See you at the Horton Farmers' Market!

It may feel as though Spring has just arrived, but this Saturday, May 12 the Horton Farmers' Market opens and ushers in the first sign of summertime in St. Thomas. The Horton Farmers’ Market was founded in 1878 and is named after Ed Horton, a former St. Thomas mayor who donated land for the market site. The Horton Farmers’ Market, located on Manitoba Street, is a community-driven market with over 35 vendors providing the people of St. Thomas with fresh produce, baked goods, flowers, home decor, delicious meals, and much more. Most importantly, the market offers the city of St. Thomas a sense of community. Vicki Asher, the Horton Market Manager, has big plans for the market this year; “I’m working hard to make the market an experience each and every week - I’ll have buskers, children activities, and artisans with interactive displays, artists, wool spinners, and pottery” says Asher. ​

Photos courtesy of Elgin County Archives

​The Horton Market is a best-in-class market destination helping shape local culture and regional economy while supporting local food producers, craftspeople and artisans. The market is  producer-based, meaning sellers had to have grown it, made it or enhanced it. There is no re-selling is allowed., thus making it a true farmers market for 140 years and counting. A lot has changed in St. Thomas since then, but the market is still a tradition. Catch up with friends and bring your family to the Horton Farmers’ Market and enjoy a new experience every Saturday from 8am-12pm with great food, spent with good company.

We gathered some Horton Farmers' Market Highlights to get you excited for opening day!:

Embrace the natural with Groovy Moon while treating sickness’, soothing sore muscles, curing health conditions and fixing bad sleep habits with natural remedies for the body and scents for the soul.

Salt & Pepper Meals create delicious, quick, and easy-to-prepare meals with different recipes to choose from every week. Saving time and sanity, Salt & Pepper meals include many options for one or up to six meals a week for any size of family using only the freshest, locally grown produce.

Common Ground Farm is an organic vegetable farm producing your favourite vegetables, including; broccoli, tomatoes, sweet corn, squash, and peppers all grown with organic practices. Common Ground Farm provides a different variety of organic produce each month at the market.

Palmer’s Maple Syrup is family operated and began in 1956, from tapping their own maple trees to now running over 6000 taps throughout three different woodlots. This family business has been running for over 60 years, through 4 generations, and steadily continues to create the original great taste of their quality Canadian Maple Syrup.

Harbour Merchant Coffee is a micro roast coffee company, and brews multiple different flavours including Brazil Cerrado Fair Trade, Colombia Supremo, Costa Rica Honey Lum and many more. The selection of coffee has a richness of flavour and is high in quality, enjoy a cup while you peruse the produce or buy some to brew at home!

What started as designing personal decor desires for friends has turned into creating works of art for the St. Thomas community and bringing all your design needs, dreams, and wants to reality. The Rural Design Shoppe excels in creating custom pieces while exceeding your expectations for a good price.

The Horton Farmers’ Market will have a brand new breakfast stand this season called ‘Bonjour Breakfast.’ It will feature freshly made breakfast meals with some items from their starting lineup including; the french rolled omelette, the bonjour sandwich, the breakfast bowl and a breakfast special! Be the first to try these new breakfast items with a french twist.

Seth Wiggins has worked for many years to perfect his famous bread recipes. All La Houlette de vie doughs are naturally fermented and only made with flour, water, sourdough, and salt. What makes these recipes so special is Seth’s addition of nuts, fruits and other seeds to the mixtures. Some of his delicious selections available for purchase at the Horton Market include; baguettes, rye bread, wheat breads with flax and sunflower seeds, buckwheat flour bread with organic cranberries, and walnut-raisin bread.

Debackere Farm Market has been providing fresh produce for the community since 1987, they hand-plant, hand-pick and hand-pack all their produce daily. Some produce offered includes field tomatoes, green peppers, sweet corn and beans. Fresh, local produce never goes out of style. ​

Fabtastic Face and Body Art will be making an appearance for the opening day to create custom face-painting and body art masterpieces. Entertainer James Palmer will be performing live music Saturday morning as well. Grab some breakfast and a coffee while enjoying the live music after browsing the market!