Marshie’s Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market Summer Picks
Report by Wylie “Marshie” Robinson
Guest writer from the University of Alberta’s Creative Non-Fiction writing program
Heralded by a week of thunderstorms, summer is here in Edmonton. That means the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is in full swing! With finals season done, I’ve been eagerly anticipating my first visit of the year.
Nestled just off Whyte on the corner of 83rd Avenue and Gateway Boulevard, the indoor market prides itself on being “for the neighbourhood, by the neighbourhood,” and “hyper local and worth the hype.” “We are committed to providing small, independent, local businesses a venue to showcase their locally produced products,” its website says. Farmers’ markets like these offer more freshness and sheer diversity than the average supermarket, helping Edmontonians get the good stuff with no middleman.
But what is the good stuff? Here are my top recommendations.
First stop: the stall for Jamaican Chefmon, where “only the best is good enough.” They carry a broad selection of unique sauces that cater to any level of spice tolerance. When I approached, the woman at the table was offering samples of their strawberry vinaigrette. After tasting it, I can see why. I hear it’s one of the old chef’s signature recipes. I also love their savoury-sweet banana ketchup and tingly scotch bonnet hot sauce, made with a staple of the Caribbean. A bottle of each costs $10 and $15, respectively. A set of their three hottest sauces— Scorpion, Ghost, and Carolina Reaper— runs for $45. All their sauces are gluten-free, and they also do catering.
Next is Olive Me for their specialty olives. I bought a filling snack-sized container of their spicy ‘Five-Alarm’ flavour last fall, and it was so good that I beeline to their stand. Their round snack containers are $8 each, and their assorted three-flavour trays are $19. If you want to order a customized tray, you can grab a business card and contact the owner, Isabelle Ortiz Martinez. This time, I give my olive-loving assent to their “Boboli” and “Angry Manhattan” flavours. One’s a mix of olives, artichokes, and roasted peppers, and the other is marinated in lime, garlic, and hot sauce with feta and sun-dried tomatoes. However, I didn’t like May’s flavour of the month, “Gladys.” It tries to be “fresh and bright” with lemon, grapefruit, pear, and more, but it just tastes bitter. Sorry, Gladys. I’m sure you’re a lovely woman!
To me, the market’s greatest draw is how it highlights Edmonton’s blooming multiculturalism. Among the aisles, you’ll find Persian ice cream (Persian Empire Pastry), Mexican chocolate (Chocolate Don Marin), Ukrainian sauerkraut (Ukrainian Sauerkraut), Ethiopian samosas (Taste of Ethiopia), homemade kimchi (Kimchi Place), and more. Persian Empire Pastry’s bastani is $6 a container and comes in several flavours from classic saffron to blackberry. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Sauerkraut’s tamarind and coriander sample tastes as good as it smells, offering a great spin on a traditional food. And for broke students like myself, Kimchi Place offers a discount on Sundays— just show them your student ID!
All the way from Buck Creek, Thistle Hill Farms promises “chemical-free & locally grown” produce but loses some points for wrapping most of its vegetables in plastic. Ditto for Rainbow Acres near Devon, whose stand has equal amounts of carrots and single-use plastic. They do win back some favour via regular donations to the Edmonton Food Bank, and their large, spring-fresh garlic bunches ($6 each) are nicely bound in rubber bands. Meanwhile, Peas on Earth Organic Garden sells fresh dill and cilantro for $3 a bunch. They also sell green onions, this time for either $3 each or two for $5. Can you tell I really like alliums? They’re perfect when my broke college meals desperately require a vegetable.
Want to invest in your food and grow it yourself? Maplewood Acres offers tons of transplants for your garden, including fruit tree saplings for just $15. It took a surprising amount of willpower to not leave with a blueberry bush. I live in a dorm! Where would I even put it?!
Not hungry? There’s still more to like. Other vendors range from jewellery to woodcrafts to even knife-sharpening services. Check out Discovery Gemstones, who boast an array of “healing” crystals from far-flung locales like Peru, Tanzania, and Morocco. I haven’t believed rocks have mystical powers since high school— the only stone with an aura is uranium, and that aura is “die.” But while hardcore geologists should look elsewhere, this is a decent place to go if you just want cheap shiny rocks. “$20 for this is crazy,” I overhear a girl say to her partner. She holds a brick-sized chunk of orange calcite allegedly from Mexico. Want a concussion-giving piece of Brazilian rose quartz for $18-24? They’ve got some. Just know it won’t fix your love life or whatever. Small warning: you drop, you pay. Not that I dropped anything with my nimble raccoon fingers.
As for what to avoid, I’d steer clear of any shops overly focused on “wellness.” Like the stall touting the numerous health benefits of sea moss gel. That was the only one I politely declined a sample from…
Running every weekend since 1983, the market’s a hotspot for residents and tourists alike. Saturdays tend to be busier, bustling from noon right until closing time. Expect some noise and crowds, but overall, it’s not too bad. There’s limited space for bikes directly out front, but a larger bike lockup runs nearby from May to October. The market allows certified service dogs with an Alberta Service Dog or Handler ID card. Assorted seating can be found at the entrance and inside near the back. Vendors take cash and card, but a few seem to prefer cash. ATMs and washrooms are available. On the website, you can see upcoming events from buskers to face-painting. You can also sign up for the free newsletter, because you definitely read those.
The Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market
10310 83 Ave NW, Edmonton
780-439-1844
website
Saturdays from 8 AM to 3 PM
Sundays from 11 AM to 3PM
Paid parking is available for $2.50 an hour
