This story was originally published on May 30, 2024, it's being republished today for readers who may have missed it.
Farmers' market-goers asked, and organizers stepped up so people could sit down.
When the Mountjoy Farmers' Market launches this Saturday, June 1, picnic tables are one of the new offerings for people to take a rest or sample some of their delicious buys.
About 15 students in Tim Brooks shop class at Timmins High & Vocational School are busy putting the finishing touches on the tables. Home Depot donated the materials — worth about $600 — and the students are putting together, engraving, and staining the pieces.
After years of planning, the popular farmers' market launched its first season with a new pavilion and at a new site in 2023.
“One of the requests from last summer was that there was … nowhere to sample or to have an opportunity to have somewhere to sit. We ended up asking Home Depot if they were willing to donate picnic tables to the farmers’ market and in correlation we looked at the TH&VS shop class to put those tables together," said Rock Whissell, Porcupine District Agricultural Society president.
Three of the tables will be on-site this weekend. When the rest are ready, they'll likely be used near the new chip stand that's opening up this year.
Thanks to new technology at the school, each table the students make is easily identified by the laser-engraved school logo on the bench.
"I love seeing all the new technology that this class has as well so they could share those technologies that no one really sees, unless there’s projects like this that go back into the public,” said Whissell, after watching Grade 11 student Rylan Richardson use the computer program and attached laser to add one of the emblems.
The June 1 start is the earliest this committee has launched in the past five years.
The farmers' market will run every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon for 20 weeks, ending at Thanksgiving.
This weekend, Whissell said they're putting out 49 tables, which is the most they've ever had.
Last year, for example, they started with 40 tables and grew to 45.
“We’re looking at a little more music, more entertaining at the market itself. We’re trying to do a little variation to make it fresh and new every weekend. Last summer we were overwhelmed by the popularity and support from the community, so I think this time we’re a little bit ready for it and we’re looking into adding more variety, different events, more non-profit groups," said Whissell.
"We have four tables on top of the 49 available every weekend for non-profit groups that want to promote themselves or want to showcase what’s available in the community."
Stay up-to-date with what's happening at the market on its Facebook page.