A Trip To Orillia's Local Farmers Market

"Get your boots to the roots"

Orillia's Finest Farmers Market

Est. 1872

When becoming a "fruit hunter' for the first time, I decided on choosing a market that personally meant something to me. The market that I chose for my culinary fruit adventure, was Orillia's Farmers market. This market is in the hometown of where my cottage is located, that I try to visit whenever I am up north. It is a year round, indoor and outdoor market that harvests many different products and produce daily. Since Orillia's location is in the middle of a wide variety of vast farm lands, it manages to run two seperate markets in two different locations year round. Furthermore when I am up north at my cottage, I always try and make an effort to visit both of them. The first location of one of the markets, is located in the heart of downtown Orillia. Between the years of 1872 and 2009, the market use to be held on a piece of land near the waterfro

nt where the local farmers use to farm. Now years later this area is where Orillia's community opera house and public library lay, where over 40 different vendors are placed throughout. The second market in which I actually manage to find my fruit, is located at ODAS Park (Orillia and District Agricultural Society). This park is located in the township of Severn, which is within the city limits of Orillia. ODAS Park has been open for over 165 years and is mainly used for a variety of indoor and outdoor events, including the outdoor farmers market. The park is located just a short distance away from the other vendors, where the market downtown is located. Both these locations incorporate a extensive amount of admirable vendors that offer a wide variety of products. In particular they have exquisitely picked produce to even locally raised meats. These two markets are located just a short drive away from my cottage, which is in the townhship of Rama. My cottage is a place that I have learned to love over the last decade of my life, hense the reason why I chose to explore this specific market. Every time I visit these two markets they always seem to have a limitless amount of fresh and lushious seasonal produce to enjoy, making it always new and exciting to visit.

http://www.orilliafarmersmarket.on.ca/

Orillia Farmers' Market. (2015). Retrieved September 14, 2015.

The morning of the market It was a brisk cool October morning, when I got up to make my trip to the market. After a short drive, I arrived with both enthusiasm and curiosity on my mind. My mother and I pulled into the grassed filled parking lot of the ODAS Park and at this point I had no idea on which fruit I wanted to try. Minutes went by, as I strolled through all the diverse vendors while looking for fruits that I have never encountered before. Since the Orillia farmers markets are flooded with only local seasonal produce, I had to pick a fruit that was incorporated with the season that we are in which is; fall. As I walked, the cool penetrating air directed me towards a small cranberry stand. I began to looked up and started to read a sign that said "Son of the cranberry man." Managing to make me giggle a bit; I began walking towards the red and wood covered vendor and started

to take a glimpse at all the diverse forms of cranberries that they had. In fact while getting a closer look, I noticed that they had cranberries that were covered in chocolate and yogurt to even cranberry teas. They also had cranberry sauces, chutneys, dried cranberries and even juiced! At this point it then dawned on me that this fruit would be the perfect choice. Since I have only tasted cranberries less than a handful of times, it all made perfect sense.

In result after deciding that cranberries would be my fruit of choice, I then ooked up and noticed a friendly couple that stood behind the red and wood stand. As I went to shake their hands to say hello, the man went on to introduce himself as; "The son of the cranberry man." I laughed and began to ask him what the smallest bag of pure cranberries were that I could purchase. He looked down and reached to grab a quite substantially large bag and said "A 1.5 pound bag runs at 5.00$ and a 4.4 pound bag at 13$."

Without delay, I then decided on the 1.5 pound bag and continued talking with the pleasant couple. They began telling both my mother and I about the Johnston's cranberry marsh where these berries came from and the relation that it had with the Muskoka lakes winery. (Muskoka is just over a 30 minute drive from Orillia). For three generations, Johnston's have been growing an exquisite amount of cranberries year round. The man went on to explain the process in which these cranberries were made, at their farms and at pretty much every farm across Ontario. He said: "The cranberries grow on vines that are planted throughout our beds and in order to harvest the fruit, we flood these beds in which we call a 'bog'. As the bog rises, we then comb the cranberries off the tops of the waters." After the "son of the cranberry man" explained this, I decided to do more research in compliance to this aspect. Before I left he gave me a brochure that included more information on cranberries, as well as their website. So without hesitation, I pulled out my phone and typed in the URL address supplied. In that moment in time, I began to read that cranberries are mainly (and mostly) grown in South America and that the name "cranberry" was created by the early pilgrims. When coming up with the name cranberry the pilgrims thought that the cranberry blossom resembled the head of a crane and since the blossom produced these red berries, they decided to put both "crane" and "berry" together. In result, creating the name we all now know as the "Cranberry". Also in 1870 in Nova Scotia, William MacNeil planted Canada's first initial commercial blog. Prior to these first commercial planting, natives were supposidly one of the first to discover the cranberry. When the cranberry was discovered by the natives they often used them for dies, medicines, and of course; food. At Johnston's cranberry marsh, they specifically specialize in the subgenus oxycoccus, and genus vaccinum family. Vaccinium maracarpon is a "low bush" that provides berries and since there are over 100 cranberries within the vaccinium specie, Johnstons manages to grow 5 vast varieties throughout.

