Nearly everything you’ll find at Haven begins right on the farm. From strawberries and rhubarb that become homemade pies to vegetables and fruit transformed into preserves, Skye grows so much of what she sells herself. Many of her canned goods are made entirely from her own harvest. When a crop doesn’t produce enough, such as blueberries, she sources additional ingredients locally and organically. “I grow all the produce myself,” she says. “Farming seems to be throwing a lot of crap at the wall and seeing what sticks.” It’s a learning process, but one she genuinely enjoys. Friends, neighbouring farmers, and her dad have all shared advice along the way, and each growing season brings new lessons. 

If you’ve ever visited Haven’s booth at the Horton Farmers’ Market, you’ve probably noticed just how beautifully everything is displayed. That’s no coincidence. “I’ve travelled a lot, and cooked in other places, and you really do appreciate aesthetics, and what that looks like in other cultures,” Skye says. Having lived and cooked in Europe, she developed an appreciation for the care that goes into presenting food. She recalls visiting butcher shops in France where, “the fridge cases look like a Rembrandt painting, displayed with such care.” Combined with years spent working in Toronto’s catering and wedding industry, creating beautiful food has become second nature. Whether she’s decorating pies or setting up her market table on Saturday morning, Skye believes that good food deserves thoughtful presentation. ​

The kitchen becomes part of the adventure, too. Washing berries together, snapping green beans, or stirring pancake batter with fresh blueberries transforms cooking into family time rather than another household chore. These moments don’t need to be elaborate. Even if the simplest recipes become opportunities for children to learn confidence, patience, and the satisfaction of creating something from fresh ingredients. 

Perhaps the most valuable lesson markets offer is an appreciation for the rhythm of the seasons. Children quickly notice when strawberries disappear and pumpkins take their place, or when asparagus arrives after a long winter. Instead of expecting every fruit and vegetable year-round, they begin to look forward to what’s next. That anticipation creates excitement around seasonal eating while helping them understand that nature has its own schedule. ​

Wacky Wendell’s is a family operation run by Wendell and Cindy Graves alongside their daughters, Andrea Tran and Rebecca Faris. While the business officially began in 2017 with honey production, their baking journey took off during the COVID-19 pandemic when a neighbour organized a small pop-up market. “We wanted to support her so we had a table of fresh baked goods including our butter tarts,” they shared, “the response was overwhelming. That was the ignition point.” 

Today, the Horton Farmers’ Market is the exclusive place to find Wacky Wendell’s, where customers have made their handcrafted treats a market tradition. Their butter tarts aren’t just another bakery item – they’re made from a treasured family recipe handed down from Wendell’s mother. Every batch starts with hand-made pastry, and one ingredient that makes them especially memorable: maple syrup made by the family themselves. ​

That same commitment to using their own ingredients carries over into their rich, fudgy brownies, which are sweetened with honey harvested from their own bees. It’s these thoughtful touches that make every bite feel just a little more special. ​

While butter tarts remain the star of the table, there’s plenty to discover. Alongside the classic plain, raisin, pecan, and wild berry coconut varieties, seasonal flavours like strawberry rhubarb and apple crumble give customers something new to look forward to throughout the year. ​

The close-knit approach is something customers notice, and it’s helped build an incredibly loyal following. In recent years, the business has expanded its preorder offerings through Facebook and Instagram, making it easy for customers to reserve their favourite treats for Saturday pickup. Wacky Wendell’s also now provides tarts for weddings, corporate events, and other special occasions while staying focused on the product that made them popular in the first place. ​

For the Grave’s family, Horton Farmers’ Market has always been part of the St. Thomas community. “Growing up in St. Thomas, the Horton Farmers’ Market has always been an important fixture in the community.” Today, one of their favourite parts of market mornings is reconnecting with familiar faces, “it is a pleasure to be at the market on Saturdays visiting with the customers including old friends and business acquaintances." 

By the time Sunday evening arrives, the benefits of that market morning are still unfolding. Lunches are easier to pack, dinners require less last-minute planning, and the fridge is filled with ingredients you’re genuinely excited to use. What began as a simple Saturday morning outing has quietly shaped the entire week, making everyday cooking feel fresher, more enjoyable, and a little more connected to the season. 

