Farewell Farmers' Market

Last Sunday was a beautiful, perfect day to end off our outdoor Farmers’ Market season.

Vendors gathered in a circle around a campfire set-up, and visitors picked up produce, preserves and delicious baking and simply enjoyed the atmosphere.

All in all, The Forks hosted over 50 different vendors since the market began in May, with up to 32 showing up every week – rain or shine – to sell locally grown and raised food and handmade treats and goodies to visitors on our site.

Dorothy Freund from Red Poll Farms and Dean and Sara Wall from Zhoda Family Farms were very pleased at the turn-out each week – even despite many of our Sundays being not so sunny.

They enjoyed the laid-back clientele and noticed lots of tourists – and were eager to share some knowledge about what delicious items grow in Manitoba.

 Sara said she met folks who’d never tried rosehip or Saskatoon berries, and didn’t know those things grow in Manitoba. She says it’s always fun to share what she’s foraged with people and send them home with something new.

Overall, we had some very happy vendors who are ready and raring to come back next year, and make The Forks Farmers’ Market one of the most plentiful in town.

Until then, we will be hosting indoor markets featuring produce, jams, infusions, baking and alpaca wool products (for the chilly days that are surely upon us!) once per month on Oct. 25 and Nov. 25.

Thank you for supporting our inaugural Farmers’ Market!

Happy Birthday, Generation Green!

Our friends at Generation Green just marked their 2nd anniversary at The Forks Market – they celebrated with cupcakes for all from Hello Cupcake – baking that is gluten-, dairy-, nut-, soy-, and egg-free!

At The Forks we are always looking to be environmentally sustainable and strive towards Target Zero, so we’re happy to share our space with an eco-conscious business with a huge emphasis on selling and supporting locally made, sustainable products.

It’s important to Sherry Sobey, the growing shop’s owner, too.

“I appreciate being a part of an organization that also recognizes this importance, specifically with the Target Zero Initiative,” she says. “As a local and tourist destination, it's very important that we set a good example here.”

The shop has grown more quickly than she imagined it would over the last two years. Customers have responded enthusiastically to the shop and its premise.

Generation Green carries everything from kitchen utensils, makeup, soap and skincare to dog treats, giftware, supplements and grocery items – all produced sustainably, eco-consciously, and largely locally.

“It's really important that we all do our part to ensure the health of our planet, and for our own personal health benefits,” says Sherry. “We talk a lot about prevention here at Generation Green, our focus has to be on preventing problems and disease, not on waiting and fixing them once they becomes problematic.”

If you come into the shop in the next little while, expect to find the recently added line of Canadian natural supplements with a focus on immunity strengthening, as well as the complete Lorna Vanderhaeghe line for women’s health.

Soon all of Generation Green’s products will be available through their online store so they can continue offering these products to tourist customers.

“We have such a focus on locally made products that everyone ends up loving and wanting,” says Sherry.

Also be on the lookout for some unique gift baskets as the holidays approach.

What does she love about being at The Forks?

“That’s easy,” Sherry says. “The people and my neighbours! I've always loved the vibe, the people, and the fact that you could always find something unique.”

Visit Generation Green in The Forks Market and online at generationgreenonline.com

Canada Day at The Forks presented by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries

Canada’s birthday bash at The Forks will be music to your ears, and we’re excited to share the occasion with everyone! In keeping with the “Year of Music” celebration, The Forks and Manitoba Music have come together to create a stellar line-up for everyone to enjoy (for free, as always!) this July 1^st.

There will be entertainment all over The Forks site – music Under the Canopy from 1:30 – 9:30, on the Rail Bridge from 1:00 – 5:00, and of course, at the Scotiabank Stage from 4:00 till 11:00 when the fireworks begin.

The Manitoba Live line-up includes the likes of indie folk/pop outfit Yes We Mystic, the wonderful ladies of the country music quartet, Oh My Darling, pop/rockers Federal Lights, Brazilian jazz guitarist Marco Castillo, francophone singer/songwriter Pierre Freynet, and other local favourites including Hana Lu Lu, Les Jupes, Jess Reimer, Eagle Lake Owls and everyone’s favourite DJ, Mama Cutsworth.

Coinciding with our Target Zero campaign, the stage on the historic Rail Bridge will be powered by a bicycle generator. How cool is that?

The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra will play a set on the Scotiabank Stage, and will also accompany The Royal Winnipeg Ballet as they treat us all to a few numbers.

