“We felt disconnected from the outdoors before”: What St. Lawrence Market North vendors think of their new home
And what locally made and grown goods they’re selling
On April 5, after nearly 10 years of anticipation, the permanent home for the St. Lawrence Farmers’ Market (known officially as St. Lawrence Market North) finally opened its huge glass doors. The five-storey atrium houses a huge variety of vendors—most of whom have been part of the market for years—peddling free-range eggs, Ontario-grown produce, homemade pastries, the finest of cheeses and even locally brewed beer.
Here’s a sneak peek at what visitors can buy—and what the vendors think of their new home.
Oodles of Strudel
Catherine Rosetti has been whipping up strudels, pies and tarts using Peterborough-grown spelt and local, seasonal fruit like blueberries, cherries, peaches, strawberries and apples for the past 24 years. New additions to her roster of treats include soft German pretzels, a variety of loaves and stellar cherry cheese danishes.
Thoughts on the new digs: “I love it! The space is more bustling than ever, but the vibe still feels the same as it always did. There are a lot of new faces, plus our regulars have returned. It feels great.”
GoodLot Farm and Farmstead Brewing Co.
Phil Winters of GoodLot Farm grows his own organic hops and brews his terroir-focused beer in a completely solar-powered, clean-energy facility in Caledon. The standout is the Tree Hug Sap Ale, which is sweetened entirely from the sap of maple trees in the Terra Cotta Conservation Area. All proceeds from the sales of that particular beer are donated to the Credit Valley Conservation Foundation.
Thoughts on the new digs: “This is only our third season here, but the buzz since we’ve been here has been all about when this space was going to open up. Now that it has, I’m in love with the light and can’t wait for them to add some colour and art to spruce things up. When they do—and when they keep the doors open on nice days, so we’re connected with the outdoors—it’s going to be a world-class shopping experience.”
Kind Organics
Sandra Green, a specialist in nutrition, began Kind Organics in 2009 with a focus on microgreens and baby greens. “My husband was having panic attacks, so I wanted to fill him with as many superfoods as possible,” she says. “And that’s where the business started.” Green bought a farm in King City and has since expanded her offerings to include a variety of salad greens like kale and arugula, edible flowers, and any vegetable that Canadian soil can support.
Thoughts on the new digs: “I love the new space. It’s incredibly beautiful, and I think the way it mirrors the other building is so smart from an architectural standpoint. We used to come into the market when it was dark and wouldn’t see the light of day until it closed at 3 p.m. Now we feel like we’re outside from the moment we arrive, and we feel integrated in the community. What could be better than that?”
Ubuntu Community Collective
Judith Prince (above) and Jesse Njau each own plots of land at Downsview Park. They joined together to form Ubuntu Community Collective, an urban regenerative organic farm that specializes in produce, especially herbs, available at the market or by subscription.
Thoughts on the new digs: “I love this space because of the orientation of the vendors and its expansiveness. There’s more room for people to gather and talk and explore. That’s what I believe food is all about: community, conversation and curiosity.”
Tanjo Family Farm
Tanjo owner John Gerber is a lifelong farmer who has been selling his wares at St. Lawrence Market since 2012. His Millbank farm specializes in pork and game poultry (pheasant, partridge, quail, pigeon) but also sells local beef and chicken.
Thoughts on the new digs: “This space is fantastic. We’ve been 25 per cent busier since it opened. I now have to work with other farmers to support the demand, so everybody in our community benefits.”
Secret Lands Farm
Located in Owen Sound, Secret Lands Farm is a sustainable, pesticide-free sheep farm that has specialized in high-quality, small-batch dairy—specifically yogurt and cheese—since 2013. The hormone-free product line is developed by Renat and Sophie Burov and their son, Alex. The family moved from Russia to Toronto in 2007. “We noticed there was a dearth of good dairy in Toronto, especially of the sheep variety, so we decided to do it ourselves,” says Alex. The family’s techniques combine modern technology with European recipes and traditions.
Thoughts on the new digs: “We’ve been here since 2017, and the new space is wonderful. Way more people know about it, and we are already seeing huge profit growth.”
Sunrise Egg Farm
Chicken farmer Clemson Martin has been providing farm-fresh eggs to the market’s customers for 16 years. His farm in Wallenstein has 3,500 chickens who work hard to keep up with demand.
Thoughts on the new digs: “This space is a big improvement. I’m very pumped about it.”
Chocosol
Chocosol, represented here by team member Lucas Schuck, offers fairly traded, ecologically grown Oaxacan dark chocolate with locally farmed ingredients like amaranth, cherries and pumpkin seeds.
Thoughts on the new digs: “I love the open air and brightness of the building—it gives me more energy to be on my feet selling all day. I need it because the foot traffic from Front Street makes us that much busier.”
W and T Mushroom
W and T Mushroom has been peddling fungi from a family-run Eramosa farm at the market for over 27 years under the tutelage of Polish-born Margaret Jaroszewski and her husband. Their children have since taken over, and the varieties have grown from cremini, portobello and button to include more chef-y types like oyster, maitake and lion’s mane.
Thoughts on the new digs: “I’m retired, but I like to come watch my family work and enjoy the energy and how busy it is.”
Breedon’s Maple Syrup
Kent Breedon’s Alliston maple tree farm is currently home to 13,000 trees and has been in the syrup business for over 30 years. His stall sells a variety of maple grades and other maple confections.
Thoughts on the new digs: “It’s a beautiful building, and it’s great to feel excitement among the vendors. It feels like starting fresh.”
Sheldon Creek Dairy
The 70 cows on the Den Haan family’s Sheldon Valley farm, represented here by team member Katerina Gounalakis, do their part to make the whole milk, labneh, kefir, yogurt and cheese that’s up for sale.
Thoughts on the new digs: “I love it. It’s light and bright and airy, and I can’t wait for the summer, when all the doors stay open. We will have to get more of the small milks for all of the thirsty tourists!”
Cedar Creek Farm
Since 1895, generations of Bob Taylor’s family have been selling heritage-variety produce (potatoes, tomatoes, rhubarb) from their Rockwood farm. Now that Bob’s son, Harlan, has taken over, plants and flowers from local field growers have been added to the roster of goods.
Thoughts on the new digs: “We felt disconnected from the outdoors before. Now that the doors are open and the windows bring in sunlight when it’s too cold to be outside, we are very happy.”
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Erin Hershberg is a freelance writer with nearly two decades of experience in the lifestyle sector. She currently lives in downtown Toronto with her husband and two children.
