01/24/2023
Meantime in South Dekota.
Reminds us of the storm heading our way later this week.
This page is about the natural and humane way in which animals are raised on Harley Farms in Keene, ON
GRASS-FED
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
HUMANE & NATURAL
100% GMO FREE
FREE RANGE
SUSTAINABLE
LOCALLY RAISED
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
Pork, Beef, Lamb, Chicken and Eggs
Available in store and online
Operating as usual
01/24/2023
They're off for the day. Our sheep families are WILTSHIRE HORNED SHEEP.
The Wiltshire Horns are an “easy care” breed. As a hair sheep, not a wool producer, they do not require shearing and therefore do not have any of the problems associated with wool production, but their hair is thick enough to insulate against Canadian winters.
They are also renowned for their sturdy legs and good feet which is essential in all livestock production.
01/23/2023
Happy Monday!
Have a wonderful week!
01/22/2023
Good MOOOOOOOOOrning!!
01/21/2023
So easy to cook! YUMMY!
Directions (until BBQ season)!
1. Place sausage in a large skillet.
2. Add water to 1⁄2" depth. Bring to a simmer and cover.
3. Simmer for 12 minutes. Remove lid and continue to simmer until water evaporates turning sausages occasionally to brown!
Our sausages, both in-store and online, are still on SALE all WEEKEND!
01/20/2023
From our Farm to Your Home!
When the weather gets frightful, no worries, we deliver!!
Order online & we offer FREE delivery all across ONTARIO with a minimum order of the following based on area:
GTA – Peterborough- Kawartha lakes - Belleville $125
(Under $125 add a $25 delivery fee)
Hamilton – Kitchener- Guelph – Ottawa - Kingston – Brockville – Barrie – Muskoka $200
(Under $200 add a $40 delivery fee)
Or Pick up at Farm Store.
01/19/2023
Quick, let's finish, I see dessert coming!
We all love our Manulift!
01/18/2023
Thank you for the shout-out Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism !
"Harley Farms - Natural Farming are local leaders in ethical, sustainable farming. Their humane practices include keeping livestock in family groups and allowing maximum use of pastures, and the results speak for themselves. Give them a follow or visit their farm store at 1630 Heritage Line outside Keene to learn more.
📸 Harley Farms - Natural Farming
"
01/18/2023
Farm Store Open Daily 10-5.
What's Available at the Farm Store?
Assorted Pork, Beef, Lamb, and Chicken
Pet food and treats
Farm Fresh Free Range EGGS
Seasonal Veggies
& Much More
01/18/2023
What's one of your favourite Pork Sausages?
How about the Breakfast Sausage?
Now on sale for CA$8.03 Original Price: CA$9.45
7 High Welfare Organic Breakfast Sausages to the packages!
We deliver, from our Farm to your Door!
https://www.harleyfarms.ca/onlinestore/organic-pork-breakfast-sausage
01/17/2023
What kind of sausages do we have you ask? Honey garlic, chorizo, mild Italian, tomatoes and oregano, breakfast & Oktoberfest!?
Yes Both online and in our farm store ALL OUR PORK SAUSAGES are 15% off!
We deliver, from our Farm to your door!
https://www.harleyfarms.ca/onlinestore
01/16/2023
Snow snow snow.
Difference one week makes!
01/15/2023
Food delivery comes in all shapes and sizes. Haha. Happy Sunday!
We love our Manulift Tractors!
01/14/2023
Born to herd!
01/14/2023
Welcome Little Ones! Born on Jackson's birthday!
01/14/2023
These are soo good!!
... Salt, Spice, Onion, Garlic, Tricalcium Phosphate (an anti-caking agent)!
Now 15% off! Sale is both online and in our farm store!
https://www.harleyfarms.ca/onlinestore/organic-pork-sausage-chorizo
01/13/2023
Find them in our Farm Store or online! 15% off!
Our Honey Garlic Sausages ingredients are: Pork, Dextrose, Honey Powder, Salt, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein, Spice.
Now only CA$9.60 Original Price: CA$11.03
https://www.harleyfarms.ca/onlinestore/organic-pork-sausage-honey-garlic
01/13/2023
Happy
Why do Cows Moo at Night? Our cows wanted to let you in a Cow Superstition.
"When you hear 3 cows mooing from different directions at 5 am, this is a sign that good things will happen to you during that day."
