Farmers’ Market proposed for Lake Street
Administrator | Apr 27, 2017 | Comments 15
A Sunday Farmers’ Market hosted by the Agrarian Market at the Lake Street lot next to Picton’s LCBO, if approved by council, would start up next month.
Patricia McDermott, owner with Bryan Rogers, of the Agrarian, described the proposal at Thursday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, to request leasing of the municipal land to host a market every Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon from the May long weekend to Thanksgiving in October (excluding the Kids of Steel Triathalon June 4).
“Agrarian Market’s primary focus is to support the local food producers and make local products more accessible to the PEC consumer,” she said. “With the introduction of a Sunday morning Farmer’s Market, we hop to expand this support to farmers and food producers whose products are not available, or packaged at retail levels. It also gives our food producers opportunities to develop stronger networking and community relations.”
She explained the market would be dedicated to carrying locally-grown or prepared products.
“We are confident we will quickly become a favourite shop local shopping destination for locals and vacationers.”
She stated the LCBO is in agreement with additional parking by visitors to the market. Council requested a corridor area be planned to not interrupt entrance to the Millennium Trail.
Approximately 20 vendors are expected to participate. Fees will range from $25 – $45 per Sunday for the full season and $32 per Sunday for monthly fees.
There had been a licence agreement renewed annually with Scott’s Variety to operate a farm market stand daily from June 1 to Dec. 1 for 10 seasons from 2001 to 2010, but permitted just one stand.
Council will review a fair rental rate and license agreement outlining terms of conditions at the May 9 meeting of council.
Filed Under: Local News
What about a weekend farmers’ market at the Market Square? Maybe the bays that once housed the fire trucks could house some stands.
Gòod points. The County needs a traffic study review badly. I know you say more $$! Well we have budgeted $125,000 for a Council size OMB eview in July. Traffic has to move in Picton. No one has crosswalk accessibility to our Municipal Office, Shire Hall! That in itself is shameful and could be challenged at anytime. How does an able person let alone a senior get to Shire Hall? It is àn accessibility serious issue. But to stay on topic the farmers market seems to be getting traction.
Why only one day and on a Sunday? Tourist are leaving that day and the new ones came on Friday night and Saturday. Four hours isn’t much time for setup and sales. No cost, no rules and less work if your stand is at home. It appears Agrarian is trying to draw customers into their shop/foody place. (Who collects the rental fee?) This bottleneck location will be bumper car central….think about this one Council!
If Picton really needs a market what about the Community Centre or Curling rink inside and out.
wait till next month when the tourist traffic, motorhomes,tent trailers show up and clog up their entrance. Better have a bilingual cop there to be the enforcer.
In this location there needs to be an advanced green street light for those turning left on Main off of Talbot. Otherwise and particularly in tourist season it is impossible to legally make that turn.
If any question my statement, this summer go to a few road side stands and ask the operators if all their produce is grown within the county. If the ones that import from the terminal are honest they will say no. If I am not mistaken I believe that the delivery truck comes out of a market in Wellington that goes to the terminal weekly if not daily. It is like the homemade baked goods that some offer. The only thing they do is get the frozen product out of a box, then bake it. Is this home made. There may be the odd stand that does do some home baking.
Most of the artisan product is already available at Agrarian’s anyway. Whats the point?
Adam Ant, are talking the local roadside markets in the County?
Whatever it may be traffic is already congested there now. It’s not the place for a farmers’ market.
Likely it won’t be a farmers market at all but an artisanal market for made products, with a dash of organic greens on the side.
Where is that import stuff being sold in the County?
If it was for local farmers produce great idea. But many people are not aware that some if not all the road side farmers markets get a good portion of their produce from the food terminal every day or so. This being said some of the produce is not local grown. It is kind of like having a cheese factory the tourist flock to for fresh cheese that isn’t even made here.
It almost seems a bit redundant with the multitude of farm stands around the area now as it is.
i think this is a good idea as there is lots of people locals and tourists and there is no market……….close by.
disappointing though……I proposed this 2 years ago to council and i got turned down
As much as I love the idea of a market in Picton, this location is already congested with overflow parking from the LCBO and the Agrarian. It can only imagine this making it much worse.