Sometimes, all it takes is one trip to the market to remind us that the best meals don’t start with a recipe. They start with fresh ingredients, thoughtful choices, and the inspiration that comes from wandering between market stalls on a Saturday morning. ​

Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that simple meals are often some of the most enjoyable. Fresh ingredients don’t need elaborate recipes to shine. A bowl of pasta tossed with seasonal vegetables, a hearty vegetable soup, a colourful salad, or oatmeal topped with fresh fruit can all be comforting, nutritious, and easy on your budget. 

​A smaller grocery budget doesn’t have to limit what’s on your plate. Sometimes it simply encourages us to slow down, appreciate seasonal ingredients, and make thoughtful choices about the food we bring home. With a little planning, a touch of creativity, and a focus on versatile, fresh ingredients, $20 can go much further than you might expect – and the meals you create along the way may become new favorites. 

Prior to 2022, Karen Parr and Bert Floyd were living in London, ON, working corporate jobs, and living daily life. Eventually they pictured themselves moving out to the country and living on a farm - a quiet property with tall trees, lots of nature, and space to relax. Then one evening during a sleepless night, Bert stumbled upon a listing for a stunning lavender farm property in Sparta, ON, and an unexpected adventure began. "It's Bert's fault," Karen said with a laugh. "He wanted to move to the country. We wanted some trees and a barn and a tractor - we weren't expecting 10,000 lavender plants!" But after seeing the property, Karen and Bert quickly fell in love with it, and in just days they were the new owners of a lavender farm. "We found it, put an offer in, and owned it within four days," Karen explained. "So that was like, holy moly!" The sale was finalized, and on July 30, 2022 after only owning the property for 12 days, Sparta Lavender Farm officially opened its doors. 

Initially, Karen and Bert didn't plan on keeping the lavender farm running and open to the public, they just knew it was their dream property which ticked many of their boxes when house hunting. "We quickly fell in love with the property. The exquisite gardens and fragrant lavender fields only added to its beauty," Karen explained. "As avid kayakers, campers, and adventurers on paths less travelled, this property was perfectly located for us. It's close to Lake Erie, conservation areas, and our family in nearby St. Thomas, London, and Kilworth." But once the word got out among their friends and family, the encouragement to keep the farm doors open to the public was incredible. "We started telling people we had bought the farm, and everyone kept saying, you have to keep it open!" Karen said as we sat on the patio connected to the farm store on a sunny afternoon. "So within probably a week we decided, okay, let's give it a go." 

Karen's sister-in-law helped her come up with a logo, another friend helped her set up the farm store, and the entire family rallied around them to support the continuation of the farm and keeping the doors open to visitors. In less than two weeks, Karen and Bert moved onto the 40-acre property, figured out the basic ropes of opening a business, got the farm store set up, and dove head first into learning all about lavender. But Karen and Bert knew the property was too special not to share, and that all of the work would be worth it. ​

Throughout their first year on the farm, Karen and Bert dove head first into all things lavender. They were lucky enough to hire the previous farm owners incredible gardener Hilary, who not only helped keep the gardens thriving and beautiful during Karen and Bert's first season, but also provided them with a wealth of knowledge. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. "There's been some reading," Karen said with a laugh. "We joined the Ontario Lavender Association (where Karen is now a board member), take courses, and every year we hire students from the Fanshawe Horticulture Program - and that's been so helpful because they have each brought in different knowledge. And then we share some of whatever we are learning with them, so it's a really lovely relationship." 

In addition to education, gardening, and getting acquainted to the property, Karen and Bert had to find products to stock the farm store. Karen's sister-in-law pulled through again, introducing her to a website and company that was all Canadian women owned and fair trade. "That organization really resonated with me," said Karen. "Everything we put [in the shop] that isn't ours is still sourced in Canada and is women owned."

​​After finishing their first year on the farm, Karen and Bert began to plan for their first full lavender season in 2023. While learning about lavender and all the aspects of business ownership, Karen found herself taken aback by the amount of waste generated by products and packaging. They decided to only use glass to reduce plastic waste, and picked Canadian companies. Even in their gardening, the Sparta Lavender Farm focuses heavily on sustainability. "We don't use plastic weed mats, we irrigate with drip tape instead of big sprinklers which is better for the plants, and we only use natural fertilizers like chicken poop," explained Karen. "It can make things cost a little more and take a little more time, but it's very important to us." The farm is a Certified Wildlife-friendly Habitat with the Canadian Wildlife Federation, and they are a monarch sanctuary. "Our forest has been certified as an area of scientific and natural interest, so we are working to put the protections in place for this land so we can be good stewards of it, Karen said. "We're not just trying to have a nice garden, we want to educate and connect people to the land." They now have informational signage throughout the gardens about lavender, pollinators, and wildlife, and Karen and Bert have their horticulture students manage a zone and create living projects, like pumpkin patches and sunflower patches. Karen and Bert politely ask that people leave their pets at home when visiting the farm, unless it is a registered service animal. 

