Farmers’ market opens for season

The Clover Valley Farmers’ Market opened Saturday with a handful of vendors who braved the cold northwesterly winds that howled through town.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting everyone and recruiting the vendors,” said Carley McCormick, who has taken on the job as market manager this year.
McCormick is looking to recruit more vendors throughout the six months the market is open. New this year will be the opening of Thursday afternoon markets from Aug. 7-Oct. 9.
“We just wish that sometimes there would be a bit more vendors,” she remarked. “And if you want to sell anything, you can come on by.”
The opening day featured bulk maple syrup from Cornell Farms, which was a definite hit with customers.
McCormick noted there wasn’t any produce available at the first market because the weather has been less-than-ideal for farmers.
“Once it warms up out there, there will be lots of produce,” she said.
McCormick hopes more people will come to the farmers’ market for produce instead of going to grocery stores in town.
“It’s local . . . so people like to support the local farmers as much as they can,” she noted. “Safeway doesn’t buy from those local growers, so I think that it’s important for people to eat local and for health benefits, as well.”
Christine Stoessinger has been a vendor at the farmers’ market for many years now.
“I have been probably doing this for close to 18 years, in other capacities, of course,” she noted Saturday. “People know me as the antique lady throughout the district.
“I’m sort of a familiar face at auction sales.”
Stoessinger has sold items all over the world, and has continued to participate in venues like the local farmers’ market because she enjoys interacting with the community.
“I love to meet people. . . . I’m an antique lover and I just love doing it,” she enthused. “I love it when people find things or I can provide them with things that maybe they’ve been looking for, for a long time, and they haven’t been able to find it anywhere else.”
Stoessinger sells antiques on a part-time basis and sees herself as an ambassador for the town because of the business relationships she has built with people from all across Canada.
“It’s a wonderful way to meet and greet people from outside of our area. A good portion of my customer base is the tourist traffic,” she remarked.
She also noted that with higher gas prices these days, people may be more inclined to stay in town to buy groceries and other amenities.
“This area is bad for out-shopping,” Stoessinger said. “A lot of people go out [of Fort Frances] to shop. [But] I think now with the higher gas prices, people are going to think twice about doing that.”
Stoessinger also believes the community could benefit from shopping locally and supporting farmers around the district.
If you would like to be a vendor at the Farmers’ market, call McCormick at 276-0458.