Taking some time over the Victoria Day weekend to put your veggie garden in the ground? Are you getting your patio planters purchased? After a slow start due to a cold April, Simcoe County farmers are hard at work and the local growing season is ramping up, so LET’S GET GROWING!

Whether you’re looking to fill a backyard plot or pots on your balcony, vendors at the Barrie Farmers’ Market have vegetable transplants, potted herbs, flowers, and perennials for sale to get your garden going.

We’re also hosting a community fair with information about local growing and agricultural initiatives. Stop by to chat and find out more from:

• Barrie Garden Club & Master Gardeners – Find out about their extensive program of speakers and get advice from Master Gardeners on your own planting and gardening issues.
• Huronia Rose Society – Pick up rose bushes for transplanting and get advice from the experts of the only Rose Society north of Toronto.
• Communities in Bloom – Bring the kids for fun planting activities and find out more about making Barrie beautiful.
• Barrie Seed Library – The Seed Library (which is part of the Barrie Public Library) is a community-led initiative that provides people with an opportunity to grow their own, healthy affordable food from seed. Stop by their booth to find out about checking out seeds and harvesting seeds for donation.
• Barrie FruitShare – Do your fruit trees and garden produce more than you can possibly eat? Barrie FruitShare will do the hard work of harvesting your bounty for you and sharing the spoils with those in need. Also talk to them about what they’re doing to bring fruit trees and urban gardening to the city’s park.
• Growing Georgian – Nothing is more local than the food grown in your own backyard. Find out how Georgian College students are helping each other by supplying fresh veggies to the campus food locker.
• Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition – Expanding the greenbelt to include Simcoe County is an important part of ensuring our water, natural heritage and farmland are protected.

Local singer-guitarist Jeremiah Hill will also be on hand providing entertainment for the morning and the Barrie Ringette will have a fun sports activity for the kids.

Take advantage of local food, plants, and artisan products every Saturday, all year long. The Barrie Farmers’ Market keeps bringing fresh local goodness to Mulcaster Street all the way through October. Stop in between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. and meet your local farmers, producers, chefs, bakers, and artisans, then wander downtown to take in the waterfront. See you Saturday!