We’ve been in a real cold snap recently, and this week was particularly harsh, with snow and freezing rain. I know a lot of people who like to travel down south during this time of year, and often begin a countdown to when they are feeling the heat of the sun and sand between their toes. I do a different sort of countdown each year. I countdown to Wile’s Lake Farm Market re-opening, and the taste of brown bread in my belly and plants and flowers in my garden! Seriously, driving past their sign with their opening date displayed, gives me hope when winter weather seems never-ending.

Like most years, March is a mixed bag of weather, with some spring like days that give you hope and make you feel alive, and then some cold, snowy, icy spells that make you feel as if winter is never going to end. Guess which part of March we’re experiencing right now? Yup…”Sprinter” is in full effect.

Today, March 31st, is Wile’s Lake Farm Market‘s opening day. Starting their 32nd season, Peter and Elspeth are opening the doors to their market, which looks just a little bit different since they started. The Market began primarily as a produce market with fruit and vegetables sourced at the Wile’s own farm. Since their opening day, the bakery has been an important part of their business. The recipes they use today are the same ones that were used since 1985. If it all possible I always go to the Market on opening day, and buy some bread. Then I take a picture of it and share…because I am so darn excited! I love their brown bread….and their carrot muffins…and their doughnuts…you get the idea. 😉

Opening Day-2015

One of the other things I love about going to Wile’s Lake Farm Market is going through their greenhouses. One rainy summer a few years back, I stopped into the Market to take a walk through the greenhouse, taking some nice deep breaths, and looking at all the beautiful plants. The greenery, the colors, the flowers…it’s therapeutic…for me anyway. I think I ran into Elspeth that day and told her what I was doing and she said she understood, and that I wasn’t the only one who did that. I guess I’m not alone in my “gardening = therapy” idea. The greenhouses will open this year on April 28th.

photo by Heidi Jirotka Photography

photo by Heidi Jirotka Photography

Besides the bakery and the greenhouses, Wile’s Lake Farm Market also has an adorable gift shop, and their ever-expanding Market Kitchen and Cafe. Continuing with their “comfort food to take home” which are delicious, ready to heat and serve meals, they also have soup, sandwiches and salads, everything you need to have a picnic or a lunch, right at the Market! One of the Market Cafe offerings I am really excited about this year is their “Market Bacon Eggwich” which is a breakfast sandwich! It will be available from opening until 4 pm every day. I love any sort of breakfast food and got to sample one of these last week. They were delicious!

photo by Heidi Jirotka Photography

photo by Heidi Jirotka Photography

For all of the reasons that I love this place, it makes me so happy to announce that Wile’s Lake Farm Market is sponsoring a new series here on Simple Local Life!

“Grow with Me and Wile’s Lake Farm Market” will be a 6-month gardening series focusing on my gardening journey, from seed to plate, showing you how to start plants from seed, how to improve your soil, when to plant and harvest, etc. I love my garden, but am definitely an amateur gardener…so basically if I can do it…you can too! Wile’s Lake Farm Market is a trusted source of information and quality plant material whose goal is to make gardening accessible, fun and rewarding. Nothing brings me more joy than watching something I plant, grow and produce food to feed my family! It is seriously…the best. “Grow with Me and Wile’s Lake Farm Market” will begin on April 6th and will be posted on the blog every other Thursday through till September. Plus, there will be lots of photo sharing on Facebook and Instagram to show you how things are doing along the way.

photo by Heidi Jirotka Photography

photo by Heidi Jirotka Photography

On top of all of that, Elspeth and I will be doing Facebook Live throughout the series with her answering my…and your…questions! Stay tuned for dates for those, which will be announced ahead of time so you can be sure to join us and ask any questions you have about that week’s topic. This is going to so much fun!

Be sure to sign up for Simple Local Life’s newsletter which will update you on any new posts as well as notify you for upcoming Facebook Live events, etc.

So stop into Wile’s Lake Farm Market starting today! Their spring hours are Monday – Thursday, 8:30am – 6:00pm, Friday, 8:30am – 7:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 8:30am – 6:00pm. Then get ready to follow along on Simple Local Life as another garden season begins and we start “growing” with Wile’s Lake Farm Market!