List of vendors in attendance: Terra Nosa, Organic Fair, Westwind Farm, Fernwood Coffee, Holland Farm, ll Forno di Claudio, B-Red Bakery, Preservation Foods, Tortilleria Monterrey, Hilary’s Cheese, Farm, 2GF by Lesley, Cottlestone Apiary, West Coast Awesome Sauce, Rene Sans Salsa, Sun Trio Farm, Local Motive, Organic Fair, Haliburton Farm, El Guapo Chorizo Grill, Wild Jam Man, Vancouver Island Salt Co, Land Trust Alliance, Lifecycles & SHAW

Who: The Victoria Downtown Public Market Society
What: Summer Market
When: Every Wednesday from 12-5
Where: Market Square, Inner Courtyard
Why: What could be better than local food?

Photo taken by Organic Fair Farm

Highlighting Metchosin Farm: Rhubarb is making its grand appearance at our market tomorrow! It may be a vegetable, but we mostly treat it like a fruit, its tart taste being the perfect foil for strawberries and other sweet fruits. It makes for a delicious stew sweetened with honey and poured over vanilla ice cream…delicious!

List of vendors in attendance: Fernwood Coffee, Holland Farm, Metchosin Farm, ll Forno di Claudio, Preservation Foods, Tortilleria Monterrey, Hilary’s Cheese, Farm, 2GF by Lesley, Cottlestone Apiary, West Coast Awesome Sauce, Rene Sans Salsa, Fry’s Red Wheat Bread, Sun Trio Farm, Cowichan Pasta, Local Motive, Organic Fair, Haliburton Farm, West Coast Awesome Sauce, El Guapo Chorizo Grill, Wild Jam Man, Vancouver Island Salt Co, Lifecycles & SHAW

Who: The Victoria Downtown Public Market Society
What: Summer Market
When: Every Wednesday from 12-5
Where: Market Square, Inner Courtyard
Why: What could be better than local food?

The Mason Street City Farm is in need of a new perimeter fence. This is the first stage of development in creating a Farm School in the City! Live electronic music, Flamenco dance, super djs, and silent auction. Come on down and dance your heart out! $15 @ the door.

For more info visit: www.masonstreetfarm.com

List of vendors in attendance: Holland Farm, Metchosin Farm, ll Forno di Claudio, Preservation Foods, Hilary’s Cheese, Terra Nosa Farm, 2GF by Lesley, Cottlestone Apiary, B-red Bakery, Rene Sans Salsa, Fry’s Red Wheat Bread, Sun Trio Farm, Cowichan Pasta, Local Motive, Organic Fair, Haliburton Farm, West Coast Awesome Sauce, El Guapo Chorizo Grill, Wild Jam Man, & Vancouver Island Salt Co.

Who: The Victoria Downtown Public Market Society
What: Summer Market
When: Every Wednesday from 12-5
Where: Market Square, Inner Courtyard
Why: What could be better than local food?

Sun Trio Farm will be stocked up with delicious certified organic cucumbers, salads, sunflower and pea greens, spinach, kale and arugula . “Tomatoes are still a week away…bring on the sun!!!”  Dennis of Sun Trio Farm states. Terra Nosa Farm will be bringing some of the most amazing first of the season certified organic asparagus and green garlic! Metchosin Farm will be stocked with at lease 30 varieties of heirloom tomato starts along with vegetable starts, berry bushes and seeds. Make sure to bring enough reusable bags to stock up at our tasty farmers market!

List of vendors in attendance: Metchosin Farm, ll Forno di Claudio, Preservation Foods, Tortilleria Monterrey, Hilary’s Cheese, Terra Nosa Farm, 2GF by Lesley, Cottlestone Apiary, B-red Bakery, Rene Sans Salsa, Fry’s Red Wheat Bread, Sun Trio Farm, Cowichan Pasta, Local Motive, Organic Fair, Haliburton Farm, Sweet Flour, West Coast Awesome Sauce, El Guapo Chorizo Grill, & Vancouver Island Salt Co.

Who: The Victoria Downtown Public Market Society
What: Summer Market
When: Every Wednesday from 12-5
Where: Market Square, Inner Courtyard
Why: What could be better than local food?

Take a look at this clip of Karen Elgersma from Shaw TV, The Daily tasting and exploring our market!

List of attending vendors this week: Preservation Foods, Tortilleria Monterrey, Golda’s Pesto, Hilary’s Cheese, Cold Comfort, Terra Nosa Farm, 2GF by Lesley, Cottlestone Apiary, B-red Bakery, Rene Sans Salsa, Fry’s Red Wheat Bread, Sun Trio Farm, Cowichan Pasta, Local Motive, Organic Fair, Haliburton Farm, Sweet Flour, West Coast Awesome Sauce, El Guapo Chorizo Grill, Natures Farmacy & Vancouver Island Salt Co.

Musicians: 12:00-1:30 James Cecil & 2:15-3:45 Slim Sandy

Who: The Victoria Downtown Public Market Society
What: Summer Market
When: Every Wednesday from 12-5
Where: Market Square, Inner Courtyard
Why: What could be better than local food?

