My brother is visiting us from Ottawa at the moment and the three of us (my sister, he and I) have been spending this week visiting some of our old haunts and just enjoying each other's company.
Yesterday we went to Wolfville to visit the Farm Market there. Hennigar's Farm Market. This place has been around since the 1920's and was a favorite place of ours back in the day when I was going to Acadia University back in the 1970's. My brother also went to Uni there. He graduated, I did not. I had a child by then and it was hard going. I had always thought to go back one day, but life got in the way.
My sister and I have been wanting to go to this farm market for a while now. As you know we love Farm Markets, especially this time of year. Yesterday was the day and we dragged our brother along to join in on the fun!
Back when I was at Uni, it was basically just a large farm stand, and it was not really open all year round if I recall correctly. It has really grown since then!
It boasts a HUGE variety of fruit and vegetables, which one would suspect. And everything looks so fresh and delicious. I can't think of anything that they didn't have there and it was all locally grown for the most part.
The smell of the apples was phenomenal. I love the smell of fresh apples in the autumn! Tis the season and all that!
There was so much more than fruit and vegetables however. There was loads and loads of other stuff. Ice cream for scooping. Apple cider. A multitude of baked goods, gifts, flowers, fudge, candies, etc.
We spent at least an hour perusing and trying to make up our minds about what we were going to get. I am sure David was getting quite bored, but all power to him, he never let on if he was. But you know . . . most men are get it, get what you want, and get out kinds of people!
We were also going to Jonny's Cook House in Berwick for lunch afterwards and the thoughts of a Jonny Burger were playing havoc with his brain!
As usual, I spent the most. I did pick up some lovely autumn vegetables, but the baked goods and everything else were really calling my name! I could have easily spent much more than what I did! Easily!!
As well as having their own "on site" baked goods, they also carry baked goods from a number of other places. We were really spoiled for choice to be honest and I found myself waffling back and forth as to just what I wanted to get.
Truth is I wanted it all, but I had to be realistic and know that there was no possible way that I could use up all that I wanted, and so I chose only a few select things and wished that I could get more!
These three items came from "24 Carrots" Bakery which is situated in Halifax. I had not tried any of their baked goods before. My sister and I have a real weakness for Oatcakes. I have made both Scottish Oatcakes and Nova Scotia Oatcakes here on the blog at different times. Both are addictive! You have been warned.
Often if we can get them we will pick up the Oatcakes from Costco, but they are not always available. They sell like hotcakes.
I was so excited to see these there yesterday! There were other brands also, but I ended up getting these and as if one package was not enough, I also had to get myself the chocolate dipped ones!
Cost:
CHOCOLATE DIPPED - $4.99PLAIN - $4.59
I can tell you now, both are delicious. Crisp and not too sweet. Just right. The chocolate ones have a slight edge over the plain, but I mean . . . chocolate, right? Its an unfair comparison. Both are fabulous!
I could not resist the Peanut Butter Balls. 6 balls for $5.99
They are tasty, but I have to confess that they fall quite short of my own homemade ones. Leona's Peanut Butter Balls. I have been making these since the 1980's from a recipe which my good friend Leona gave me. I love them. They are rich and sweet and filled with crisp rice cereal and toasted walnuts, both of which I love.
Although quite tasty, these were a bit of a disappointment. There was no crisp rice cereal and no toasted nuts. Just sweet peanut butter and a dark semi-sweet chocolate coating. Once you have had the homemade ones, nothing else quite comes up to it.
I can never resist a good cheese biscuit or donut. I picked up a package of their own baked Cheese Biscuits for $4.99 (six in the bag) and Apple Cider Doughnuts (with cinnamon) for $4.49 (again six in the package).
I enjoyed one of the Cheese Biscuits today, slightly warmed and spread with butter. Overall it was quite good actually. Not as good as homemade and fresh from the oven, but very close. Better than the Pillsbury refrigerated kind for sure! (and plenty of people love those.)
I would have liked a bit more cheese in it, or a stronger cheese, but then again, there was nothing to stop me from enjoying it with a slice of sharp cheddar on the side!
The donuts were also okay, but I didn't really get much apple cider flavor. I think the cinnamon sugar probably overpowered it. In retrospect I probably should have gotten the plain apple cider ones. They are good though, and I enjoyed one yesterday with a hot cuppa.
SWEET APPLE CIDER - 1 liter for $2.99
I thought this was really reasonably priced. I love fresh sweet apple cider. They had a cooler dispensing small sample sized paper cups of their cider and after a taste of it, I was sold. I had to pick up some to bring home with me. Such a clean fresh and sweet apple flavor. Very nice.
You can't go to a farm market and not walk away with at least some fresh fruit and or vegetables! I picked up a variety of vegetables to use over the next week or so.
FRESH CARROTS $2.39FRESH PARSNIPS $2.99TURNIP/SWEDE $1.382 ACORN SQUASH $3.98
They all looked beautiful and fresh. I could have bought so much more. Their Cauliflower and broccoli looked fabulous, as did their corn and peppers. Cabbage, potatoes, onions . . . tomatoes. Both green and red. And that's not even touching the fruit. I could go on and on.
Finally I picked up two tubes of the Mitchell's Soup Co mixes. My sister and I had seen some of these up at the Dempsey Corner Farm Market and although tempted had not bought any. I had regretted it afterwards and after seeing them again at this farm market, I made sure to pick up a couple. I would not be making the same mistake and regretting it twice!!
I got COUNTRY CHICKEN CHOWDER $9.99 (a richer thicker spin on chicken noodle soup) MANGO BUTTER CHICKEN also $9.99 (Indian inspired, cook on stove top or bake)
I could very easily have bought more, but kept it within reason. I wanted to try them all. They all sound delicious. You add your own fresh ingredients. The mixes are an assortment of spices, herbs, dried lentils and beans, stock powder, dried fruits and veggies, etc. I am really looking forward to giving these a tasty go!
Altogether with the bottle deposit I spent $58.96, but in all truth I could have spent so much more than that. This farm market was a cornucopia of deliciousness and temptations! We will be back for sure. And maybe sooner than later lol
After having been so patient with us at the farm market my brother was rewarded with his tasty Jonny Burger with a side of Poutine! He was a happy camper. We were happy campers. A great time out was enjoyed by all! And interestingly enough most of it had something to do with food. Surprise! Surprise!
We did take a drive around our old High School (West Kings) afterwards and were surprised by how much it had changed, but then I did graduate 50 years ago now myself. Change is unfortunately inevitable.
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