01/12/2023
What do honey garlic, chorizo, mild Italian, tomatoes and oregon, breakfast, Oktoberfest have in common? They are our various Pork Sausages, and they're ALL
15% OFF! Yes Both online and in our farm store ALL OUR PORK SAUSAGES are on sale!
https://www.harleyfarms.ca/onlinestore?category=Pork
01/12/2023
Our Tomato & Oregano Sausages ingredients are: Toasted Wheat Crumbs, Salt, Dehydrated Tomatoes, Dextrose, Spice, Onion & Garlic Flavour
Now only CA$9.60 Original Price: CA$11.03
High Welfare Organic Principled
Find them in our store or online!
https://www.harleyfarms.ca/onlinestore/high-welfare-pork-tomato-oregano-sausages
01/11/2023
Join Us In Wishing Our Little Man a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Jackson James Harley
Born January 11th 2022 is one year old today!
01/10/2023
We take care of our girls!
Tuesday Funny!
01/09/2023
Our Farm store is open daily, 10-5!
We ALSO deliver!
Right from our Farm to your Door!
Check us out online...
https://www.harleyfarms.ca/onlinestore
01/08/2023
Have you heard our Story?
Harley Farms originated in East Kennett, England. Roger and Julie, together with our children James and Emily, used natural farming protocols to farm over 4,500 acres that included 2,500 breeding ewes and lambs, 1,000 head of fattening cattle, outdoor farrow to finish hogs, and also producing all our own winter supply of forage.
In 2000, we moved to Canada from the UK and in 2002 we purchased our present farms near Keene, Ontario where we started working on, and developing sustainability agricultural standards and protocols, that would work in Canada, to cover the sustainability of the environment, animal welfare and the financial well being of the farmer.
Our goal is to produce livestock and crops in a way that aligns with the surrounding natural environment and with a special focus on animal and bird welfare. For more information visit our Regenerative Agriculture page. As a result, our customers can have confidence that Harley Farms products are fully traceable and come from livestock which are humanely and sustainably raised.
Our farming system is grounded in the belief that our animals should be raised as humanely and naturally as possible. As a result, our farm animals are kept together in family groups for most of their lives, which reduces their stress levels and supports their overall health. We also believe in maximizing the use of our pastures and forage crops, which allows the animals to subsist predominantly on the plants and crops they are meant to consume, thereby reducing our dependency on grains in our livestock finishing program.
We strive to provide our animals with as much fresh air and abundant space to roam as possible, preferring to shelter rather than confine them. Our Heritage Tamworth sows, for example, can be seen out in the fields year-round with their young. Even on the coldest, snowiest days, the pigs seem happiest outside as long as they have a dry and warm shelter to retreat to when they’re ready to come in. We breed livestock best suited to the climate and surrounding environment and likely to thrive and fatten off a pasture and forage based diet.
01/07/2023
"It's worth the drive to KEENE!"
Our farm store is open 10-5 and everything in the store is 10% off! It's our New Year's In-Farm-Store SALE! You don't want to miss it!
ENDS SUNDAY!
01/06/2023
We deliver!
Right from our Farm to your Door!
Check us out online...
https://www.harleyfarms.ca/onlinestore
01/05/2023
Reminder, 2023 kick-Off Sale, with an Everything in our Farm Store is 10% Off Sale. Ends Sunday!
That's everything, Pork, Beef, Lamb, and Chicken, Pet Food and treats,
Farm Fresh Free Range EGGS,
Seasonal Veggies & Much More!
01/04/2023
What do Gift Certificates, Eggs, Drum Sticks, Shishkabobs, Steaks, Meat Pies and so much more all have in common?
They're all available at our Farm Store and on our Online Store!
https://www.harleyfarms.ca/onlinestore
01/03/2023
When the weather gets frightful, no worries, we deliver!! Order online & we offer FREE delivery all across ONTARIO with a minimum order of the following based on area:
GTA – Peterborough- Kawartha lakes - Belleville $125
Under $125 add a $25 delivery fee
Hamilton – Kitchener- Guelph – Ottawa - Kingston – Brockville – Barrie – Muskoka $200
Under $200 add a $40 delivery fee
Or Pick up at Farm Store
01/02/2023
We'd like to kick-off 2023 with an Everything in our Farm Store is 10% Off Sale.
That's everything, Pork, Beef, Lamb, and Chicken, Pet Food and treats,
Farm Fresh Free Range EGGS,
Seasonal Veggies & Much More!
01/02/2023
Farm Store is OPEN!
Welcome to 2023!
We're here daily, 10-5.
Always open online!
AND WE DELIVER!
01/01/2023
Happiest of 2023 to you and yours!
Our Farm Store is Closed today!
We'll reopen Jan 2nd, daily 10-5!