Organic Fair Eggs

List of vendors in attendance: Tortlleria Monterrey, Untamed Feast, Hilary’s Cheese, Cold Comfort, Golda’s Pesto, Terra Nosa Farm, 2GF by Lesley, Cottlestone Apiary, B-red Bakery, Rene Sans Salsa, Fry’s Red Wheat Bread, Omnivore Acres, Sun Trio Farm, Cowichan Pasta, Local Motive, Organic Fair, Haliburton Farm, Sweet Flour, West Coast Awesome Sauce, El Guapo Chorizo Grill, Natures Farmacy & Vancouver Island Salt Co.

Musicians: Victor Wells & James Cecil

Who: The Victoria Downtown Public Market Society
What: Summer Market
When: Every Wednesday from 12-5
Where: Market Square, Inner Courtyard
Why: What could be better than local food?

List of vendors in attendance: Untamed Feast, Hilary’s Cheese, Cold Comfort, Golda’s Pesto, Terra Nosa Farm,  Preservation Foods, 2GF by Lesley, Cottlestone Apiary, B-red Bakery, Il Forno di Claudio, Rene Sans Salsa, Fry’s Red Wheat Bread, Omnivore Acres, Sun Trio Farm, Cowichan Pasta, Local Motive, Organic Fair, Haliburton Farm, Sweet Flour, West Coast Awesome Sauce, El Guapo Chorizo Grill, Natures Farmacy & Vancouver Island Salt Co.

Musicians: Victor Wells & James Cecil

Who: The Victoria Downtown Public Market Society
What: Summer Market
When: Every Wednesday from 12-5
Where: Market Square, Inner Courtyard
Why: What could be better than local food?

There are many benefits of eating nettles. According to Small Foot Print Family, people have been using nettles for food, medicine, fiber, and dyes since the Bronze Age. Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) has a flavor similar to spinach, and is rich in vitamins A, C, D, K, and many minerals including iron, potassium, manganese, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, silica, iodine, silicon, sodium, and sulfur. They are ten percent protein—more than any other vegetable. Eating nettles or drinking nettle tea makes your hair brighter, thicker and shinier, and makes your skin clearer and healthier—they are good for eczema and other skin conditions.

Thanks to chefs and market shoppers who are more adventurous, foragers have a strong market for these obscure plants. Eric Whitehead owner of Untamed Feast will be at our first summer Victoria Downtown Farmers Market in Market Square Wednesday April 4th from 12-5. Whitehead will be selling bags of fresh foraged nettles to the public, and a few chefs from around Victoria will be picking up their first of the season orders. “The fresh season is short, so the nettles will be harvested the same day as the market” Whitehead states. “There are many ways you can use nettles. I like to harvest nettles in large quantities so I can blanch and freeze them for later use in smoothies, pesto, hummus, or put them in soups and other dishes”. Whitehead also dries nettles for tea and uses dried nettle as an ingredient in some of his wild mushroom products.

Make sure to stop by our first summer market in Market Square and stock up on these deliciously good for you greens!

For tips on how to harvest, identify and cook nettles click on this youtube video:


Nettle-Topped Linguine
1/2 pound linguine, cooked during nettle prep
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 bunch green garlic, or 4 cloves garlic
1 shallot or small onion
Salt and Pepper
3/4 pound of fresh Nettles
fresh Parmesan or Pecorino cheese to grate
Nettle Preparation: Soak in cold water for at least 5 minutes while you put together the other ingredients. Completely submerge the nettles in cold water. Take care not to touch them yet. With a glove, remove the leaves from the largest stems. Some folks eat the stems too; it’s up to you. Cook shallot and garlic in the oil and butter over medium heat. Spin dry nettles in a salad spinner. Toss the dried-off nettles into the garlic/oil pan when the shallot is softening and toss with tongs until the nettles are wilted. At 1/4 cup or so water, turn to low heat, then cover, simmer until soft. Add cooked noodles, season to taste, and serve with grated cheese.

Nettle Frittata
1/4 pound Cleaned Nettle Tops
4 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, Chopped
6 lg Organic Eggs
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Preheat oven to 300º Cook 1/3rd of the nettles in one tablespoon of the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Cook until tender adding a small amount of water if needed. Repeat this 2 more times adding the garlic on the third batch. Place all of the cooked nettles on a cutting board and chop finely. Place the nettles in a bowl of a food processor with the eggs, salt, pepper and process until the nettles are incorporated into the eggs. Add the cream and process for 10 seconds. Heat the non-stick pan on medium with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the nettle mixture and with a rubber spatula move the eggs around to get the entire mixture warm. Place into the oven and cook for about 12 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes then turn the frittata out onto a plate and cut.

Living, working or shopping downtown doesn’t preclude tasting regional produce, supporting small farms, and eating local!

Join us on April 4th for our return of our weekly summer farmers market, every Wednesday 12-5pm in Market Square. Our familiar artisan vendors will be there offering the best produce and value added food Vancouver Island has to offer, and a growing number of farmers will be selling plant starts and produce as the season progresses.

With seasonal, local and sustainable eating now a driving philosophy in most Victoria homes and restaurants, sourcing ingredients at our ‘foodie’ market is a no-brainer.  We’re a one-stop shop for all of your grocery needs, and you can sleep in on Saturday by stocking up on the week’s best local food and produce on Wednesday!

Who: The Victoria Downtown Public Market Society
What: Summer Farmers Market
When: Every Wednesday from 12-5, April – October
Where: Market Square, Inner Courtyard
Why: What could be better than local food?