Written By Jan Sims
KOMOKA - The Komoka Community Market is once again open for business. The popular open-air market opened for the season outside the Komoka Wellness Centre on Saturday May 18th.
Rhubarb, asparagus, greenhouse items, “indoor” items such as mushrooms, greens and microgreens, and foraged items are the first fresh products that will be available. “The mild temperatures may also allow for a few early surprises from our fruit and vegetable producers,” enthuses Market organiser Amy Watt.
Approximately 1,000 people flock to the Market on Saturdays during the season, which runs from the Victoria Day weekend until the Thanksgiving weekend. “There are many reasons why the market has been such a success. Firstly, it remains important that we have stuck to the mission with which we started: to grow and strengthen community and small local economy. We wanted to create a space where genuine producers would not be competing with vendors who were solely resellers, and a space
where vendors could tell a customer exactly where each product was grown/made,” says Watt.
So far, there are upwards of 65 vendors per market day, including new vendors. “We have also made some new partnerships with community businesses that allow us to hold special events and to welcome young entrepreneurs and charities for free. We have a number of new events this year, such as a pie baking contest, a community art project, a colouring contest, and more,” says Watt.
The Market strives to maintain a variety of vendors, with quality and freshness being cornerstones. “We aim to have a healthy number of vendors in a wide variety of categories; enough to add variety and competition, but few enough that all vendors are successful,” says Watt. There are also organic options available. “This season, we have an amazing new organic grower with a wide variety of products. We have a new breakfast food vendor, and some creative new agricultural products that farmers and foragers have developed, including fruit, leathers, vinegars, ciders, wines and liqueurs; herbal and medicinal products; and a kombucha made with home-grown ingredients,” adds Watt.
The Market is open Saturday mornings during the season from 9 a.m. until noon.
