In mid-July, the Innisfil Farmer's market moved to a new permanent home outside Stroud Arena.
Open every Thursday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., manager Jamie Grant said the move has been good for the market early on.
“The changes have been profound. We were missing a sense of community," Grant said. "The booths were really spread out and isolated. Our old location had no walk-in traffic. Now people can walk very easily or drive a vehicle with loads of parking available.”
Grant was very proud of the multicultural backgrounds of vendors that ranged from Mexican, Jamaican, Greek, Irish, Puerto Rican, Pakistani as well as others from India and more.
Grant said the question of why Thursdays is a common one.
“We get this question asked by many customers," Grant said. "The Barrie’s Farmer's Market opened about 176 years ago. The Innisfil Farmers Market opened in 2011. In order to get some of the vendors from Barrie, they had to have different days to sell product. Therefore the management choose Thursday afternoon.”
About 50 vendors were at the market, many selling homemade food products such as Ruthie’s Sweets (cookies and cupcakes), Cuore di Pomodor (Italian pizza), Artisan handmade items such as jewelry and metal designs from Ramsay, fresh vegetables such as corn on the cob from Brown’s Farm and honey from Innisfil Creek.
Entertainment was provided by Madigan Mueller on electric guitar singing a variety of popular songs.
The parking lot was full of cars with hundreds of consumers shopping and buying the great selection of fresh foods and high quality items.
Grant said many of the vendors come from multi-generational farms. and that the pride of workmanship and quality shows and it’s not all about making a profit.
Beween management and the vendors, there were many that were happy with the move.
