Celebrating local produce since 1990

Our Story

About the Carp Farmers’ Market

How it started

The Dream of a Farmers’ Market

A local Farmers’ Market was a concept and a dream in the mind of Hildegarde Anderson, an active resident of Carp. Ms. Anderson had fond memories of the success of farmers’ markets in her native province of Saskatchewan. She decided that a prairie-style farmers’ market would provide the agricultural community and the residents of Carp with many kinds of social and economic benefits.

With a determined spirit, she pressed ahead to bring her dream to life. Together with her friend Kathy Fischer, Farmers’ Markets Ontario’s marketing specialist Bob Chorney, and volumes of information from the Ontario Ministry of Food and Agriculture, she proceeded to develop a written plan and conduct a series of information meetings together with a publicity campaign to convince other members of the community of the need for and potential benefits of a farmers’ market.

Today, we are one of the largest producer-based Farmers’ Market in Eastern Ontario.

A legacy of freshness

In January 1990, the Carp Farmers’ Market became a reality for many residents of Carp and the surrounding communities, and the first market day was June 23rd, 1990.

Each day brought new ideas and new supporters for the market concept. A nine-member steering committee was formed. Janice Browning’s slogan “Fresher By A Country Smile” was adopted together with the harvest basket logo designed by Brian Fallack. School children submitted stories with the theme of the Carp Farmers’ Market. Signs were printed and advertisements were placed with the media.

The Carp Agricultural Society and the whole community soon embraced the concept of a producer-based country market. All products sold at the market must be grown, raised, produced or manufactured by the vendors themselves. Buying and selling is not permitted. This was something Ms. Anderson believed in very strongly and it soon became the standard for the Market.

Six months from dream to reality!

On June 23rd, 1990, the Carp Farmers’ Market opened to an enthusiastic crowd of 1,000 customers at the Carp Fairgrounds. Within four short weeks, the promise of exceptional produce and craftsmanship drew a crowd of 3,500 people.

The Market has been a tremendous success. One person had a dream and was able to convince the entire community of its merits. Sadly, Hildegarde Anderson was killed in a car accident in 1993. However, she will be remembered as the inspiration and motivator behind all the GOOD that has come from the creation of the Carp Farmers’ Market.

Why Carp?

Village Roots: Early Industry and Name Origins

On 3 August, 1844, James Paul, an Irish shoemaker, about 24 years of age, purchased in Carp, half an acre near the present Swan Pub, and on that site began to operate his shoemaker business. This is the first proven non-agricultural business on a site in Carp. In 1847-1847 James Paul moved his shoemaker business to Pembroke.

The Origin of the name Carp has never been established. Pioneer records indicate that there never were carp in the river, but that there were thousands upon thousands of suckers and mud pout in the river. For the people who lived by or near the banks of Carp River in the 1860’s and later, the suckers were literally “meat on the table”.

The Carleton Saga, written by Harry and Olive Walker, gives the following conjecture (p.422):

“When the writer researched the origin of the name Carp as it applied to the river and the village, a student of nonmenclature in Montreal, Herman J. Rolland, wrote the following possible explanation: “The French word for sucker is “carpe”, and it would seem ot me that coureurs de bois may have given the name “Carpe” to the river, as they must have known of its fishing conditions, and later on the village possible adopted the name of the river”

Place to visit while you’re in the area

While you’re enjoying the Carp Farmers’ Market make sure to visit some of the sites!

Learn more about Carp