I Found the Best Farmers’ Market Near Ottawa

I know it’s a bit crazy to say, but I have been quietly ranking the Farmers’ Markets in Ottawa for some time now. In my head, I started a silent competition where I ranked the weekend markets based on ‘interesting-ness’, the number of stalls in the markets and the range of goods available. While everyone would expect a visit to the Farmers’ Market to be about fresh produce, I tend to look for extras.

My first foray into the world of Farmers’ Markets began with the weekend market at TD Place in the Glebe. Anyone who has visited this market in Ottawa knows it’s good fun if you’re the type who likes to wander around, perhaps get some inspiration from the wares on display for dinner, and even purchase some unique items you might not find in the shops. At the TD Place Farmers’ market, you can get fresh fruits and vegetables, scones, gluten-free pastries, and sometimes cooked meals from Korean, Thai or other food stalls. Even more interesting are the other items that I’ve encountered – handmade soap, bath infusers, variations of maple syrup and honey, and mushroom extracts for whatever ails you.

Since visiting the market at TD Place, I have tried a few others – the Westboro Farmers’ Market, which I also love, even though it is smaller; the Perth Farmers’ Market, which I stumbled on, on my first visit to Perth, and the Kanata Farmers’ Market where there was a mini-petting zoo where you could feed a llama and other farm animals. It was also where I first bought mushroom extracts due to the convincing advertising by the vendor. Those extracts work, by the way. Depending on what you get, you can be energised for the day ahead or put to sleep like a labourer at the end of a long day. It’s probably the only reason I’d go back to the Kanata market.

I have tried different food vendors at these markets and have all kinds of stories from them. There was a vendor who made me wonder if she was selling chickens on the black market due to the secrecy around the buying and selling of the chickens (something to do with regulations, not that she was shady); another who sold me a frozen Thai curry that tasted nothing like Thai curry (my fault because I did not read the description properly. It was a vegan soup); and another who sold me a steak pie that hardly had any steak in it (that really hurt by the way). You can see why I enjoy visiting these markets. I never really know what I am going to get, which is what makes it fun for a Saturday morning out and about.

And although all the markets I mentioned above are fun to visit, the Carp Farmers’ Market is my favourite so far. Carp is about 38km from downtown Ottawa. The market is open from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. I know it is early, but this market is worth getting up for. Unlike some of the other markets, which are amidst the concrete and tar of the city, Carp is a village, and that adds to the allure of the market. At some stalls, you might find yourself looking at small plaques displaying awards won for a competition like “best light honey in Carp”, “juiciest tomatoes at the fair” (I made the second thing up, but you get the gist – some of the products on display have won awards at the Carp Fair). I bought one of the honey jars, which had won an award at the fair, and had it with fresh strawberries as an afternoon snack. It was so good, I immediately looked up the dates for the Carp Fair. Don’t worry, I’ve got you. It’s September 25 – 28, 2025. I might cut my international travel short, just to be there. There was the sourdough croissant I tried at the market and dreamt about that night because it was so fresh and delicious. There was a long line at a bacon and egg sandwich stall at one of the gates, so if you are into bacon and eggs, you know what to make a beeline for. There are the nearby wineries that bring in bottles of wine to sell, and are close enough for you to drive down for a tasting or brunch. Did I mention that there was a Nigerian woman at one of the stalls selling Nigerian Agege bread? You go, girl! If you don’t know what Agege bread is, I can only help you by encouraging you to go to the Carp Farmers Market to buy one from her.

I am such a big fan of the Carp Farmers’ Market, I could write about it all day. If you are out and about this summer, and do not mind a short drive nearby, the Carp Farmers’ Market is worth visiting.