Market Hours Adjusted to Accommodate the Holiday
Christmas at the Market with Local Vendors – Photo by: Jason Freeze
By: Yvonne Van De Wiele-Cooper
yvonne@roundtablepr.com
roundtablepr.com
Brantford Farmers Market patrons will be able to shop up to and including the day before Christmas this year, despite the fact that the big day falls on a Friday.
“We’re opening as if the hours were the Friday and Saturday,” said manager Bruce Jacobson. But instead of being open on Friday and Saturday, the market will be open Wednesday, December 23rd from 9 a.m. till 2 p.m. and on Thursday, December 24th from 7 a.m. till 2p.m.
They’ll of course be closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The market will also be closed New Year’s Day as well as Saturday January 2nd.
However, Jacobson urges shoppers not to wait till the last day to order items like Christmas turkeys, hams and other foods from their favourite vendors, to avoid disappointment.
He says market customers have adjusted to Covid-19 restrictions, by managing to find the time that’s best for them to visit. “So we aren’t really having long line-ups anymore,” he said.
Christmas at the market is always busier and Jacobson believes that will be the case this year, even with people not being able to hold large parties. “I think families are still going to do a bit of getting together,” he said.
Oddfellow Coffee Roasters
Oddfellow Coffee Roasters at the Market – Photo by: Jason Freeze
The market is always a treasure trove of gift ideas. And Ryan Wlodarek says coffee makes a great gift anytime.
The owner/operator of Oddfellow Coffee Roasters has been in the Brantford Farmers Market for about 18 months. The specialty coffee he sells is grown on small lots, it’s traceable and a direct focus is placed on female coffee farmers of the world.
The coffee he purchases is based out of Brazil, Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador. “Some of the best coffee in the world is grown in these places and my wholesaler that gets my bulk coffee, has a direct link to each of these farms. It’s sourced ethically and very traceable,” he says.
Wlodarek roasts the beans to the degree he feels brings out the true flavour and nuances that every coffee bean has.
He points out coffee is a fruit. “So inherently you’re going to find fruitiness, sweetness, caramel, you name it. It runs the gamut of flavours, but I choose the coffees from places in the world that I know people will enjoy,” he said.
He also delivers fresh roasted coffee anywhere in Brantford, Brant County.
Townsend Butchers Inc.
Townsend Butchers Inc. at the Market – Photo by: Jason Freeze
Townsend Butchers Inc. was established by the Miedma family in 1972, but they’re newcomers to the Brantford Farmers’ Market.
They’re a full service butcher shop that processes all of their own products including, smoking the meats and they will even handle wild game that customers bring in. They’ve taken home platinum and gold medals from the Ontario Meat and Poultry awards and are on Team Canada, helping to promote the trade to people under 30.
Butcher, Doug Easterbrook, says amoung the Christmas fare they offer are; gourmet cuts, fresh “never frozen” turkeys and deli platters of specialty meats paired with a selection Jensen Cheeses. And Easterbrook says their award winning bacon is a big seller at Christmas time.
Catering by Chris
Catering by Chris is another newcomer to the Brantford Farmers Market.
Catering by Chris at the Market – Photo by: Jason Freeze
They offer ready-made meals right from their market stall including; pierogis, macaroni and cheese, shepherd’s pie, beef pies, quiches and other “grab and go” fare to take home and heat up.
Chef Chris Hill says they also offered freshly made cannoli, filled on the spot, supplied by his wife’s business “Pies and Tarts from the Heart” which is conveniently right next to Catering by Chris. There’s even gluten free cannoli available and delectable cannoli cream pie.
Catering by Chris handles everything from family dinners to weddings of anywhere from 200 to 1000 people, but for now, they’re sticking to Covid-19 restrictions. And if you don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen cooking for your guests, they also offer personal chef service. “I come into your kitchen we cook your dinner there while you guys sit in the dining room and enjoy,” he said.
Catering by Chris also offers a meal planning service, including meals for a week, dropped off in a box ready to put in the oven.
And if cooking Christmas dinner is too daunting, they’ll put an entire family Christmas meal together for you. Christmas party platters, fruit and veggie platters, cannoli platters consisting of cannoli shells on a tray with the filling of your choice in the middle, are also hot items for Christmas.
There are seven mouthwatering cannoli filling flavours to choose from and four new ones are being perfected in the test kitchen.
Shopping for the Holidays at the Market – Photo by: Jason Freeze
So if you’re looking for some great, local foods and gifts, make sure to stop by at the Brantford Farmers Market before the Holidays.
Brantford Farmers Market holiday hours:
Wednesday December 23rd 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Open
Thursday December 24th 7a.m. to 2 p.m. – Open
Friday December 25th Christmas Day – Closed
Saturday December 26th-Boxing Day – Closed
Friday January 1st New Year’s Day – Closed
Saturday January 2nd – Closed
For more information on the Brantford Farmers Market, checkout the website at http://brantfordfarmersmarket.ca, or follow them on Facebook. The link for facebook is: https://www.facebook.com/brantfordfarmersmarket