12/31/2022
It's the last day of 2022! OMG! Can't believe we have to start typing 2023!
We're here at the Farm Store today, 10-5.
Closed tomorrow, New Years Day, back on Monday!
12/30/2022
"Why do cows have hooves instead of feet?
Because they lactose." HAHA
Actually, Cows have hooves instead of feet because hooves provide better support for their massive body weight and makes it easier for them to move on rugged terrain.
We're here today and tomorrow closed on New Year's Day!
12/29/2022
Thank you Tina Z! We loved your 5-star Google review!
"Honestly I have had the best experiences with this Farm. They are so kind and have excellent meat products. They go above and beyond for their customers and I am happy to support local. Keep up the good work"
12/28/2022
Our Farm Store is open for you daily, 10-5!
We're always open ONLINE!
12/26/2022
We are snowshoeing today.
Our Farm Store re-opens tomorrow.
We hope you enjoyed your day!
Stay Safe!
12/26/2022
Closed Today
Back Tomorrow
Always Open Online
www.harleyfarms.ca
12/25/2022
Happy cows, happy life! On this very windy snowy Christmas day. 🎄 Manulift
12/24/2022
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Our Farm Store will REOPEN December 27th!
We have closed but if anyone needs anything please call 705 772 0149 and we will be happy to sever.
Address
1630 Heritage Line
Keene, ON
K0L2G0
Opening Hours
| Monday | 10am - 5pm |
| Tuesday | 10am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 10am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 10am - 5pm |
| Friday | 10am - 5pm |
| Saturday | 10am - 5pm |
| Sunday | 10am - 5pm |
Telephone
Website
Products
We produce natural, free-range, forage fed
-Tamworth Pork
-Wiltshire horn Lamb
-Belted Galloway Beef
-Veal
-Eggs
-Veggies
Alerts
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Videos
Good Morning! We hope you'll all be heading to our Farm Store today! We're here 10am to 5pm!
A day in our lives..
You'll always find Chicken, Beef, Pork, Fish, Meat Pies & Pizza Pies, Sausage, Lamb and all the fixing in our Farm Store! Plus we have a different Weekly Special here! It's work the drive to KEENE! Open daily 10 to 5pm! See you soon!
From our FARM to your DOOR! We deliver! www.harleyfarms.ca #FarmFresh #FamilyFarm #WeDeliver
HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY COWS!! Have a wonderful Tuesday! Our Farm Store is open daily, 10 to 5pm! Worth the drive to KEENE!
Starting to think about the perfect gift for the person who has everything! We hope you'll think about our digital gift cards! Purchasing this digital gift card creates a unique code. The gift card recipient can enter this code at checkout to subtract the gift card value from their order total. Find them at our Online Store! #perfectgift #giftcard #farmstore #wedeliver https://www.harleyfarms.ca/onlinestore/gift-card
From our FARM to your DOOR! We deliver! www.harleyfarms.ca #FarmFresh #FamilyFarm #WeDeliver
Our Pigs want to thank you! THEY LOVE LOVE LOVE Pumpkins and Squash! Please keep them coming! We'd love your extra pumpkins after Halloween!! No wax or paint on them (as that's not healthy for our pigs).. Human carved pumpkins are welcome!
We're here for you!! 7 days a week, 10am to 5pm! It's worth the drive to KEENE!
Please keep us in mind for your extra pumpkins after Halloween!! Our Pigs will thank you! THEY LOVE LOVE LOVE Pumpkins and Squash!
Fish Friday! Keep us in mind! Did you know, we source Fish for both our Farm Store & ONLINE!
