Sleeping in on Saturday mornings is out of the question for those who flock to farmers’ markets every weekend.
Orillia Farmers’ Market interim manager Diana Smith says the downtown market is going “so far, so good” this summer with about 35 vendors each week.
“We can’t complain,” she said.
In season now at the market are corn, cherries, late-season strawberries, and plums, and peaches are on the way.
Smith says the popularity of the market isn’t growing but rather staying steady.
“When I compare last year with this year, it’s pretty similar,” she said.
Last weekend, the Orillia Farmers’ Market hosted a Friday Night Market for the second time this summer. She hopes it will create more awareness about the Saturday-morning market.
“It’s a very different crowd of people from the one that attends on Saturdays,” she said. “The turnout is about the same, but it’s a younger crowd who comes from dining during the See You on the Patio program.”
About 20 vendors will return for the next Friday Night Market on Aug. 18 from 6 to 9 p.m.
“A lot of the vendors aren’t our regular vendors,” Smith explained. “It’s nice to have a fresh batch of vendors for the night market.”
The only factor dampening spirits at the downtown market this year is the number of rainy Saturday mornings.
“When there is rain in the forecast, some of the vendors can’t show,” Smith said. “It does affect the attendance.”
Bob Pirivatric, of JBR Farms, sells fresh produce at the market each week. He says it has been “awesome” for him this year.
“This time of the year, people are on summer holidays and tend to want to come out,” he said. “We seem to do all right here.”
He says some of the other markets his farm used to attend felt commercialized, while the Orillia Farmers’ Market has a hometown feel.
“All of the vendors know each other. Everybody gets along. It’s more like a family,” he said.
Carley McCutcheon, of McCutcheon’s Maple Syrup, says it has “surprisingly” been a good year for her as a vendor.
“It’s not as thriving of a market as it used to be,” she said. “Luckily, we haven’t suffered too much, and things are going pretty good.”
She says there aren’t many farmers left who bring fresh produce to the market each week, but she hopes to see it gain momentum.
“It has such deep roots,” she said. “It feels important to downtown to have a thriving farmers’ market, and we want to play a role in that.”
Smith says the market needs more volunteers.
“With more volunteers, we can do more activities,” she said. “Right now, we are limited to what we can do with the amount of people that we have.”
Those who want to volunteer can email Smith at [email protected].
The market heads inside the Orillia Public Library on Oct. 14.
At ODAS Park, the Orillia Fairgrounds Farmers’ Market is having a “wonderful” season, says market manager Sophia Siachos, with more than 50 vendors each week.
“It’s incredible,” she said. “Our market is probably the biggest that it has been for a very long time.”
For those who haven’t been to the market this season, now is the best time to go, she says.
“This is when the majority of farmers are around,” she said. “All of their crops are pretty much fully established.”
Selling fast at the Orillia Fairgrounds Farmers’ Market lately have been fresh fruit and seasonal vegetables.
The popularity of the market has taken off in recent years and it continues to grow. Siachos estimates 300 to 400 people attend each week.
Like the downtown market, weather has been working against the ODAS Park market this summer.
“It seems like there has been rain in the forecast every Saturday morning,” Siachos said. “Sometimes that can scare people away.”
Jim Jones, owner of Big Ass Garlic, has been selling garlic and garlic products at the Orillia Fairgrounds Farmers’ Market since 2019. He says it’s been a record year at the market.
“It is growing,” he said. “Our sales have stayed consistent or have gone up by 10 or 20 per cent each year.”
He is “tremendously pleased” with the progress the market seems to be making each year, and says it has a different atmosphere from other markets.
“The customers are first class and friendly,” he said. “The other vendors, unlike at other markets, are like our family. At six o’clock on a rainy Saturday morning, when it’s cold and the wind is blowing, you want to go there to be with your family.”
Jim Clay, of Pivot Coffee, is in his first year of selling freshly roasted coffee, coffee pods, and coffee by the cup at the Orillia Fairgrounds Farmers’ Market. He says it’s been an “excellent” experience.
“The management team is fantastic, the vendors are awesome, and the customers are extremely friendly,” he said.
The market has helped to grow his business beyond his expectations.
“I notice there is a regular clientele that comes to the market each week,” he said. “They are coming from all over. Some of them are even coming from Bracebridge because they say the produce is better in Orillia.”
The Orillia Fairgrounds Farmers’ Market heads indoors at ODAS Park in mid-November.
