Antigonish Farmers’ Market

A Happy Saturday

Step into the vibrant Saturday Antigonish Farmers’ Market for a fun experience meeting the locals and shopping local. The AFM has over 60 vendors from Antigonish County and farther afield. Find local produce, international foods, arts and handmade crafts in a friendly community atmosphere.

Richard Grant, Market Manager, noted that the market “has a diversity of offerings, it is the thing we’re trying to do. We’re trying to make sure we have the most vast array of different offerings possible. We’ve got vendors from all over the place – from New Glasgow all over Pictou County, Truro, and Cape Breton. We do
try to keep it within a 100-kilometer range, and we’re prioritizing small local businesses that make things themselves.

We’re always looking for more food vendors to come here, especially anyone that wants to buy produce, or anything from farmers, and then turn it into a value-added product in the kitchen that we call the Agri-Food Venture Center and essentially create that value here and then bring it back to the market.”

A delicious variety of international and local foods will whet your appetite. Enjoy Indian curries, Syrian sweets and savories, Mexican tacos and enchiladas, German breads and of course local Nova Scotia baked goods, expresso coffee and breakfast goodies. Gyungbo Noh is originally from South Korea. He started out
6 years ago with the Martha’s Growers program to learn about growing locally and starting a business. He and his wife now have their own farm and produce healthy garden vegetables. He has also introduced Asian vegetables to the local market.

According to Sheldon MacDonald, President Antigonish Farmers Market Association “The market over the years has been an incubator for new business such as Peace by Chocolate, Fresh Food Matters, and many others. We’ve had some students put themselves through StFX by vending here. The market has a commercial kitchen. A lot of the vendors use that business space to create their products right here and sell it here at the market.“

Margaret Cornect, a producer of honey and honey products, said “when I started at the market in 1997 I had 2 beehives. Now I have 500 beehives and distribute to co-ops in Cape Breton and four Superstores. People get to know your product and the market helps support a vendor that is expanding.”

There’s a wide variety of vegetables, fruit, berries, meat, cheese, free range eggs, flowers, honey, and maple syrup. Well-stocked freezers have sausages, frozen cuts of meat and chicken. Talk to the vendors and they are happy to tell you about their farm and answer any questions. It’s a great way to shop local with no middleman. Products go straight from the farm to you.

The market is a great place to shop for unique handcrafted gifts. Woodworking, jewelry, earrings, visual arts, body and health products, metal work, wool knitting and crochet. Vendors are selected for the market for the diversity and quality of products.

Use your credit card to buy Market Dollars to use like cash with the vendors. These are not only convenient but make great gifts.

The market supports community and nonprofits through community association tables, the multi-purpose room, and the community fridge. On any Saturday you will find information sessions, kids activities and on a Sunday, a community soup kitchen.

The Antigonish Farmers Market has come a long way since its start as a couple of tables in the 4-H barn in 1997 with dirt floors. A planning committee planned and implemented the current spacious, bright building with solar panels, a commercial kitchen, a multi-purpose room and year-round market with over 60
vendors. “We moved into this building in 2021” Sheldon MacDonald says. “We count about 600 daily visitors in the winter and 1100-1200 visitors in the summer. Tourist buses park over at the Arena. We can accommodate 10 or so more additional vendors and food trucks when it is warm outside.”

What’s your favorite thing about the market? Margaret Cornect “My favorite thing about selling at the market is the direct, personal connection with customers. It’s a rewarding social (not just economic).” Alicia King, Six Maples Farm “It’s got a great atmosphere, lots of great people, and just seeing all the familiar faces

makes a happy Saturday morning.” Come and visit and decide on YOUR favorite thing!

Antigonish Farmers Market, 20 Exhibition Lane off James Street, Antigonish.

Hours: January – April 10:00am – 1:00pm. May to December 8:30am – 1:00pm