FARM STORE OPEN DAILY!! 10-5! It's worth the drive to KEENE!! Sales: 705.295.1925 Store Phone: 705.295.1925 Store Fax: 705.295.1925 1630 Heritage Line Keene, ON KOL 2GO
Did you know that you can buy from us ONLINE!?? Did you know that we'll deliver to your home?? https://www.harleyfarms.ca/
Thanksgiving humour! "What's the most musical part of a Turkey?? .... THE DRUMSTICK" Hahahahahaa! Not to late to order your turkey from us for your Thanksgiving Feast! Online or Call! Delivery or Pickup on Oct 6th, 7th https://www.harleyfarms.ca/onli.../high-welfare-whole-turkey
NEW Farm Store this weekend! Bacon Slabs are now on sale, along with the Lamb Shoulder Chops! Plus all our season produce and free range Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken & EGGS! (What came first, the Chicken or the EGG??? WE KNOW!!) #FamilyFarm #KeeneOntario
Regenerative Agriculture happening now! Our system of farming principles and practices, we've been following them for many years. It increases biodiversity, enriches soils, improves watersheds, and enhances the ecosystem. We have spent years developing rotations, using livestock and cropping to accomplish these goals Our main livestock rotation consists of pigs, cattle and sheep. The livestock are grazed on grassland and fed in conjunction with the various crops rotated around the farms. These crops consist of sorghum, red & white clover, oats & peas, and hay & pasture mixes. We have to continuously move our livestock, so we are not over grazing. Our way of farming increases the earth's soil health. With a carefully mapped out rotation of our animals and crops, we are naturally fertilizing our soils. Restoring a healthy and enriched soil to grow our crops and grasslands for grazing. We are pulling harmful carbon from the atmosphere and bringing it into our soils. When the soils are enriched and healthy, you will see an improvement in water absorption. i.e. increase in ability to hold water. Which in return decreases water shed, washing away the nutrients from the soil.
Hello from our Wiltshire Horn ewes (mom), rams (dad) & their baby lambs! They wanted to let you know that our Farm Store is open 10-5 daily! What's Available at the Farm Store? Assorted Pork, Beef, Lamb, and Chicken. Pet food and treats. Farm Fresh Free Range EGGS. Seasonal Veggies. & Much More. #farmstore #familyfarm #freerange #sheep #lambs #WiltshireHorn #ewes #keeneontario
Hello from our Wiltshire Horn Sheep
Hello from our Wiltshire Horn ewes (dad), sheep (mom) & their baby lambs! They wanted to let you know that our Farm Store is open 10-5 daily! What's Available at the Farm Store? Assorted Pork, Beef, Lamb, and Chicken. Pet food and treats. Farm Fresh Free Range EGGS. Seasonal Veggies. & Much More.
Our Farm Store is open 7 days a week 10am-5pm. See you soon! It's worth the drive to Keene!
Have you heard, we sell everything your need for your BBQ both online & in our Farm Store. Open daily 10-5. Always open online & we deliver.
Sustainable Farming in action! We believe in maximizing the use of our pastures and forage crops, which allows the animals to subsist predominantly on the plants and crops they are meant to consume. We rotate the animals over our 1200 acres of GMO-free crops and pastures, while our farm naturally replenishes itself through a seven year farm cycle. Happy Friday! Our Farm Store is Open Daily, 10-5pm! #W#worththedrivetokeene #KeeneOntario #FamilyFarm
Planning a BBQ this weekend. We have you covered. Worth the drive to Keene!
Moving the sheep is part of our Regenerative Agriculture farming! It's a system of farming principles and practices that Harley Farms has been following for many years. It increases biodiversity, enriches soils, improves watersheds, and enhances the ecosystem. We have spent years developing rotations, using livestock and cropping to accomplish these goals Harley Farms main livestock rotation consists of pigs, cattle and sheep. The livestock are grazed on grassland and fed in conjunction with the various crops rotated around the farms. These crops consist of sorghum, red & white clover, and hay & pasture mixes. We have to continuously move our livestock, so we are not over grazing.
Worth The Drive to Keene! Our Farm Store Special today is 25% off Flat Iron Steaks!
It's totally worth the drive to beautiful Keene! ROAD TRIP Kinda day! In case you missed it! Our Farm Store Special this weekend is now 25% off Flat Iron Steaks!
What's on your BBQ this weekend!?? Instore Farm Store special this weekend is 25% off Flat Iron Steaks! It's worth the drive to Keene for on instore specials! But, check us out online, anytime and we deliver! Open daily 10-5pm!
Have you heard? Our Sirloin Steaks are 30% off in the Farm Store. We're here 10-5pm, it's worth the drive to Keene!
Frogs & Rain
Frogs are loving this rain! There are thousands of small frogs on our small wet land areas that we preserve on the farm!
It's the weekend! We're here all weekend with our 30% Off Steak Sale..
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About Us
Harley Farms originated in East Kennett, England. Roger and Julie, together with our children James and Emily, used natural farming protocols to farm over 4,500 acres that included 2,500 breeding ewes and lambs, 1,000 head of fattening cattle, outdoor farrow to finish hogs, and also producing all our own winter supply of forage.
In 2000, we moved to Canada from the UK and in 2002 we purchased our present farms near Keene, Ontario where we started working on, and developing sustainability agricultural standards and protocols, that would work in Canada, to cover the sustainability of the environment, animal welfare and the financial well being of the farmer.