Right before the fireworks, award-winning, charming, and very handsome alt-country singer/songwriter and master storyteller, Del Barber will share a few tunes with everyone, and will also be joined onstage by the WSO. 

Other activities such as the Founding Nations Tribal Village in Oodena Circle, drawing games with Art City, an obstacle course for the kids, big games – life-size Connect Four, Jenga and Guess Who – all begin at noon.

For the full Canada Day schedule, click here.

Canada Day is the busiest day of the year at The Forks – here are a few things to remember: 

• We’ll have plenty of food and beverage vendors onsite, near Scotiabank Stage to keep you energized and hydrated all day long. The food vendors in The Forks Market will also be open at 1 p.m.

• Parking will be at an absolute premium - alternative to driving, why not ride your bike and take advantage of our bike valet, walk, or take the bus.

• Bring sunscreen and a water bottle (you can refill onsite!) to avoid sunburns and dehydration.

• Bring a blanket or chair to sit on while you take in the entertainment at Scotiabank Stage.

• Also bring your dancing shoes, because we bet you won’t be able to help but dance along!

• Dig out your flags, maple leaves, and red and white outfits – let’s show Canada some love! 

See you at The Forks this Canada Day! 

Farmers Market at The Forks

Farmer’s Market season is upon us, and we can tell how anxious people are to fill their fridges and fruit bowls with some homegrown, homemade, unique goodness.

We been holding our Farmers Market each Sunday since mid-May, and people have been coming out – despite a few raindrops here and there – to delve into our vendors’ offerings.

Since it’s early in the season, many of the products on the tables have included jellies, jams, pickles and preserves, baked goods, and handmade jewellery and other pretty things.

Perennial plants and potted herbs are perfect reminders that summer is in fact on its way, and with that, the promise of delicious locally-grown produce like carrots, kale, peas, beans, cucumbers, zucchini, swiss chard, cauliflower, squash, beets, gourds and radishes.

Here are just some of the vendors we’re excited to have in our Farmer’s Market ranks:

Beach Glass – Linda Haugen

Like the name would indicate, Linda makes beautiful jewellery out of bits of weathered beach glass, washed up on the shores of Lake Winnipeg. 

Flora & Farmer

This gal offers variety of eclectic jam flavours – think strawberry beet & vanilla, strawberry, ginger & orange, or my personal favourite, maple, ginger & blueberry, which I think would be just as good on a slice of multigrain in the morning as it would be a pork tenderloin marinade for dinner. Bonus: no sugar added.

Generation Green

One of our favourite vendors from inside The Forks Market gets outside for the Farmer’s Market. They’re selling all kinds of local favourite food items like birch syrup, the award-winning Jamore blueberry jam by the makers of Thrive Bars, and bee pollen. Who knew our honey bees could provide us with sweet, sweet honey, AND a huge B-vitamin kick in the form of pollen?

Anandha

What’s going to shake up your hot dog at your next backyard BBQ? Beet ketchup, that’s what. This guy knows his beets – he sells everything from beet juice, to beet puree, shredded beets, beet bread, and yes, beet ketchup.

Freshly Baked Bread

Signy Christianson bakes beautiful white and whole-wheat bread, hotdog and hamburger buns, dinner rolls, cinnamon-raisin bread, and croutons as well as some delectable sweet treats like Nanaimo bars, butter tarts, lemon tarts and matrimonial bars.

Farmery

You’ve probably seen this orange-labeled beer at the LC and in restaurants, but maybe you haven’t tried it yet. It’s brewed right here in Russell, MB and the Farmery guys will be hanging out at our Farmer’s Market with samples and stories about becoming brew masters. Come say hi!

Loved Shorts

You will love these shorts. These girls are experts at making old jeans into the perfect pair of cut-offs, and jazzing them up so your perfect pair of shorts is totally unique.

The Bannock Factory

Bannock in a Box? Ok! These guys make delicious bannock, freeze it, box it up, and make it easy as 1-2-3 for you to have a bannock breakfast or side dish anytime you want! Just heat it up for 45-seconds in the microwave and it’s bannock time.

Wildfire Farms

Serving up all cuts of locally and sustainably raised pork and beef, including tenderloin, rib eye, roasts, ground beef, sausage, soup bones and lard, as well as free-roaming chickens, ready for you to take home and fire up on the BBQ.

See you Sundays at The Forks in the Plaza Parking Lot from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. for Farmer’s Market goodness all season-long!