In order to start making their own products, Karen and Bert had to learn all about lavender - the growth cycle, trimming times, bloom season, and how to extract the natural lavender oils. All of their oil-based products are made right on the farm, and for their culinary products they rent a near-by commercial kitchen at Seed Confections in St. Thomas. "It involved a lot of research, trial, and error, and some spectacular fails," laughed Karen. "Like a sugar scrub. I wanted a sugar scrub! How hard can that be? It's sugar in some sort of oil, but it just turns into grey cement! But I love telling people these things because they don't see the disasters, just the finished products that worked."

Along with their incredible team of gardeners, Karen and Bert are endlessly thankful for all of the incredible people that have crossed their path to help them make Sparta Lavender Farm the incredible, welcoming place they dreamed of. From the practitioners that come to the farm to offer yoga, sound baths, reiki and more, to the chemist who helps them with research and doubles as a fabulous baker who creates their incredible lines of culinary products and baked goods, and to local businesses like From The Vines who have partnered with Sparta Lavender Farm to offer charcuterie boards for picnics and more. "2022 was just about opening the doors and getting people here so they would remember us, but 2023 was about starting to put our fingerprints on it," said Karen. "I wanted to build a community space that I was always looking for when we lived in London with activities and events." 

Sparta Lavender Farm is now home to many activities, events, informational talks, and is bustling with growth, love, and a beautiful sense of community. They host monthly markets by The Little Market Collective on the farm, offer garden tours, lavender talks, and so much more. 

Before owning and operating the Sparta Lavender Farm, Karen and Bert didn't know about the Horton Farmers' Market, but thanks to a referral made by Elgin County Tourism, they came out to shop and loved the community environment they found amongst vendors and shoppers. "I came by a few mornings to do my shopping and got to know some of the vendors and it just got connected slowly but surely that way," Karen said with a smile. "We decided to give it a shot and the community was so good. Fellow vendors like Magnolia + Co helped me figure out our table set up, and vendors just took me under their wing - it's like a big, fun family. And the staff at the Horton Farmers' Market are genuinely interested in understanding your business and how they can help elevate it." The Horton Farmers' Market helped Sparta Lavender Farm connect with the local communities, letting them know that although the farm had sold, the new owners were continuing the lavender farm and the doors were still open to customers. "There's been so many people I've met through Horton that are now regulars at the farm, and people that I've met on the farm I can tell to come see us at the Horton Farmers' Market too."

As Sparta Lavender Farm continues their 2026 season (their bloom season lasts until July 25), make sure you are following them on Facebook and Instagram to see what activities, events, and offerings are underway, and when they will be at the Horton Farmers' Market (even when Karen is busy on the farm, you can find a range of their products inside the market building at Horton each Saturday from 8am-12pm). Their gardens close in October, but their farm store stays open until Christmas, and their products can be found at the Horton Farmers' Market year-round. 

​Take some time this summer to pop out to the Sparta Lavender Farm to explore the gardens, view their wildflowers and butterflies, and to slow down and reconnect with nature in a beautiful space that Karen and Bert so lovingly share with our community.

Farmers’ markets also offer something that large retailers often can’t, a direct connection to the people behind the food. Customers can ask questions about how produce was grown, learn the best ways to prepare seasonal ingredients, or discover new products through conversations with vendors. These connections help build confidence in cooking with fresh foods while creating a shopping experience rooted in trust and community. 

Strong local food systems also benefit communities during times of uncertainty. Weather events, transportation challenges, and supply chain disruptions have shown how quickly access to certain products can change. Having local farms and food producers nearby creates additional sources of food and helps communities become more resilient when larger systems are facing challenges. ​

In 1958, Sikko and Aultje Oegema and their seven children made the long journey to immigrate to Elgin County from the Netherlands. They purchased a farm just outside of present day St. Thomas in Talbotville, and together they began their farming venture in Canada. They started off by raising some hogs and growing tomato and sugar beet crops, and in 1959 they began raising turkeys, and over the years their sons Heiko and Tom grew the turkey and cropping aspect of the farm. On December 5, 1992, the Oegema family officially opened The Turkey Shoppe, an on-farm store where they could offer customers fresh turkey products direct from the farm. In 2004, Heiko's sons Mike and Wayne took over the turkey operation. 

