Farmers market season is upon us: A breakdown of what’s happening where and when

The farmers’ market season is knocking at the door. Soon, locally made preserves, home grown vegetables and meats, and a wide assortment of other trinkets and crafts will be reliably available at various locations around the Pontiac, every week. Here is a guide to what each market has in store for this yea

The Chapeau farmers’ market
The Chapeau Agricultural Society is a month out from launching its fourth season of hosting its farmers’ market in Chapeau.
This year, like others, the market will be open every Thursday, starting June 8, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
But unlike other years, where vendors have been vulnerable to the whims of unpredictable weather conditions like thunderstorms and wildfire smoke, this year they will be sheltered in the new indoor market venue that is set to open in June.
The new building, a longtime dream of the agricultural society, is located on Chapeau’s Pembroke street next to the Harrington Community Hall.
Market coordinator Natalie Thompson said while the society is planning for a grand opening on June 8, this may be pushed by last minute construction delays.
Regardless of when the building opens, the first market will go ahead on the eighth.
Thompson said a group of 10-15 vendors will offer a range of products, including gardening products, soap, vegetables, baked goods, and fresh cut flowers.
The board of the agricultural society is hoping to keep the market building open Wednesdays through Saturdays to a group of permanent vendors, and will be open to additional, non-permanent vendors on Thursdays for the farmers market.
“All of this is obviously year one, so we’ll have some challenges and some victories,” Thompson said. “We’ll learn a lot along the way, so we’re very excited.”

The Pontiac Farmers’ Market
In Clarendon, Ron Hodgins will host another year of the Pontiac Farmers’ Market on his farm, R&R Farms.
“It is the only farmers’ market that I know of that’s actually on a farm,” Hodgins said. “People come and see the chickens and peacocks. There’s usually cows around. Sometimes the horses are up.”
The market will open this Saturday, May 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and run every Saturday until Thanksgiving weekend.
This will be the fourth year Hodgins is hosting the market at his farm, but the twentieth year the market, previously hosted at the Shawville fair grounds, is in operation,
Hodgins grows a variety of vegetables he sells at the market. Also for sale will be baked goods and coffee from Café 349, haskap berry jam and greeting cards from Glen Hartle, along with jams and jellies, knitwear and crafts from other vendors.

Shawville Farmers’ Market
Two years after the Pontiac Farmers’ Market moved its home to Hodgins’ farm, William Bastien and his mother Cathy Bastien opened a new market at the fair grounds – the Shawville Farmers’ Market.
“We started it because we had heard from a lot of the elderly population in Shawville, and even some of the non-elderly, that there wasn’t a market that was walkable to get to,” William said.
“Our only rule [for our vendors] is you have to be nice and you have to be selling something.”
This year the market will open May 18, and run every Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., until Oct. 12, staying open one hour longer each Saturday than in previous years.
William said about 10 vendors are registered this year, which is more than last year, and that market stalls will sell pork and yak meat, some vegetables, maple syrup and honey, and some fibre arts, among other goods.
Bastien figures the increase in vendors is in part because of the low cost the market charges them – only $20 for the season.
While it’s not confirmed yet, William said they are looking into moving the market to the Mill Dam park on Saturday mornings, with the hopes of picking up some of the traffic from nearby Highway 148.
This year, the market will also host some specialty themed days to draw vendors who might not otherwise think they belong at a market.
The days are Community Yard Sale Day on June 15, Christmas in July on July 13, Young Vendor Day on Aug. 3, a Mom to Mom sale on Aug. 24, Harvest Day on Sept. 14, and a Fall Fling on Oct. 5.
“As with any other market day we welcome any vendors who are wishing to attend,” Cathy Bastien wrote in an email to THE EQUITY. “Whether one Saturday or every Saturday, everyone who has something to sell is welcome.”

Marché Bristol Market
Marché Bristol Market happens every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the shores of the Ottawa River at the beach in Norway Bay.
It typically runs from late May until the end of August, but this year it’s extending its season by an entire month, until Sept. 28.
“It’s thanks to one of the vendors who is a farmer and who wants to sell her harvest, which is only ready at the end of August,” said Becky Cerrelli, one of five volunteers that run Marché Bristol Market.
The market will host a pop up market on May 18 at Coronation Hall, and the grand season opening of the full market will be on May 25.
“I think we just wanted to get people excited about the market and have a little preview to what it’s going to be like,” Cerrelli said.
“It’s not a farmers’ market per se, it’s an artisanal market, so everyone is welcome,” she said. “We have mostly artisanal vendors, so a lot of handmade things.”
The market, a non-profit organization, hosts a variety of community events beyond their regular market days, including fundraisers, a Ladies’ Night, and a kids day in June.
“Hence the vendor’s fee, because we use it towards advertising for community events that we host,” Cerrelli said.

by Sophie Kuijper Dickson
Pontiac
May 5, 2024