the gorgeous weekend weather will continue all market season. See you there!

Mother’s Market: Edmonton’s first three day farmers’ market

Although Edmonton has plenty of farmers’ markets (with more seeming to spring up in every pocket of the city), up until now, almost all markets run just once a week. Enter Mother’s Market, Edmonton’s first three day year-round market, which opened on Friday in the building that formerly housed Mother’s Music at 10251 109 Street. It will be open from 10am-7pm on Fridays and from 10am-5pm on the weekends.

Mother’s Market

When it was first announced, some wondered how Mother’s Market could possibly compete with the City Market in the summer, located just a few blocks away on the pedestrian-friendly 104 Street. To be fair, not everyone can make it to the market on Saturdays, so the ability to pick pick up groceries on alternate days is a definite plus. Much of their success, however will depend on the range of products they can offer, in addition, of course, to the shopping experience itself.

Two floors of shopping

Originally slated to open in May, the delay to June 20, 2014 seemed to allow the market to gather more vendors in the interim, including several familiar to City Market shoppers, such as Prairie Mill, Greens, Eggs and Ham, and Irvings Farm Fresh.

Greens, Eggs and Ham (a duplicate of their Symons Valley Ranch booth in Calgary)

It was immediately clear the advantage offered to vendors at an indoor site – no need for a weekly set-up and take-down, easy access to power and water, and no variable weather conditions to worry about. As a result, many of the stalls are more visibly branded, and customers can tell at a glance which products are in stock.

Irvings Farm Fresh

Personally, I was happy to see Sunworks. Though their location across the river at Blush Lane isn’t that far, it’s nice to have walking distance access to a variety of meats and eggs. In addition, they also sell Vital Green milk products (I’ve been missing the ability to pick up local, organic milk close to home since Saxby’s closure impacted Van Os Dairy).

There were still many empty vending spaces, some due to be occupied soon (Innisfail-based Lund’s Organics will enhance the produce offerings, which are still fairly slim, and at present, include imported produce from the US). I’ve always found the biggest weakness of the fall/winter component of the City Market in City Hall is the relative lack of produce, especially when compared with Old Strathcona. This is an area where Mother’s can definitely compete.

Walker Orchards

It was also great to see a number of vendors unique to Mother’s Market. Those who were sad to see Wild Tangerine go will be happy to know they can still pick up prepared curries, spring rolls and soups at this location. As well, Transcend Coffee will not only be serving the caffeine-deprived (drip coffees only, at this point), but also use their stall as a way to introduce customers to alternative home brewing methods (think AeroPress and Chemex).

Transcend Coffee

Locating concessions on the second floor was a great idea to help draw shoppers upstairs, which would otherwise potentially see less foot traffic. Besides a forgettable hot dog vendor, the crepe, Indian and Mexican food stalls were still works in progress. Native Delights, however, was up and running. We still haven’t tried a bannock burger ourselves, but it is heartening to see the business (two food trucks, a concession at Osman Auction, and now, Mother’s Market) expand. More seating options will definitely be needed, particularly if the market would like customers to linger, but that could be on its way.

Native Delights

I have to say some of the vendors seemed out of place to me, but I know people have vastly different definitions of what vendors should comprise a farmers’ market. I could have done without the art and scented wax vendors, for instance, but to each their own.

Second floor vendors

Most of Calgary’s farmers’ markets already operate on the three day per week model, so it will be interesting to see if Mother’s Market will be the first to succeed at doing so in Edmonton. So far, I’d say they’re off to a good start – but only time will tell.

Mother’s Market
10251 109 Street
Fridays 10am-7pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10am-5pm

Rebecca also posted about the market.

City Market Report: Week 20

It was a brisk one at the City Market this morning! I was up early for once to help ring in the market today. Representing the Downtown Edmonton Community League (DECL), I rang the opening bell along with Heather from the City of Edmonton’s Waste Management.

Ringing in the market with Heather

Though the fall chill was definitely in the air, the sunny skies still made it a pleasant day to walk the market aisles.

Early on at the market

It’s also without a doubt one of the best times of year to pick up fresh, locally grown produce!

Pumpkins from Sundog Organic

Beets from Sundog Organic

Leeks from Sundog Organic

Carrots from Sundog Organic

Broccoli from Sundog Organic

Kohlrabi from Sundog Organic

Celery from Sundog Organic

Fennel from Sundog Organic

Tomatoes from Greens, Eggs and Ham

Baby leeks from Greens, Eggs and Ham

Ornamentals from Kuhlmann’s

Brussels sprouts from Kuhlmann’s

Squash from Kuhlmann’s

Kale from Kuhlmann’s

Adorable tabletop pots from Kuhlmann’s

Bell peppers from Doef’s

Eggplant from Doef’s

Asian apple pears from Steve & Dan’s

Apples from Steve & Dan’s

Grapes from Steve & Dan’s

Cabbage from Riverbend Gardens

Potatoes from Riverbend Gardens

Cauliflower from Riverbend Gardens

Squash from Riverbend Gardens

I’ll be back at the market next week selling memberships for DECL – come stop by and say hi! There are only two more chances to enjoy the outdoor market (October 5 & 12) before the City Market moves indoors to City Hall on October 19.

City Market 2013: Week 12

I know a lot of people head out of town over the August long weekend, but I find the weather is usually so gorgeous in Edmonton at that time that it’s far from a chore to stay home. Plus, there’s just so much to do!

This morning, before attending a wedding, I made the rounds at the City Market to pick up our groceries for the week.

Market square

Though field tomatoes and corn are still yet to come, the summer bounty was on full display at the market.

Zucchini from Sundog Organic

Beets from Sundog Organic

Broccoli from Sundog Organic

Turnips from Sundog Organic

Radicchio from Sundog Organic

Carrots from Sundog Organic

Thumbelina carrots from Greens, Eggs and Ham

Carrots from Kuhlmann’s

Beans from Kuhlmann’s

Sugar snap peas from Kuhlmann’s

Peas from Kuhlmann’s

Zucchini from Kuhlmann’s

Cauliflower from Riverbend Gardens

Cabbage from Riverbend Gardens

Kale from Riverbend Gardens

Plums from Steve & Dan’s

Berries from Steve & Dan’s

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

City Market 2013: Week 8

The weather was perfect for City Market visitors on Saturday – warm without being too hot, with blue skies full of sunshine.

City Market square (love the colourful furniture!)

It’s also great to see all of the fresh produce rolling in, week by week. Saturday was no exception, with a greater variety than we’ve seen thus far, including broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, carrots and new potatoes.

Garlic scapes from Sundog Organic

Garlic from Sundog Organic

Kale from Sundog Organic

Broccoli and cauliflower from Erdmann’s

Apricots from Steve & Dan’s

Berries from Steve & Dan’s

Peas from Kuhlmann’s

Radishes from Kuhlmann’s

Beets from Kuhlmann’s

Flowers from Kuhlmann’s

Swiss chard from Kuhlmann’s

Carrots from Riverbend Gardens

Fennel from Riverbend Gardens

Kohlrabi from Riverbend Gardens

New potatoes from Riverbend Gardens

Beets from Riverbend Gardens

I also really enjoyed the beats from Adje Performers’ African drums. They had more than a few people dancing in the square! I hope they’re back at future markets.

Adje Performers

See you next week!

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