​Farmers markets are more than a place to run errands on the weekends, or a place to grab some fresh local produce. While this is true, these are living breathing ecosystems that sustain our communities in multiple ways.

​By midsummer here in Ontario, your herb garden will be overflowing, and your market vendors will have more than enough to go around. This is the time of year to capture those flavours and prolong the life of these herbs for the season ahead. 

Since 2012, Chuck Magri has been the owner and operator of Wildflowers Honey, located just on the south edge of St. Thomas. "I never wanted to have bees," Chuck said with a laugh. "I actually wanted to start a small agricultural business. . . I looked at a few different options, read some books, and decided to buy two colonies and see how it went. One died and one lived, and I ended up liking it and now it's grown to what it is today." Chuck now has 125 colonies (only a couple more than the two he started out with) spread out across St. Thomas and Elgin County, and he has been a staple fixture at the Horton Farmers' Market since becoming a vendor around 2016/2017. 

Pollinators sustain our food systems, keep our Earth alive, and are essential markers of ecosystem health and issues. The list of things that would cease to exist without our pollinators is endless, including life itself. Without healthy and supported pollinators, the seasons and cycles of life cannot continue. We don't want to get you down in the dumps too much, but touching on this harsh reality is important, and we need to make changes to support our pollinators now more than ever before.​

You can trace the roots of Howe Family Farms all the way back to the late 1800s, when the first generation settled into the quiet concessions of Elgin County. They grew what the land gave them, probably without imagining that, over a century later, their great-great-grandchildren would be farming those very same fields—with a few modern updates, of course.

The idea of hosting a farm-to-table brunch may sound daunting if you aren't a professional chef or a fancy foodie, but it doesn't have to be. With a little bit of planning, passion for fresh, local ingredients, and an open mind, anyone can put together a delicious brunch; no culinary degree required! 

Here are some simple steps to planning and hosting your own brunch made with incredible local ingredients that you can find here at Horton. 

Field of Greens CSA Farm may have officially started in 2024, but owners Kimber and Calvin have always had a love for growing their own food and farming. Calvin grew up on a tobacco farm in Ontario, and Kimber always enjoyed having gardens at home; even when they lived in Alberta near the Rocky Mountains 10 years ago. Calvin made sure Kimber could still grow her favourites by building garden beds and elevated eavestroughs. “Short growing seasons and cold, cold winters - and I wanted to grow strawberries,” Kimber laughed. So when Calvin wanted to move home to Ontario, Kimber was excited at the possibility of growing their gardens. After lots of hard work by Kimber, Calvin and his father, Field of Greens CSA Farm in Dutton came to fruition. ​

Rituals come in many forms; maybe for you, they consist of a walk before work, winding down at the end of the day with skincare and a book, or your daily coffee runs to your favourite local café. Rituals can help reduce our anxieties and stressors, reconnecting us with ourselves and our values. They can also foster a sense of community and belonging—and regular visits to the Horton Farmers’ Market in St. Thomas are no exception. Getting up each Saturday morning, grabbing your reusable market baskets or bags, and making your way down to Horton can not only serve as a consistent weekend outing but can also spark a renewed sense of finding joy in those simple weekly traditions.