With this growing trend in mind, a project has sprouted in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighborhood over the past couple of years. The NDG Sesaonal Markets allows residents to walk, bike or drive down the street to purchase their weekly fruits & vegetables in an open-air market atmosphere. The markets will take place every Saturday from August 22nd to October 10th, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the south-west corner of Benny & Monkland avenue.

The goal of the markets is simple: to increase accessibility to a variety of fresh produce at affordable prices in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. The NDG Seasonal Markets are an initiative of the NDG Coalition for Food Security, a group that brings together local food security organizations and projects to discuss needs and deliver solutions to the community. The NDG Seasonal Markets, as well as eleven other neighbourhood markets held over the course of the 2009 harvest season, are made possible through the support of Nourrir Montréal, a committee of the Conférence régionale des élus de Montréal.

At the centre of the NDG Seasonal Markets is the inexpensive Good Food Box kiosk, a collective-buying group supported and staffed by community volunteers. Market goers will also find organically-grown produce, honey and seed sales. Not only will NDG residents be able to purchase their fruits & vegetables at the market, but they will also find taste-tests, inspiring recipe ideas, as well as information about other community initiatives. To launch the first day of the 2009 NDG Seasonal Markets, and to celebrate the first annual Semaine québécoise des marchés publiques, special activities and cooking demonstrations facilitated by community members are planned for August 22nd.

The NDG Seasonal Markets will be open every Saturday from August 22nd to October 10th, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the south-west corner of Monkland & Benny ave., rain or shine.