Keepingupwithkitvon.blogspot.com: A Day at Evergreen Brickworks & The Farmers Market

One thing I have always loved is Farmers Markets,

especially Organic Farmers Markets!

A second thing I just love,
is learning about Environmental Science, Sustainability and all topics Green.

So when I heard that Evergreen Brickworks an International Showcase For Urban Sustainability and Green Design, and its almost all Organic Farmers Market, I simply had to check it out.

THE FARMERS MARKET

The Fall Harvest in the Evergreen Brickworks Farmers Market, was just gorgeous. This place is filled with friendly vendors selling Farm Fresh Produce, Local Wines by the Bottle, Coffee and other various Sustainable Products. There are even adorable little Food Kiosks in the Indoor/Outdoor picnic area... even Vegan ones. I really love the modern country vibe here, that really caters to every one.

The market here is actually rather large, and takes place in a Giant Indoor/Outdoor venue with high ceiling's and lots of sun light. This is my absolute favourite location for a farmers market yet.

I can definitely see doing my groceries here every week! The Market is open all year round, but definitely keep this place in your To Do List and check this site out early Spring when the entire site runs to its fullest.

I'm sure every Season here is going to be some next sort of breath taking, and I just cant wait to see it!

Even though the Farmers Market is open all year round, saddly the trails and Garden will not be groomed in the winter.

.. Anyone got some Snow Boots? I'm up for the challenge any ways!

I also loved how the green forestry from the Parks surroundings give it that extra farm fresh, back to nature feel!

The Fall Harvest was just gorgeous, with organic carrots as big as my arm! All the veggies here looked Supersized compared to even the best grocery stores I have been too, and even most of the other Farmers Markets. This place has some real quality farmers and I'm impressed.

I even fell in love with veggies I have never cared to look at before.. Ones I just don't mess with and wouldn't of even tried to cook before.. but now I even want to juice them! Every thing looked so giant and juicy. Which isn't necessarily normal to say about a vegetable right? Or should it be?

With veggies like these, it would the decision to go Raw Vegan would be a much easier quest! .. But don't quote me, I'm not about to try it.

The veggies in the grocery store have never been as engaging enough to eat raw, but these veggies from the Farmers Market here, I just want to bite into them all. The difference is not even comparable.. and Tunips are suddenly adorable.

I may not go Raw Vegan, but this awesome Farmers Market and all these Organic Fresh Goods, will definitely get me too increase my intake of those Raw Foods, varieties for Juicing Recipes, and even cooked Vegetarian Dinners.

This was only the fall Harvest. Don't forget, the market is opened all year round, but I'm just dying to see these up coming Summer Fruits.. in like 7 Months. .. The agony of waiting... ..Patience is a virtue.

About this Fall harvest though !!!

Who knew a Kale, Turnip or beats could be grown so beautifully?!?! .. Who knew the veggies here were going to be this succulent?!?!

... Why did I have to find this on my own? after all the time I have spent googling Toronto Attractions.. Where were you hiding Evergreen Brickworks? where?

This is making this vegetarian anyways, very happy. The quality here is definitely appreciable.

HONEY

Excitedly I come to find out that there is also real honey being sold here from multiple different vendors. This means, Toronto has a bigger Bee Culture than I thought. Being a BEE LOVER, this also makes me very happy.

The honey here, is from Local Bee Farmers .. and of course the bees. Some of the Honey even cames with real homey comb inside. Love, love, loved it!!

I'm not a fan of store bought honey though I am a fan of bees, but this was amazing!! So yummi! So not regular store bought honey.

I also had a chance to track down a Local Bee Farmer and schedule an interview for a Day At The Bee Farm, where Ill be doing a super cute Photo Shoot with the Bees and also learn a little bit about them. Then I'm going to review the book ' More Than Just Honey - The Survival Of Bees & The Future Of Our World ', Marcus Imhoof & Claus- Peter Lieckfield, all in one Giant Bee Article. Why does Kit Von LOVE THE BEES? You'll find out in June.

#Seasonal

RED FIFE BY ROWE

I also had the chance of meeting this delightful vendor, at his 'Red Fife by Rowe' Kiosk... The ingredients in his pastas and desserts here, are all organic, and made from a Red Fife Wheat, Canada's oldest source of wheat.

With great pride he explained the Red Fife Wheat history to me. It turns out that the Red Fife Wheat used to make these incredible products, is the only type of wheat in Canada that is not Genetically Modified! Now that's a big deal!!! ..and you sir, have won a customer for life.

I really wished I'd stocked upon those muffins though, looking at them is making me crave a muffin right now!

Btw, I had that blueberry muffin under the twitter sign.. Best muffin I ever Had!!! I absolutely loved it and now I'm coming back for the pasta!! It's a whole new take on fresh! ORGANIC, NON GMO, FRESH! I really do love this place. EG Brickworks you certainly now how to get this girls heart, you simply have the best vendors!
#Foodie

https://m.facebook.com/roweredfife

Thankfully, Red Fife by Rowe, has gone ahead and hooked us up with that awesome BLUEBERRY MUFFIN RECIPE, from my that gorgeous little muffin!