Now the original home farm grows corn, soy beans, and wheat, while The Turkey Shoppe continues to offer quality fresh and frozen local turkey products, the bulk of which are handmade in their production space on the farm. Since opening in 1992, The Turkey Shoppe has become a staple across St. Thomas and Elgin County. "Originally, Mike was the only employee at The Turkey Shoppe, and the store was only open 3 days a week. But over the years we have grown, our product line has expanded, and now we are open 6 days a week with 7 full and part-time employees," Annie said with a smile. "And we've been coming to the Horton Farmers' Market since 2009." 

The Turkey Shoppe's mission is the same as it was back in 1992 - to provide good quality, interesting, and flavourful turkey products that people can incorporate into their diet on a daily basis, not just on holidays and special occasions. "Turkey is great for the holidays, and that is a huge part of our business, but we really want people to start thinking of turkey as an everyday option, and we want to give them delicious and healthy ways of doing that," said Annie. 

Turkey meat boasts great health benefits. It is one of the most protein-dense, lean, and versatile offerings you can put on the table. "It's high in protein, low in fat, and is actually the only protein that has been considered a superfood," explained Annie. "It's just all-around a really amazing quality protein." It delivers eight essential amino acids, is great at absorbing flavours, and is incredibly adaptable - from ground turkey to turkey bacon, sausages, pepperettes, burgers, breasts, and more, the possibilities are truly endless. 

If you've ever visited the Horton Farmers' Market during market day on Saturday mornings, you've likely seen a sampling of the wide variety of product options offered by The Turkey Shoppe at their staple spot inside the historic market building. From fresh ground turkey to seasoned breasts, flavoured burgers, sausages, meatloaf, and more - The Turkey Shoppe excels in offering a large range of delicious turkey products perfect for every meal and occasion. "We make our ground turkey, schnitzel, sausages, burgers, bacon wrapped medallions, and meatloaf fresh weekly," explained Annie. "And we also do some cooking. We have our soup, chili, and Shepard's pie, and then our chefs make a feature each week that customers can find at the Horton Farmers' Market and at The Turkey Shoppe farm store. We also have fresh cuts like breast meat, thigh meat, and some marinated cuts. The list goes on, lots and lots!" 

Everything except for their smoked products are made in The Turkey Shoppe, on the original farm property. "The smoked products we buy in or get custom made. Some of it comes from Hayter's Farm up in Dashwood, but things like our pepperettes, kielbasa, and jerky is all made by Evelyn's Sausage Kitchen in nearby Shedden," Annie said. "We bring them the meat and they make it for us." When it comes to coming up with certain marinades and flavours, Annie explained that the The Turkey Shoppe team does a lot of research and development to give customers and idea of what dishes and flavours they can make with the versatile meat. "Some of it is just our own favourite recipes from home that we make, some of it is requested by customers, and some ideas come from looking at other protein dishes to see how we can adapt and make it work with turkey," Annie said with a smile. "Take our pulled turkey as an example. We looked at pulled pork recipes and worked to tweak and adapt the idea to work with turkey." 

Some of The Turkey Shoppe recipes are rooted in family and home cooking, like Annie's meatloaf recipe, and the soups which were a collaborative effort between Annie and her mom, and some are the product of the creative chefs they've had over the years. "[Our chefs] are just a endless wealth of ideas and knowledge. They are constantly thinking of new things, or they go out and see something they want to try and replicate or put a spin on. They are so creative," Annie proudly explained. Some products, like their turkey meatballs, have a deeper backstory, one which teaches us that sometimes doing the things we don't want to do results in something great (even if we need a little push and encouragement to do it). "We had a customer who had asked could you make a meatball, and I was a little grumpy about it," Annie laughed. "I didn't want to make a meatball, but they kept asking, and I just said fine! So I began searching for recipes and researching, and I found one with some interesting ingredients in it. I thought, find, I'm going to make meatballs and I'll follow this idea and put cinnamon in them. And they have become such a huge seller for us! It's actually a story I love. Some of the best ideas come up in a backwards kind of way. It really wasn't something I wanted to try and do, but it was part of the process, and it wouldn't have happened with our customers encouragement and support. They got the ball rolling."