Author: DECA

As summer is heating up, so is the East Lynn Farmers’ Market! Shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables may be your main reason for stopping in this week, but local Ontario produce, straight from the farm, isn’t the only star at the market.

The Lineup…

Veteran singer-songwriterr Pete Eastmure is the musical guest this week. Eastmure has been described as  “a genuine vintage Americana voice.” Influenced by the likes of Gordon Lightfoot and Hank Williams, his latest songs take the listener on a journey into Canada. 

TheSPACE, the School of Performing Arts for the Community of East York, is showcasing some of its talent with a performance  between 4-6pm. TheSPACE is a full performing arts centre with a focus on building self esteem through the performance arts. 

Project Swallowtail will be at the Community Booth this week. Project Swallowtail is a collaborative effort to connect communities street by street and empower residents to restore nature in Toronto. Its aim is to increase the urban habitat by helping gardeners plant native plants in private and community gardens, sidewalk medians and balconies. Find out how you can participate. 

This week, we welcome back 32 Spokes to the market. The volunteer-led group will be on hand to talk bikes, do minor repairs and safety checks. 

Also back this week is Lex’s Pantry with delicious spice blends, One Last Thing with a selection of fine meats and lots of Ontario and Quebec cheese, and Great Lakes Brewery, craft beer on tap since 1987.

Finally, be sure to stop by the DECA tent for some clever ideas on how to use kitchen scraps in your cooking and in your garden! Don’t throw out those onion tops or that wilted lettuce. We’ll show you how to make a start to a zero-waste kitchen. And we’ll throw in a cloth produce bag to boot!

First, can we talk about the Warner’s Orchards cherries this year? They are a taste SENSATION.  Okay, back to all the news you need for this week:

Don’t forget to pick up your passport to Toronto’s Farmers’ Markets! 

Twelve farmers’ markets across the city are participating in the Market Passports  initiative from June 21st to September 26th. Explore a new market, meet new vendors and celebrate our vibrant local economies!

Pick up your passport at the DECA tent this week ($5 or pwyc to DECA market activities). Collect stamps as you visit markets, and if you complete the passport, you’ll be entered to win a grand prize market gift basket! Even visiting just six markets gets you entered for a prize.

(brought to you by Canadian Centre for Food and Ecology, Flavour Harvest, MarketcityTO, and the City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture Division)

Think Green!

This week we want to give nature a helping hand. Stop by and learn about the importance of pollinators, courtesy of Beaches East York MPP, Mary-Margaret McMahon. And then pick up a free tree that Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, MP for Beaches East York, will be giving away. For all your gardening questions, Master Gardeners will be on hand at the Community Booth again this month. 

Stay a while and relax!

Don’t forget to grab a bite at one of the popup vendors: Yappi’s is back with their home cooked Japanese food and so is Link Haus, with their selection of unique sausages.  Accompany your meal with a fresh beer from Red Tape Brewery. Opened in 2020, the family run, east end microbrewery is known for its own craft beer as well as for designing and brewing bespoke beers for clients.  And don’t forget those cherries for dessert!

We’re so lucky to welcome Sarah Tomlinson to the market this week. Sarah’s thought-provoking songs have been featured on a number of playlists and she has performed in a number of prominent Toronto venues. In her lilting mezzo-soprano voice and signature yodel, Sarah sings about love and self discovery, never shying away from controversial issues. When she’s not working on her music, she is a full-time multi-platform reporter for Radio-Canada.

Kids, come on over to the DECA tent and help us do some redecorating! Join community artist Kseniya Tsoy  in creative, colourful and eco-conscious play to design our very own Kids’ Zone banner! We will use paper scraps, and reuse plastic sheets to explore and discover the shape of … a circle. Please feel free to bring your own funky paper (books, note pages, leftover wrapping paper, etc) that you think should be a part of the Kids’ Zone banner! All ages and abilities welcome! Children under 5 years old should be participating with a caregiver.

And of course, don’t forget to shop from our farmers!

Pride at the Market Returns!

We’re celebrating Pride Month at the East Lynn Farmers’ Market on June 26! Queer Toronto artist, Holly Clausius, is back with her hypnotizing blend of pop, soul, folk, and rock, as she gears up for the release of her new album this summer. You can listen to her on Spotify  or follow her on Instagram or TikTok @hollyclausius

In the Kids’ Zone, Mischief Makers is also back at the market with a fun Pride-themed Lego printing activity. DECA volunteers will also be on hand with glitter tattoos for all!