At Harley Farms, our goal is to produce livestock and crops in a way that aligns with the surrounding natural environment and with a special focus on animal and bird welfare. As a result, our customers can have confidence that Harley Farms products are fully traceable and come from livestock which are humanely and sustainably raised.
Our farming system is grounded in the belief that our animals should be raised as humanely and naturally as possible. As a result, our farm animals are kept together in family groups for most of their lives, which reduces their stress levels and supports their overall health. We also believe in maximizing the use of our pastures and forage crops, which allows the animals to subsist predominantly on the plants and crops they are meant to consume,thereby reducing our dependency on grains in our livestock finishing program.
We strive to provide our animals with as much fresh air and abundant space to roam as possible, preferring to shelter rather than confine them. Our Heritage Tamworth sows, for example, can be seen out in the fields year-round with their young. Even on the coldest, snowiest days, the pigs seem happiest outside as long as they have a dry and warm shelter to retreat to when they’re ready to come in. We breed livestock best suited to the climate and surrounding environment and likely to thrive and fatten off a pasture and forage based diet.
Nearby food & beverage services
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Mccallum Place
-
Blezard Line, Douro
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Assumption Road, Peterborough
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Assumption Road, Peterborough
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County Road 35, Trent Hills
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County Road 10, Millbrook
-
K0L
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Douro K0L2B0
-
West Bank Drive, Peterborough
-
Highway 7, Norwood
-
County Road, Port Hope
-
Velvet Ridge Training Facitiliy
Country Road 10, Port Hope -
River Road West, Hastings
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White Road, Harwood
-
Hallowell K0K2X0
Other Farms in Keene
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K0L -
K9J0G6
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Settlers Line
-
Serpent Mounds Road
-
Mccallum Place
-
County Road 2
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Duncan's Line
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County Road 2
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Hiawatha Line
-
Nelson Road
Comments
Harley Farms - Natural Farming are local leaders in ethical, sustainable farming. Their humane practices include keeping livestock in family groups and allowing maximum use of pastures, and the results speak for themselves. Give them a follow or visit their farm store at 1630 Heritage Line outside Keene to learn more.
📸 Harley Farms - Natural Farming
📸 Harley Farms - Natural Farming
At Harley Farms - Natural Farming, their goal is to produce livestock and crops in a way that aligns with surrounding natural environments, with a special focus on animal and bird welfare.🐮🐷🐔
Not only are they one of the only farms in Ontario that are SPCA certified, they also pride themselves on providing products that are fully traceable and come from livestock which are grass-fed, free range, and 100% GMO free.
We're looking forward to carrying their turkeys this holiday season!
Don't forget to browse their selection at your next visit.👋
Not only are they one of the only farms in Ontario that are SPCA certified, they also pride themselves on providing products that are fully traceable and come from livestock which are grass-fed, free range, and 100% GMO free.
We're looking forward to carrying their turkeys this holiday season!
Don't forget to browse their selection at your next visit.👋
Shop Local Mondays - Harley Farms (Keene, ON)
Their farm store is always well stocked with a variety of products and the farm tour is great!
Harley Farms - Natural Farming
Their farm store is always well stocked with a variety of products and the farm tour is great!
Harley Farms - Natural Farming
Still looking for a fresh Turkey? Take a drive up to Burnt Bridge Quality Meats today before they close for the long weekend. These farm fresh Turkeys from Harley Farms - Natural Farming are amazing. Once you have tried a fresh turkey you will never go back to frozen
Harley Farms - Natural Farming Grass Fed Beef
We have two more online markets at the depot, and then we will bid a fond farewell to our hosts at St. Anne's Anglican Church. Along with a big debt of gratitude to the whole St. Anne's community for their willingness to give us shelter in a storm, we owe special thanks to the ever-patient Juli, Caretaker of the church campus, who has helped us through more sticky spots than we can count, and to Mary Lou Harrison, our staunch supporter and friend.
I was chatting with one of our packers, Julie Swanson, about the approaching end of an era, and how memorable it has been to work with such a fun and dedicated crew. Packing food into boxes just isn't an adequate description of what goes on inside our depot. Maybe that is because this kind of food connects us so strongly to the producers who bring it to us as well as to the customers who care about those producers. It has really been a big love-in despite the stress and mixups and challenges.
One of the unexpected strengths of the online market is that it is easy to welcome very small scale entrepreneurs to test the waters. One of those is Letitia Mancini of Tish's Dishes, who asked us to join with the tiny handmade pasta business she was developing. How tiny was this business? Well, when her Dad helped make Letitia a pasta drying tree, production tripled!
