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as published in:  DUE NORTH, July, 2008.

by Paul Thomas

Raising a Business:  The Germination of MarketSide  Cafe & Food Shop.

When we moved to Owen Sound in 1987 our view out the dining room window overlooked a large grassy front yard next door.  Having come from a farm setting with an abundance of land for gardens, we looked longingly at this yard for its potential for food production.  As fate would have it in 1991 we moved in and I immediately rototilled the yard, (an area roughly 8m x 20m),  planted rye as a green manure and entertained the neighbours curiosity as it grew and grew.   “Ready for the combine yet?”, they would ask.  Over the years our front yard has become the essential foundation, the seed of inspiration, for our downtown business, MarketSide Cafe & Food Shop.  The name “MarketSide” grew out of our desire to support the food growers of our region, some of whom sell their produce at our local farmers market.

We have grown a family and raised a business around the theme of “fine foods from fresh local harvest”.  In this case local means a 3 block walk from our home to the shop.

From the ritual sowing of the sunflower seeds to the timing of the first basil planting, our lives have honoured the seasons and the bounty of what “Front Yard Productions” has become.  Our sons have grown up with the notion that being able to pick a few chives for Sunday’s scrambled eggs is as normal as garnishing the fresh picked salad with edible flowers.  Sitting down for a family meal in growing season has always meant bringing in a little taste from the front yard.  Passing through the front gate, we are immediately welcomed by the infinite luxury of the colours, textures, smells and sounds of all that the garden is at any one time.  A balance of perennial wilderness and intensively cultivated annual harvest.  

Spring in Owen Sound is, as we all know, such a treat especially when experienced in the context of a garden.  We can hardly wait for the first signs of green which help to transform our winter garden salad into the spring mix.  Shoots of chives, both regular and garlic, don’t stand a chance as we hover over them in anticipation.  French sorrel with its zesty lemon flavour is next on the list as is lovage, a pungent celery flavour and sweet cicely, a sweet tasting fern-like plant.  Bronze fennel along with self seeding orach, parsley and chard waltz us in through the early perennial spring delights.  Of course by this time, even with snow still on the ground, arugula, spinach, mizuna and some of the hardier lettuces have already been planted. We have found through trials over the years that raised beds and cold frames for the annual herbs and salad greens dramatically increases production efficiency and lengthens the gardening season not only for an earlier start in the spring but for an extended season in the fall.  We have often been able to pick some additions for the festive salad during the christmas holidays.   Tucked under the west side hill we are in a lovely sheltered micro climate, albeit with an abundance of snow for winter protection.   

The king of herbs in our garden has to be Ocimum basilicum, sweet basil.  The large succulent leaves of ‘Genovese Organic’ lend themselves beautifully to pesto and many additions to the sauces and flavours of MarketSide fare.  Ask many of the fine folks who have experienced the kitchen around the basil harvest time and you’ll discover just how significant this crop is for us and how stained our hands become.  Long touted for its romantic and culinary associations, basil has also been used medicinally as well.  Given that basil is a member of the mint family, it isn’t surprising that it is recommended for digestive complaints.  Herbalists recommend it for stomach cramps, vomiting and constipation.  Basil has been described as having a light sedative action, which would explain why it is sometimes used for nervous headaches and anxiety. (Rodale, 1987)

Being patient, waiting until the soil has warmed up,  is essential for good basil germination.  I have tried starting seeds indoors for later transplant and planting early and in succession over a one month period, but in the end planting mid June before a full moon and watering diligently if we don’t have rain, yields a tremendous harvest by mid to late August.  The harvest involves washing and freezing the stems with leaves in tact.  Later, we simply shake the leaf “chips” off and into the food processor for pureeing. By the beginning of February, taking a tub of basil puree out of the freezer and inhaling its aroma reminds us of the summer glory in the garden. Not a bad return. 

There are many other herbs and flavours that we cultivate from our front yard “garden in the city”, on an almost daily basis.  Doing the morning pick brings an opportunity to focus in on a small but mighty connection to our place here in Owen Sound and on this earth.  Being able to share this bounty with our family and with our community through the MarketSide kitchen, has become a fundamental component of our outlook on business and indeed our lives.  Connecting the food we present at the shop with our “Front Yard Production” garden, brings the dining experience full circle.  It’s something we’ve always done and really couldn’t ever conceive of our lives without this essential component.    After 19 years, we are still on the front line;  raising a business, growing a family and continuing to cultivate our passion for taste!