This O is for You
If you like organic produce, this post is for you. Now, if you like your organics to also be local, well then – this post is really for you! This is Jeff Pastorius. Jeff is super passionate about getting organic foods to us – the people. What is even better is that Jeff believes in the local food movement. He tries very hard to source his food locally before he goes anywhere else. This means that Jeff actually goes around in this funky bus/truck to all kinds of organic farms that surround London and picks up the food and brings it to the market. This is a great thing for the farmers that would otherwise not have their product make it to a London Market and it is an even greater thing for the consumer, because we know local organic is hard to find. Jeff also delivers organic produce through the week by bicycle – did I tell you he is passionate about food? Well, you would have to be, to be lugging it all around town on a bicycle. If you are interested in ordering one of the food boxes instead of visiting the market – please visit the On The Move Organics website at http://onthemoveorganics.ca/ You may have bought some things from Jeff in the past and if you have, you will know that he is super friendly, chatty and likes to take the time to tell you about the farm that the food came from – he is really knowledgeable. What you may not know is that On The Move Organics has been setting up a stall at the Arva Flour Mill on Saturdays for the past month or so – weather permitting. The Arva Flour Mill is an amazing place, a historic flour mill that still operates – as long as we all go there and spend our money. Vote with your food dollars people! The Arva Flour Mill is a gem just north of the city (in Arva), that I beg you all to go and visit. There are ducks wandering around the lawn and all kinds of other products in the store besides flour. Besides running a produce stand at the mill, the rest of the time you can find Jeff and possibly his sister helping out at the Friday North London Market. He is also at the Western Fair Market. If you choose to visit the Arva Flour Mill (and I hope you do!) and would like to know if Jeff will be there that weekend,kindly just email him. His email and contact info can be found on his website. Read More
Spinach: The Green Good Stuff
Ahhhh spinach. Maybe you love it, or perhaps you hate it. One thing is for sure, wherever you sit on the “feeling scale” on this leafy vegetable, you certainly cannot deny that it”s just plain good for you! Some spinach facts: Spinach is a flowering plant from the Amaranthaceae family. It does not like hot weather, which is why you are seeing it at the market right now, due to the fact that it is at it”s most happy point of the season right about now, with the nice cool weather. Spinach also boasts super antioxidant powers. Actually, I wrote about spinach and all of its other super vitamin powers in a post around this time last year here that you can check out if you are interested in knowing more. Oh! One more little known fact about Popeye”s favourite snack is that its Vitamin A content prevents night blindness. Yup! Go on and get your possum goggles on and eat your spinach for helping to see better in the dark. Spinach is available at the Covent Garden Market, Trails End, North London Friday Market and the Western Fair Market. Of course, you can pick up spinach at the supermarket but its from the U. S of A. so go on and get some fresh Ontario green stuff while the growing is good. Spinach in above photo is from On the Move Organics. Yum! Read More
New North London Market
It has been a very busy 2 weeks. I forgot how Spring jolts us out of our winter cocoon and shakes us all awake. I have been camping, fishing, canoeing, exploring and of course fitting my work weeks into somewhere there as well. This weekend was spent almost fully in the garden, sorting things out. In fact, after I post this I plan on getting right back out there! I have been surveying my cucumber plants that I planted just before the long weekend and they look like they may have to be sacrificed . As you all know we got some mighty chilly weather over the May long weekend. It is doubly sad when you grow something from seed and then have to pull it all out, but we”ll see. My tomato plants should be okay because I planted them this week, and it has been nothing but sunny and warm – fingers crossed! Last Friday was the opening of the North London Market and I missed it because I headed up North for a little camping. This week I made sure to get there this Friday at lunch hour. I took Sean and two other friends from work with me to check it out. The market is open from 8 am – 1 pm. I apologize for the less than desirable picture, but I only had my camera phone on me. My intention was to show you just how big the market is, it was much bigger (more vendors) than I imagined it would be. First off, as you may be a dedicated local food eater – and I assume this because you are reading this blog –  I would like to say that this Market is not a Farmers Market in my opinion – and that is all a matter of my opinion. You see, there are many (many!) vendors