Letitia is wildly enthusiastic about Italian culinary traditions, and her enthusiasm is contagious.
That's all well and good, you may say, but at this point in the year, when Ontario storerooms are almost empty and the first spring green things are barely beginning to appear, the Mediterranean seems very far away!
After she sent a list of all the courses included in a full, formal Italian dinner, I asked Letitia if that sort of meal would be possible based on foods we have available at the market right now. She was more than up to the challenge; I couldn't take notes fast enough! You may not pull off the whole list of dishes, but I hope you will find ideas to try. Buon appetito!
Letitia says that formal Italian meals, which can last 2 ½ hours or more, follow this progression:
The first course is the APERITIVO - Letitia says her family always included walnuts in the shell, giving a nutcracker to each person in attendance and happily cracking around the table. We have lots of walnuts for sale; you will just need to imagine the cracking because all the ones in the shells are gone. Bubbly beverages are essential, so she recommends Alchemy kombucha, and fermented beet and turnip pickles to nibble, as well as a simple cheese such as Toscano. Keep this course light.
ANTIPASTI - slightly heavier, and includes charcuterie and cheese; think Buschbeck's Summer Sausage alongside Monforte's Amos and Tomme, served with Fennel and Orange-Honey Focaccia or Country Sourdough by Robinson Bread.
PRIMI - the first course with hot food. This is the time to include Tish’s pasta with a simple meatless sauce (like this one we’ve shared before), a risotto made with mushrooms or wild leek greens and chicken broth (on special from Tapioca) or one of Magic Oven's very special Eggplant Lasagnas. Mmm, so many choices.
SECONDI - the protein part of the meal. Grilled Lamb or Roasted Harley Farms' Beef would be appropriate here. This course is accompanied by...
CONTORNI - the vegetable side dishes. Some options would be sauteed Summergreen mushrooms, Sosnicki carrots roasted in the pan with the meat, and small roast potatoes (parboil these, cool them and give them a shake in a colander to roughen the skin before roasting them). Remember to keep portions small; dinner isn't finished yet!
INSALATA comes next: fresh baby arugula and tender lettuce with a simple dressing of two parts olive oil to one part vinegar is so easy and refreshing! Try Marvellous Edibles Farm this week!
FORMAGGI E FRUTTA - After the table is cleared, fresh fruit and cheeses appear: Reyes Mutsu apples go wonderfully with Monforte soft or sharp cheeses.
DOLCE - Dessert can be anything your heart desires, from a Pavlova made with farm fresh eggs (great special from Nature’s Way) and warmed Blueberry Thyme Jam to a soothing ChocoSol Forest Garden Vanilla bar.
CAFFE & DIGESTIVO - Espresso or a digestive alcoholic drink, such as limoncello or grappa are usually served; you may want to have some tonics on hand after all this feasting!
Letitia does admit that everyday meals in her home were shorter, about 45 minutes to an hour, usually consisting of Secondi and Contorni, followed by Insalata then Dolce and Cafe. Occasionally, there would be a Primi course. She has promised to plan another menu in high summer, when the selection is huge.
The real point is to savour time spent at the table enjoying the company of others, and to appreciate the foods we eat. This is not a rehearsal! It's la bella vita!
Happy days from Anne & the Crew
P. S. We are seeking musicians to play on the Park Market's opening day (May 19th) and all season long! If you are happy playing unplugged and like to make people happy with your music, please send an email to [email protected]!
I was chatting with one of our packers, Julie Swanson, about the approaching end of an era, and how memorable it has been to work with such a fun and dedicated crew. Packing food into boxes just isn't an adequate description of what goes on inside our depot. Maybe that is because this kind of food connects us so strongly to the producers who bring it to us as well as to the customers who care about those producers. It has really been a big love-in despite the stress and mixups and challenges.
One of the unexpected strengths of the online market is that it is easy to welcome very small scale entrepreneurs to test the waters. One of those is Letitia Mancini of Tish's Dishes, who asked us to join with the tiny handmade pasta business she was developing. How tiny was this business? Well, when her Dad helped make Letitia a pasta drying tree, production tripled!
Letitia is wildly enthusiastic about Italian culinary traditions, and her enthusiasm is contagious.
That's all well and good, you may say, but at this point in the year, when Ontario storerooms are almost empty and the first spring green things are barely beginning to appear, the Mediterranean seems very far away!
After she sent a list of all the courses included in a full, formal Italian dinner, I asked Letitia if that sort of meal would be possible based on foods we have available at the market right now. She was more than up to the challenge; I couldn't take notes fast enough! You may not pull off the whole list of dishes, but I hope you will find ideas to try. Buon appetito!
