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Canada’s Largest Farmers’ Market

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The Market Blog

Women’s Month Vendor Feature: Learn the Beauty of the Tibetan Lifestyle with Souvenirs of Tibet

Published:  March 30, 2022 Filed Under:  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.”

Women’s Month Vendor Feature: Discover the Benefits of Kombucha with Cathy’s Kombucha

Published:  March 23, 2022 Filed Under:  The Market Blog

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.”

Women’s Month Vendor Feature: Find Beautiful Handcrafted Jewelry at Jeweled by Jules

Published:  March 17, 2022 Filed Under:  The Market Blog

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. 

“I needed to find a niche to stand out,” she recalls, “so I pulled out a copper ring that I picked up on a trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico. I loved that ring from the day I bought it and thought, ‘I can do that!’”

Jeweled By Jules was at the outdoor market for three years before moving inside Peddler’s Village in the fall of 2020.

“I have come a long way from the first designs I made,” she recalls. “Between trial and error, and a few tips from people that actually knew what they were doing, I have mastered skills I never thought possible.”

Striking colours decorate Brown’s welcoming shop, filled with exquisite, handmade copper jewelry.

“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.” 

Women’s Month Vendor Feature: Scour the Shelves of The Crossings Used Books

Published:  March 8, 2022 Filed Under:  The Market Blog

Story by Marshall Ward; photography by Sara Geidlinger

The Crossings Used Books is packed with thousands of titles from a variety of genres. 

Joanne Jansen opened The Crossings at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market in 2008 with one booth of books, which quickly doubled then tripled in size. The bookshop is now a bustling favourite inside Peddler’s Village at the market. 

Jansen is one of five inspiring women entrepreneurs that the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market is recognizing through March in celebration of Women’s History Month.  “Selling used books allows us to meet a wonderful and diverse group of people, and it is truly enjoyable as I have a love of reading myself,” says Jansen, whose husband runs their other secondhand bookshop in Woodstock.

“And because we’re stocked with such a wide variety of used books, it allows for such great conversations about so many different genres of books,” she says. “There is nothing better than having a customer tell me they have been searching for a certain book for a very long time, and my store being able to fulfill that search.”

Customers can find affordably priced books of any genre at The Crossings — mysteries, thrillers, science fiction, and loads of nostalgic classics like Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Curious George, Calvin & Hobbs, and Dr. Seuss. 

“I also love to suggest new authors to customers if they need help picking a book,” says Jansen.

And some of the most popular used books you can find at The Crossings include titles by Stephen King, Ruth Ware, Shari Lapena, Kate Quinn, Kristen Harmel, Heather Morris, and the Harry Potter series. “I have so much fun at the market,” says Jansen. “There is nothing like the electricity of a truly busy day, talking with so many great people, the sounds of conversation and laughter within the booths around me — oh, and the smell of all the great food.”

Women’s Month Vendor Feature: Tiny Tassel Thrift’s Carefully Curated Pre-loved Home Decor

Published:  March 1, 2022 Filed Under:  The Market Blog

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.

Tiny Tassel Thrift opened last October in the market’s Pedders’ Village, when owner Brett Doane decided she “wanted to create a unique shopping experience that would hopefully stand out among the many unique shops at the Farmers’ Market.”

Doane says she “didn’t just want to sell home décor,” but also ensure she was offering “the highest quality of hand-gathered, sustainable and one-of-a-kind home décor.”

Regular customers will attest that there’s always something new to discover at Tiny Tassel Thrift.

“Each month, I do a complete booth reset, where I bring in all new products to keep it fresh for my customers while also maintaining a cohesive esthetic,” says Doane. “As products sell, the look tends to get a bit more carefree as I replenish the booth. Many hours of planning go into each booth reset.”

Before opening her market shop last fall, Doane launched her pre-loved home décor shop on her Instagram channel, @TinyTassleThrift.

“It was very different to transition to in-person selling, but I have learned so much and have met so many amazing customers and shop owners,” she says.

Tiny Tassel Thrift offers a fun array of wicker furniture, brass candlesticks, vintage rugs, clay vases, and so much more.

Their most popular item, though, is Doane’s home décor surprise bags.

“For $15, you receive a paper bag full of various pieces for your home, such as vases, drinkware, brass figurines, dried florals, candleholders, wall art, textiles, and much more,” she said. “They serve as a great gift, or even just an adrenaline rush for yourself.”

If you love the rush of discovering a perfect addition to your home decor, rush to Tiny Tassel Thrift. 

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