Taking some time over the Victoria Day weekend to put your veggie garden in the ground? Are you getting your patio planters purchased? After the chilly weather in April and May, 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:

• Huronia Rose Society – Pick up rose bushes for transplanting and get advice from the experts of the only Rose Society north of Toronto.
• 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.
• Urban Pantry – Do your fruit trees and garden produce more than you can possibly eat? Volunteers with Urban Pantry’s Barrie FruitShare team 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 community gardening to the city’s park.
• Unity Christian High School Community Garden – Find out what the students and staff of Unity Christian school in Allandale are doing to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to the community through a free, volunteer-run garden.

The Neema Children’s Choir from Uganda will be performing all morning and the Barrie Public Library will host kids’ story time under the covered walkway.

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!