Letitia says that formal Italian meals, which can last 2 ½ hours or more, follow this progression:
The first course is the APERITIVO - Letitia says her family always included walnuts in the shell, giving a nutcracker to each person in attendance and happily cracking around the table. We have lots of walnuts for sale; you will just need to imagine the cracking because all the ones in the shells are gone. Bubbly beverages are essential, so she recommends Alchemy kombucha, and fermented beet and turnip pickles to nibble, as well as a simple cheese such as Toscano. Keep this course light.
ANTIPASTI - slightly heavier, and includes charcuterie and cheese; think Buschbeck's Summer Sausage alongside Monforte's Amos and Tomme, served with Fennel and Orange-Honey Focaccia or Country Sourdough by Robinson Bread.
PRIMI - the first course with hot food. This is the time to include Tish’s pasta with a simple meatless sauce (like this one we’ve shared before), a risotto made with mushrooms or wild leek greens and chicken broth (on special from Tapioca) or one of Magic Oven's very special Eggplant Lasagnas. Mmm, so many choices.
SECONDI - the protein part of the meal. Grilled Lamb or Roasted Harley Farms' Beef would be appropriate here. This course is accompanied by...
CONTORNI - the vegetable side dishes. Some options would be sauteed Summergreen mushrooms, Sosnicki carrots roasted in the pan with the meat, and small roast potatoes (parboil these, cool them and give them a shake in a colander to roughen the skin before roasting them). Remember to keep portions small; dinner isn't finished yet!
INSALATA comes next: fresh baby arugula and tender lettuce with a simple dressing of two parts olive oil to one part vinegar is so easy and refreshing! Try Marvellous Edibles Farm this week!
FORMAGGI E FRUTTA - After the table is cleared, fresh fruit and cheeses appear: Reyes Mutsu apples go wonderfully with Monforte soft or sharp cheeses.
DOLCE - Dessert can be anything your heart desires, from a Pavlova made with farm fresh eggs (great special from Nature’s Way) and warmed Blueberry Thyme Jam to a soothing ChocoSol Forest Garden Vanilla bar.
CAFFE & DIGESTIVO - Espresso or a digestive alcoholic drink, such as limoncello or grappa are usually served; you may want to have some tonics on hand after all this feasting!
Letitia does admit that everyday meals in her home were shorter, about 45 minutes to an hour, usually consisting of Secondi and Contorni, followed by Insalata then Dolce and Cafe. Occasionally, there would be a Primi course. She has promised to plan another menu in high summer, when the selection is huge.
The real point is to savour time spent at the table enjoying the company of others, and to appreciate the foods we eat. This is not a rehearsal! It's la bella vita!
Happy days from Anne & the Crew
P. S. We are seeking musicians to play on the Park Market's opening day (May 19th) and all season long! If you are happy playing unplugged and like to make people happy with your music, please send an email to [email protected]!
https://www.dufferingrovemarket.ca/2022/04/10/a-truly-unbiased-review/
Hello Market Community,
Matt joining you this week. I’ve written here before about what’s beautiful and what’s strange at the market. The news this year has had a lot of updates from babies to branding to lambing to SEO to CEO’s and returning to the park. We’ve been covering every corner of what makes a farmers’ market community. But…have we missed the pets?
Say hello to my cat Teigel. Teigel means “little dough” and… well, look at him. He is very involved in the Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market, from product testing to developing market holiday bags.
Here is an wholly silly review of what’s hot and what’s not from the perspective of the Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market Felines:
10/10
Dryer Balls
Highly recommend. I kick ’em, scratch ‘em and just cover them in my hair so they smell like home.
All Sorts Acres
9/10
Felted Cat Toys
Pure wool rolling balls from All Sorts Acres. These are great backups for when I’ve already lost all the dryer balls under various pieces of furniture.
8/10
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Almost indistinguishable to me from the felted cat toys. My claws don’t pierce the skin so easily but I like the loud THUD they make when I just whip them across the room. I love batting these out of baskets, boxes, and bags, and leaving them under the couch for nighttime hunting.
Sosnicki Organics
10/10
Harley’s Raw Pet Food
What can I say? I feel seen, I feel heard, I feel catered to.
Harley Farms - Natural Farming
1/10
The Entire Vegan Section
Need I say more?
Paw cream
7/10
Paw Cream for Cats/Dogs
Dear Bees Universe: I do not appreciate being equated to a dog, but my silky soft toe beans speak for themselves. A quick rebranding would make this product a 10/10.
