Stoufville Flea Market – Not like I remember it ☹

Well, it’s been a very busy weekend packed with things to blog about if only I can find a minute to sit down and write about it!  My plan all week was to head out to what used to be an amazing farmer’s market.  I remember my father buying a live sheep when I was probably about 10, sticking it literally in the back seat of our orange hornet (ugliest car ever) while my baby sister and I hopped in the front with my parents (which back then of course was really not a safety concern) and drove back the hour drive home!  Only half way did I realize this damn stinking animal was laying on my blanket!!  Yes, the blanket you love as a kid and take absolutely everywhere!  O.k. wait, but 10 would have been a little old for the blanket so I guess I must have been around 5 or 6.  Anyway, I remember this place being awesome.  The barn, about the size of an arena sold all kinds of live stock, there were aisles and  aisles of yard sale type booths with all kinds of great finds (if you like that sort of stuff) and all this was in the middle of nowhere.  We were driving up to the “country” to go to this place. 

What a difference today.  I say this with great disappointment.  This is not because things always seem better as a kid.  I actually  remember going back in my early teenage years and sort of start seeing this place become mediocre.  I would say that now it has hit it’s bottom unfortunately.  For one, the chances of seeing a good set of yard sale type booths set up is very dependent on weather. Although it never actually rained the whole day up there, because they were calling for some, the place was dead. Two, there were the usual stands (of junk made in China) open for business which makes the place even less appealing to visit.  Do people actually buy stuff there?  Three, as for the live stock, I was surprised to actually see some there.  You can still buy live birds and rabbits but it does not compare at all to what it was and to what it potentially could have been today.

On a positive note, there was a decent variety of fresh produce, much of which was Ontario grown. I suppose this early in the season, one should be pleased with that (although this day and age, fresh local produce should not be so hard to come by).  The best part was the great deal we got on our Crocs!  20$ for a pair of original crocs and they had tons to chose from!  All in all, great day with the family and came back with my wallet weighing the same so I guess I should be proud of that.