The Market Blog

Story by Marshall Ward; photography by Sara Geidlinger

Souvenirs of Tibet offers a variety of free-trade items from Tibet, including yoga apparel, meditation items, costume jewelry, and hand-knitted yak wool blankets.

Established at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market in 2019, owner Deki D’Andrade says the vision behind her shop is “to promote and bring awareness to the beauty and cultural lifestyle of Tibet.”

D’Andrade is one of five inspiring women entrepreneurs that the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market is recognizing through March in celebration of Women’s History Month.

At Souvenirs of Tibet, visitors will find a variety of costume jewelry, including earrings, necklaces, and rings made with strikingly beautiful coral stones. Many of the pieces are inspired by the Buddhist traditions of the Himalayan nation. 

“Tibetan Buddhism is symbolically interwoven in Tibet’s art, literature, music, and social customs,” explains D’Andrade. “The way Tibetans live and conduct life is based in a deep sense of spirituality. Traditional clothing is influenced by these religious principles. The Tibetan concept of wearing jewelry is not meant for embellishment but for spiritual means.” 

Visitors to Souvenirs of Tibet will also find meditation items like Tibetan daggers (phurba), hand bells (Dril-bu), cymbals (tingsha), thunderbolts (Dorje), and singing bowls.

D’Andrade says each item holds individual purpose and symbolism when monks conduct meditative prayers and rituals.

Located in the Market Tent, Souvenirs of Tibet is hard to miss, given its gorgeous display of hand-knit yak wool blankets. 

“These yak wool blankets are exceptionally versatile, especially during the fall and winter months,” she says. “They can be used as a shawl or scarf during the day and as a bed or sofa blanket during the night. Yak wool is beneficial as it is a lighter type of wool that provides a great deal of warmth and breathability.”

D’Andrade is “deeply grateful and appreciative for the opportunity to provide Tibetan representation” at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market.

“I absolutely love being a part of this culturally diverse community,” she says of the market atmosphere. “Once you set foot through those doors, you easily feel the warm friendly vibes of all those around. It’s exciting to experience people visiting my booth and curiously asking questions about my homeland.”

Story by Marshall Ward; photography by Sara Geidlinger

Cathy’s Kombucha is a small-batch kombucha brewery, making handcrafted, naturally carbonated beverages using an ancient recipe.

“We are known for our high-quality ingredients and traditional brew methods that are held to very high standards,” says Cathy Kelly, owner of Cathy’s Kombucha, located in Oakville.

Kelly is one of the women entrepreneurs to be showcased by the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market through March in celebration of Women’s History Month.  Located in the main market building, Cathy’s Kombucha has earned a loyal following since they opened at the market eight years ago.

“We often hear people tell us it is the best kombucha they have ever had, which we strongly believe is due to our brew process,” she says. “We never dilute it, we never add artificial flavouring, and we only ferment in small glass jars to ensure there’s never a metal or harsh aftertaste.”

Kombucha is fermented tea, she explains: “We use a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), which is the living culture that some people refer to as the ‘mother’ culture, organic tea leaves and pure cane sugar to ferment a brew that is both delicious and beneficial for health.” Kelly says fermented foods are excellent for gut health, helping aid digestion and fill the body with probiotics. These benefits include reducing bloating, inflammation, and sugar cravings, while also boosting energy.

Cathy’s Kombucha comes in a variety of sparkly and tangy flavours, like ginger peach, mango, raspberry, lemon ginger, and Vinnie’s Choice, made with mixed berries.

“Vinnie’s Choice has been our best-seller since we started,” says Kelly. “It is named after my father, Vince, who suffered from bladder cancer. He was the sole reason I began to brew kombucha and this was his favourite flavour.”

Kelly says she is grateful for the lasting relationships she has made over the years at the St. Jacobs Farmer’s Market. “It’s wonderful to meet many new people and hear their stories,” she says. “It’s also great to be alongside other family-run vendors that we have known for years, as it creates an amazing sense of community.”

Story by Marshall Ward; photography by Sara Geidlinger

Jeweled By Jules offers beautiful, handcrafted jewelry at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market. 

Owner Julie Brown learned the basics of jewelry-making from her daughter-in-law, and was inspired to create Jeweled By Jules after retiring from a 30-year career as a hairdresser.

Brown is one of the women entrepreneurs that the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market is showcasing in celebration of Women’s History Month through March. 

“Early on I realized turquoise was the colour that best suited copper, as it naturally oxidizes to that colour,” she says. “I use many methods to achieve that colour from alcohol ink on the copper to real turquoise semi-precious stones.”

She also works with bonsai trees embedded among semi-precious stones like amethyst, rose quartz, and black obsidian. 

“The process is kind of exciting, starting with stranded copper wire and ending up with a beautiful bonsai tree. They continue to be a favourite, and sometimes I make them during market hours and people stop and watch.”

Brown says Peddler’s Village is the ideal place to showcase her jewelry, and that she is grateful for every customer who stops by to browse and chat.

“Peddler’s Village has a little bit of everything, and the vibe on a Saturday market day is like none other, from the food and the energy of shoppers to the vendors getting their booths ready for what they hope will be a busy day.  It’s kind of addictive, and it gets in your blood.” 

Story by Marshall Ward; photography by Sara Geidlinger

Story by Marshall Ward; photography by Sara Geidlinger

Tiny Tassel Thrift specializes in carefully curated and pre-loved home décor.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market is recognizing five inspiring women vendors through the month of March.