Bees Universe
10/10
It’s In The Bag
What’s in the bag you ask? Me. I am in the bag. I am in every bag I can find. I always need new bags to get all up in. It’s in the Bag has almost completely revamped my wardrobe.
10/10
Turbot Fillet
I could hunt turbot. If I lived on Baffin Island, Nunavut, I would go fishing every day and have nutrient-rich fish oils dripping down my chin while the lily white snow crunched under my toes. Unfortunately, I have been told that the fifth largest island in the world is actually quite inaccessible. I have also been told that snow is cold. I will stick with hunting these First Fish fillets off of the kitchen counter.
100/10
Kawartha Broom Co. Handmade Cat Toy
*jingle*…*jingle*…
*JINGLE* *JINGLE* *JINGLE* *JINGLE!!!*
Matt here again. Thank you all for indulging Teigel on his journey of critical expression.
It’s another wonderful week here at the market. We have Repair Café Toronto in house, as we do every second Thursday of the month. Their volunteers will be onsite during pickup hours, taking in your busted and broken items for repairs. They take all kinds of different fixables, from laptops to boat motors to jewellery. If your item doesn’t quite fit into their current skill set they will always let you know, no harm in asking!
Nature’s Way Certified Organics is back and bringing in mini sweet potatoes along with their favourites like eggs, popcorn, and sunflower oil.
This is THE week to get your fresh Harley Farms Turkey.
20lbs roast turkey
See you Thursday!
Matt, Teigel, and the Market Crew!
Hello Market Community,
Matt joining you this week. I’ve written here before about what’s beautiful and what’s strange at the market. The news this year has had a lot of updates from babies to branding to lambing to SEO to CEO’s and returning to the park. We’ve been covering every corner of what makes a farmers’ market community. But…have we missed the pets?
Say hello to my cat Teigel. Teigel means “little dough” and… well, look at him. He is very involved in the Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market, from product testing to developing market holiday bags.
Here is an wholly silly review of what’s hot and what’s not from the perspective of the Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market Felines:
10/10
Dryer Balls
Highly recommend. I kick ’em, scratch ‘em and just cover them in my hair so they smell like home.
All Sorts Acres
9/10
Felted Cat Toys
Pure wool rolling balls from All Sorts Acres. These are great backups for when I’ve already lost all the dryer balls under various pieces of furniture.
8/10
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Almost indistinguishable to me from the felted cat toys. My claws don’t pierce the skin so easily but I like the loud THUD they make when I just whip them across the room. I love batting these out of baskets, boxes, and bags, and leaving them under the couch for nighttime hunting.
Sosnicki Organics
10/10
Harley’s Raw Pet Food
What can I say? I feel seen, I feel heard, I feel catered to.
Harley Farms - Natural Farming
1/10
The Entire Vegan Section
Need I say more?
Paw cream
7/10
Paw Cream for Cats/Dogs
Dear Bees Universe: I do not appreciate being equated to a dog, but my silky soft toe beans speak for themselves. A quick rebranding would make this product a 10/10.
Bees Universe
10/10
It’s In The Bag
What’s in the bag you ask? Me. I am in the bag. I am in every bag I can find. I always need new bags to get all up in. It’s in the Bag has almost completely revamped my wardrobe.
10/10
Turbot Fillet
I could hunt turbot. If I lived on Baffin Island, Nunavut, I would go fishing every day and have nutrient-rich fish oils dripping down my chin while the lily white snow crunched under my toes. Unfortunately, I have been told that the fifth largest island in the world is actually quite inaccessible. I have also been told that snow is cold. I will stick with hunting these First Fish fillets off of the kitchen counter.
100/10
Kawartha Broom Co. Handmade Cat Toy
*jingle*…*jingle*…
*JINGLE* *JINGLE* *JINGLE* *JINGLE!!!*
Matt here again. Thank you all for indulging Teigel on his journey of critical expression.
It’s another wonderful week here at the market. We have Repair Café Toronto in house, as we do every second Thursday of the month. Their volunteers will be onsite during pickup hours, taking in your busted and broken items for repairs. They take all kinds of different fixables, from laptops to boat motors to jewellery. If your item doesn’t quite fit into their current skill set they will always let you know, no harm in asking!
Nature’s Way Certified Organics is back and bringing in mini sweet potatoes along with their favourites like eggs, popcorn, and sunflower oil.
This is THE week to get your fresh Harley Farms Turkey.
20lbs roast turkey
See you Thursday!
Matt, Teigel, and the Market Crew!