Hungry as bears, customers swarm new farmers' market

The mew Desbarats Farmers' Market opened for the first time yesterday at 3 p.m.

About a dozen vendors had tables groaning with baked goods, preserves, jams, relishes, honey, maple products, crafts and fresh local vegetables.

By the time the new market closed at 6 p.m. there was almost no food left in the pavilion.

There were more than a few little signs on tables saying: "come back tomorrow for more."

Local meats, cheeses and baked goods were also available next door inside the Johnson Township Community Centre at the Green Expo.

That's where SooToday.com found Tammy McKellar, a conservation officer based out of Sault Ste. Marie.

McKellar was telling us she doesn't believe there are more bears this year.

It's just that the ones around here are busier and hungrier than they have been in past years.

"Just last week, I had to sedate and move one and he was really skinny," said McKellar, "They're waiting for the berries."

McKellar said bears in this area are getting hungrier than usual this year because unseasonably cold temperatures are delaying the berries and seeds they would normally be feeding.

The Green Expo featured East Algoma green solutions to global environmental challenges, offered up by vendors and agencies such as the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Sault Ste. Marie Enterprise Centre, Stewardship Ontario, Sault North Waste Management Council, Green Heat and Central Algoma Freshwater Coalition.

The Green Expo and Desbarats Farmers' Market opening weekend continues Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A release from Sault MP Tony Martin follows.

************************* Martin congratulates Johnson Township, FedNor on Farmers’ Market opening

DESBARATS - Sault MP Tony Martin offered his congratulations to Johnson Township community leaders and FedNor at the ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the grand opening for the Farmers' Market in Desbarats.

“The farmers’ market is a wonderful place to not only get freshly-picked crops but be a meeting place and grow community,” Martin said. “I like how it wipes away the supermarket distance between our local farmers and their customers.”

The market is a place to enjoy fresh seasonal produce, naturally grown produce, homemade crafts, baked goods, maple syrup, honey, local meats, herbs, berries, alpaca fibre and more.

The celebrations continue Saturday, from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m. and include The 2009 Green Expo, which will be held at the Johnson Township Community Centre.

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