that are selling very unlocal vegetables and fruits that they just did not produce themselves. I once again,saw the Foodland Ontario signs being used on food that was DEFINITELY not from Ontario. As long as you know this ahead of time and are aware of it,I am sure you will still enjoy it. I guess what I am saying is make sure you have your locavore thinking cap on as you head into the Market and you will do just fine. On to the good food stuff! One of the great vendors I found at the Market was Bayfield Berry Farm. As the obvious title of the farm suggests, they are from Bayfield. They were there selling freshly baked breads, pies, tarts and squares. They also had tons of really interesting looking preserves. For instance I spied some pumpkin jam! This vendor was a hit for me, so I purchased some rye bread, a raspberry pie and two meat pies that I will post about later – delish! The person who grows the Ontario Kettle Corn was there selling local popcorn, which was a big hit with one of my friends that joined me on this “Lunch Market Run”. There was also someone there selling a Garlic spread product called the “Incredible Edible Spread ”Em”, which we had to buy because Sean insisted! I asked her if she grew the garlic for it and she assured me that yes, the garlic was grown in Ontario. It is a margarine type thing, and I am a pure butter type of girl, so you know, enough said. There were a few different flower merchants there selling beautiful flowers for your garden and I am happy to report that City Garden Project was there selling Heirloom Tomato seedlings. The awesome Jeff Pastorius was there with his booth On the Move Organics. I bought rhubarb from Jeff as well as some spinach, tarragon and oregano. He also had some local organic asparagus that he was bringing in from the Tillsonberg area. I have blogged about Jeff before, but the cool thing about Jeff is he likes to tell you exactly where the Organic Food he sells is coming from. For instance he tells you the farmers name, where the farm is located and the conditions it is grown under if possible. Jeff – if you are reading this – the asparagus was awesome! There are many other great vendors at the new North London Market. Whether they are selling local products or not, everyone was very friendly and the atmosphere there is oozing with goodness. I feel very lucky that someone has decided to make-a- go of this market because we did not have anything like this before in the north end. Time will tell how busy it will be, but the day that I visited it was flush with people. It was great to find some new products and well as see some old friends! North London Market Located at the Southeast corner of Fanshawe and Richmond intersection (behind Hakim Optical & Nash jewellers) Open Fridays 8am –  1 pm Read More
On The Move Organics
This morning I ventured out to the Western Fair Farmers Market to see what kind of local foods I could find. Keep in mind that it is January (how could we forget?) and we are in Canada… but I still found some really great stuff! Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I would like to mention one thing before I continue – and that is that you really have to be a smart locavore when you shop at this market. Be warned, I actually saw a vendor that was using Foodland Ontario signs for pricing their vegetables even though all of their “packages” were marked from California, not good! Just be wise, young ones. :,,) And now, to the really good part! A very exciting locavore find (and organic to boot!), is Jeff Pastorius” business called On The Move Organics. On The Move Organics is many things. First, they offer 100% organic produce, yum! Second, approximately 80% of the produce that Jeff sources is from small, independent organic farms all within a half hour drive of London Ontario. Lastly, they offer a Box Program. Wondering what a “box program” is? Basically, for around $30 a week you have a box delivered to your door that contains 10 – 15 fresh food items. I tried one of these box programs (not with Jeff), about 4 years ago and it was super fun. You get all kinds of foods in the box that you may not usually try on your own and it is a great way to incorporate more veggies into your weekly diet, while at the same time supporting a local business – and in the height of our growing season, support local farmers. I purchased some really good looking sunflower shoots, beets and parsnips. Oh! and they even have the delicious yet elusive Ontario Grown Garlic! No, I am not being crazy – just take a look at the supermarket garlic the next time you are shopping – I”ll bet you at least a fiver that it is from China! Something that is also super special and is available through Jeff is NuSun Sunflower Oil. It is locally grown and bottled just north of Stratford, in Mitchell Ontario. That”s right, you can lower your cholesterol and support a local farmer all in one tablespoon! On The Move Organics is conveniently located at the Farmers Market at the Western Fairgrounds (free parking and open till 3 pm every Saturday!). Also check out their website or give them a call and set up your box today! Read More