Cranberry Facts. (2014). Retrieved October 17, 2015, from http://www.cranberry.ca/Farm/facts.html

When observing the look of the cranberry first hand; it is a small, glossy and red circular fruit. As I picked up the fruit, the texture I felt between my fingertips was tough and smooth. I then decided to take a bite into the cranberry and heard a bit of a crunch that resulted in a sour, bitter and subtle sweet taste. In particular while tasting this berry, my tongue felt an almost wet and grainy texture followed by a sharp acidic and tart flavour. To put it in other words, my taste buds were going on quiet the adventure while tasting this pungent tangy fruit. The scent I inhaled when chewing this berry, was an almost floral and musky smell. Though there isn't quite another food I think cranberries really taste like, I do think they resemble a raspberry because of the harsh aftertaste they both entail. Furthermore I think that the cranberry is a unique fruit because of the immense tart, almost stinging flavour it gives off while chewing. I find it very interesting that such a small fruit can consist of a a highly powerful taste within. After eating this berry it has pushed me to understand that my palate incorporates a diverse amount of different senses when embracing foods that I am not very familiar with. Since I prefer a more of a sweeter taste then a tart flavour within fruits, I didn't seem to enjoy the intense bitter flavour as much as I'd hope. I would defiantly try eating cranberries again but I would prefer cooking the cranberry first, because I find when cooked it lessens the intense sharp taste. In result after analyzing this berry, it has educated me on being able to reflect in so many contrasting flavours, textures and aspects within a fruit. In result, this evaluation has helped benefit towards my overall sensory evaluations.

In my opinion if I were to cook cranberries, I think that sauteing the cranberries would be the most efficient method to use because it would help aid in releasing the fruits natural sugars. As a result this method would assist in releasing the flavour within the berry greatly. Furthermore with understanding this information, I decided on two recipes and methods that I would use for cranberries. One method would be the "cooking method" and one recipe would be using the cranberry in dry form; a form that I have personally used before.

This recipe is a cranberry sauce suggested by "son of the cranberry man" himself, which was located on the back of the 1.5lbs bag, & reads as follows; Cranberry sauce 3 cups of fresh cranberries 1 cup sugar 1 cup water Directions Rinse cranberries. In a saucepan mix sugar and water. Bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Boil gently until their skin pops (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat. Refrigerate. Makes about 2 1/2 cups. Though I have never personally cooked cranberries before, I have used cranberries in dry form. When using cranberries in dry form they tend to be a little less tart then the fresh form and mix well within both cereals and in yogurts. I also enjoy making a trail mix with cranberries, this is a recipe I made using the dried cranberries; Dry granola mix

Ingredients; Mix together

1/2 cup cranberries

1/2 cup cashews

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup mini white yogurt chips

1/2 cup almonds

1/3 cup dried coconut shavings

1 1/2 cup maple granola

1 tsp nutmeg & cinnamon

-Use this mix for a vast variety of things such as a yogurt topping, ice cream topping or what ever your majestically mind desires! After all, something I found very interesting that I gained from this experience, was learning about how cranberries grow and are harvest. For the longest time I thought that cranberries were grown from small trees and picked one by one like an apple, or orange (Funny, I know!). Now after watching the Welches cranberry commercials on TV, I now fully understand them; they all make so much sense now! Also in result of this great fruit adventure, I gained the educational factor in the medical sector on how cranberries benefit towards our overall health. These health benefits include:

The Protection against Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Immune Support

Cardiovascular Benefits

Antioxidant Protection

Anti-Cancer Benefits

Digestive Tract Benefits & many many more! ​Cranberries. (2001). Retrieved October 17, 2015, from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=145

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE_cVKc_pn4

In result of my visit to the market that day, I am so thankful to be able to experience the true taste of "fall flavours. throughout ontarios farmlands.

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