Peak of apple season brings people to the Timmins farmer's market for their favourite varieties
With occasions such as Thanksgiving and Halloween happening this month, pumpkins are typically top of mind, but those in the business of apples say that fruit is at its peak.
"They are in full harvest and they’re usually done in mid-November," said Marion Veens.
Veens grew up on an apple farm in Arkona, Ont., between London and Sarnia. She said her father bought the farm in 1956 after moving to Canada from Holland.
Her brother now owns the 150-acre farm that grows between 15 to 20 types of apple trees, among other vegetables. Veens owns Sunrise Orchards and Produce, a store in Smooth Rock Falls, and she loves travelling throughout northeastern Ontario to sell her favourite apples for eating and cooking.
"It’s very special. I love bringing the apples and my big thing is one of the apples I have here, my father developed and it’s called a Jerry Gold and it’s a cross between a Russet and a Golden Delicious," Veens said.
She described it as sweet and said it tastes more like the Delicious variety.
Veens said MacIntosh apples are a big hit with shoppers and one woman said she often will eat three in a row.
"I’m not a big baker and the MacIntosh are so delicious that they don’t hang around long enough to be baked into anything," said Christine Leduc, of Timmins.
Amanda Beamish, of Timmins, said her husband sent her to the market with a special list of things to bring back.
"He absolutely had to have his Honeycrisp apples ... They’re much bigger than all the rest of them ... and we love how farm-fresh they are.”
Officials said it's been a good year for the Mountjoy Farmers Market and with this being the last weekend for it, Rock Whissell said more than 500 other people came out to pick up locally farmed food or handcrafted goods.
Veens added she finds more people want to be aware of where their products are coming from.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.