RED FIFE BLUEBERRY MUFFIN RECIPE - BEST MUFFINS EVER!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1053697181331714&substory_index=0&id=876754672359300

SMUDGING || CEDAR, SAGE AND SWEETGRASS

I was even able to grab some Sage for my friend of mine who is a Medicine Man.. Cuuute.

I just love filling my shopping bag with random things from markets, it always makes me happy... Something for meeee :).... Something for you... :) ... Something for meee... Something for you! ...

There is a real emotion attached to Evergreen Brickworks site. Also part of Evergreen Brickworks is this gorgeous Quarry Garden & Park.

EVERGREEN BRICKWORKS THE DON VALLEY BRICKWORKS

One would never imagine that this gorgeous Park & Forestry is actually in Downtown Toronto.

While the park is definitely a site to see, the story behind it really does tug on your heart strings. .. Or wait. The many stories behind it, both historic and current.. this park hits those strings.

From the story behind the buildings themselves,

To the integrities and eco charities of the people who run it today,

To the adorable Sustainable Living inspired book store,

To the Honey Bee Farmer with his honey hives on top,

To the Beautifully Restored Habitat, that is home to many of Toronto's wild animals,

To the happy people walking the market, and that gorgeous produce...

And then the story you'll have when you have experienced everything EG Brickworks has to offer!

Again, the emotion behind this place is rally a wonderful experience.

CAFE BELONG

The Coffee Shop Cafe Belong, serves a fairly nice tasting Organic Coffee, I was glad that I had thrown out my Tim Horton's upon my arrival at the door.

The restaurant also belonging to Cafe Belong but has separate ordering and dining rooms. it is actually very modern yet keeps up well to the eco theme.

I like to see tourist attractions that actually have fine dining. I do not like getting somewhere to find out my only option is cardboard pizza and hot dogs. Not only was the food at Cafe Belong both entirely different and great, the bar selection was large and equally great.

I have to say Evergreen Brickworks definitely gives Toronto a nice feel of hominess and simplicity... a little serenity perhaps.

Surrounded in forestry and nature, within and around these old and imperfect walls, graced with weathered art, in a modern environment with its hint of class... Evergreen Brickworks truly is incredibly unique to Toronto, and is indeed a pleasant mix of old, sustainability, and new.

The art on the walls is old graffiti from when it used to be an abandoned building hosting underground raves.. ..Aand pardon my language, but those must have been some incredible raves!

The art work really does ad to the real emotion behind this old yet charming building, and the sustainable re-creation of it all. The only thing i would do differently is ad Christmas Lights.. I'd have those white little Christmas lights every where, wrapped around everything! Bricks, Trees, Beams... Everything!

The architecture here in the the Don Valley Brickworks is an old building made up of brick and steel, with incredibly high ceilings. just gorgeous!

The imperfections in the old brick walls, and even the miss matchy brick colours throughout the building really make the site even more captivating, Especially when you back up and take a view from the dock or the trails.

There is a real unexplainable beauty here in the nature of it all, but it's also a very big part of Toronto's history.

To ad to the emotion behind this Brokenesque Architectural Art, and also the Graffiti Art. Aside from it's quaint bookstore store front ,and the adorable restaurant & coffee shop, aside from the gorgeous trails, the Farmers Market, and even the bike rental all in this lovely Eco Environment, aside from the Charities they run to help develop Gardens and Parks, Evergreen Brickworks, has quite the history.

Almost all of the buildings that you see downtown Toronto to this day were built by the bricks created from Don Valley Brickworks, now known as Evergreen Brickworks.

There was a need for less flammable materials after a fire left most of Toronto's downtown core burnt to the ground. This meant there was a high demand for bricks needed in order to rebuild the city, and a giant 40 acre Quarry was made.

This is the PRESS the bricks were pressed with shaping and tightening the bricks

Evergreen Brickworks went from farmland,

To a brick company,

To creating the bricks that built the city,

To being destroyed and abandoned, raved in,

Then Sustainably Rebuilt & Reforested for Eco Tourism.

This the history of this gorgeous Park that looks as if it has never been jaded, with it breath taking views and appeals.

THE QUARRY & GARDEN

Sooo, the Quarry Garden & Park is an ecological remodel of what used to be the Don Valley Brickworks source of materials. The ingredients used to make the bricks were found here in the soil and land.

once this land was sourced for all that it had, this once upon a time farmland, was now left with this giant gaping hole.

And like a Disney Story she is now a Beautifully Refurbished Environment Promoting Nature and Sustainability, great for Eco Tourism Adventures. A Great place for Inspiration, while doing your Grocery Shopping, and taking a Nature Hike at the same time.

Grocery shopping and a nature hike? .. Yes i did just say that.. And as odd as it sounds doesn't it sound as equally delightful?!!

... now it's no longer odd, it's just delightful, doesn't it?

Isn't this just adorable!!!

SWEET PETE'S BIKE RENTAL

Sweet Pete's Bikes is a great little Bike Rental spot right in the market yard. Just rent a bike and go.

Walking through the trails is another option, great place to bring your dog for a walk. Your little furry friend is even allowed in the Farmers Market and in any of the Gardens. No fur babies in the building though.

If you do happen to bring your fur baby along there is an out door coffee vender outside in the Farmers Market as well, So you won't miss out on that warm mug while enjoying the nice views.