And why not grab a bite at one of the three popup vendors this week? Borrel offers traditional Dutch-Indonesian snacks and comfort food, Yappi’s has Japanese home-style cooking while the Link Haus makes sausages like nothing you’ve had before. Wash it all down with a refreshing beer from award-winning Muddy York Brewing Co.

Friends of Ruby will be in the Community Booth this week so please bring donations, if you can. Friends of Ruby supports 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, from counselling and community to housing and healthcare. Check the poster to see a list of items that are most needed.

Explore Toronto’s Markets: Passport Adventure!

Get ready for an exciting summer!We’re thrilled to introduce our new Market Passports, making it fun to discover everything Toronto’s Farmers’ Markets have to offer!

From June 21st to September 26th, 12 amazing farmers’ markets across the city are participating. Why not shake up your routine, grab dinner at a weekday market, or explore a new weekend spot? It’s a fantastic way to meet new vendors, try local foods, and celebrate our vibrant local economies!

Pick up your passport at the DECA tent this week! Collect stamps as you visit markets, and if you complete the passport, you’ll be entered to win a grand prize market gift basket! Even visiting just six markets gets you entered for a prize. A $5 donation at any participating market gets you your passport.

Huge thanks to our partners: Canadian Centre for Food and Ecology, Flavour Harvest, MarketcityTO, and the City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture Division for making this possible! Get ready to explore!

The weather couldn’t have been better last Saturday for the annual DECA Yard Sale. Thank you to everyone who participated, and to everyone who donated to New Circles and Kennedy House Youth Services. 

This Thursday’s Market

It’s finally strawberry season! The harvest was off to a slightly slower start this year, thanks to a coolish May, but it’s on track now  –  and nothing announces summer’s arrival like the sweet, aromatic strawberry.

This week at the market we are having our first ever accessories swap.  If you’re looking for something to zhuzh up a summer outfit, stop by and have a browse. There’s still time to  drop off your finery if you haven’t had a chance yet. Bring your scarves, belts, sunglasses and jewelry to the market between 1:30 and 3:30 pm. 

In anticipation of National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, we welcome Rainbow Woman Teachings  to the Kids’ Zone. Through story books, crafts, song and conversation,  the knowledge keeper from Huttonville, Ontario, will be sharing her Anishinaabe teachings with young and old.

Pegasus Community Project will be at the Community Booth along with Woodgreen Community Services. Pegasus provides adults with developmental disabilities meaningful activities once they finish school. They celebrate 25 years of inclusion this year! Woodgreen offers more than 75 different programs that help improve the well-being of the community. 

On the musical front, we have the “bluesy alt-rock/power pop” sounds of Toronto-based singer/songwriter, Chris Scian.

And, of course, don’t forget to shop! In the popup tents we welcome back 2 popular vendors from last year. Wholesome DeeLights brings us their healthy AND delicious small batch, artisanal nut butters, pesto and roasted nuts while The Spice Drawer provides us with spice and herb blends sure to become kitchen staples. Our featured brewery this week is Fairweather Brewery, the Hamilton-based craft brewery.

See you at the market!

This is a full and fun week in Danforth East, neighbours!

First — have you heard all the research about how  volunteering is good for you? Facts! And, well, it’s also good for your neighbourhood — specifically your neighbourhood yard sale/clothing drive and farmers’ market! We really need people to lend us a hand this Saturday with the multi-seller sale and the clothing drive in the afternoon. You can let us know your availability on this form:

Yard Sale Volunteer Signup

We are always looking for people to help with setup and takedown of the farmers’ market. The market runs every Thursday, 3-7. Signup for as many or as few shifts as you like!

Market Volunteer Signup

This Thursday’s Market

You can also get 32 Spokes to take a look at your bike and you can check in with the folks at South Riverdale Community Health Centre.

Don’t leave the market without shopping — we have some great vendors this week, including the return of popup Keystone Preserves. And if you can, share some of your purchase with Community Fridges! They will be at the market monthly collecting donations of produce, non-perishables and personal care items.

Hey Danforth East, it’s almost the first Thursday in June, so that means it’s time to turn up the local love! And it doesn’t get more local than this. Come out to East Lynn Park between 3 and 7 to enjoy food and drink from nearby farms and neighbourhood businesses.

The kickoff to the market is made even more special this year with a laneway naming for Alison McMurray, one of our market founders. Join the party in time for the 5pm ceremony on West Lynn, beside the park.

Live Music

VOLUNTEER WITH US – PLEASE!

We are always looking for volunteers to help with setup and take-down of the market. You can sign up here.

We are looking forward to seeing you Thursday in the park. Don’t forget to swing by the DECA tent to say hello!