Clearview Township is farm country. The rolling landscape south of Stayner, the flat stretches toward Nottawasaga Bay, the river valleys around Creemore and New Lowell, all of it is actively farmed. That agricultural base translates directly into the local food scene. Between weekly markets, year-round farm stores, and seasonal farm gate sales, you can eat remarkably well from sources within a short drive of town.
Stayner Music, Market and Park It
This is the big one. Every Thursday evening through the summer, Station Park and the Tourism Info Centre parking lot in Stayner transform into the week's social and food highlight. The market runs from 4:30 to 7:30 pm and draws a genuine cross-section of the community.
The vendor lineup goes well beyond a typical farmers market. You will find produce growers, bakers, artisan food makers, and prepared food vendors alongside local wineries, cideries, and breweries. There is a licensed bar area where you can grab a drink and sit down. A classic car show occupies one section of the lot and pulls a dedicated crowd of its own. Live music plays through the evening, and there are children's activities to keep younger kids busy while parents browse.
What makes Music, Market and Park It work is the combination. It is not just a market and not just a concert series. It is both, plus a car show, plus a place to have a beer outside on a Thursday evening and see people you know. Families come straight from work. Seniors settle in with lawn chairs. Teenagers wander through. The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious in a way that larger, more organized events struggle to replicate.
If you are new to the area, this is genuinely the fastest way to feel like part of the community. Show up a few Thursdays in a row and you will start recognizing faces.
Saturday Farmers' Market
The Saturday morning market runs from May through October and fills a different role than the Thursday evening event. This is a more traditional farmers market: smaller, quieter, and focused on local produce and food products. It is the kind of market where you develop a relationship with specific vendors and start placing orders for specific items as the season progresses.
Saturday mornings are when the serious local food buyers do their shopping. The produce is picked that morning or the day before, and if something is in season, you will find it here first. Arrive on the earlier side for the best selection, particularly for items like fresh berries or sweet corn in peak summer.
Year-Round Farm Stores and Markets
Fernwood Farms & Market
7865 Highway 26, open Saturdays 9 am to 6 pm year-round. Fernwood operates a retail market alongside their active farm, so the connection between the field and the shelf is about as direct as it gets. Seasonal produce dominates in summer and fall, with preserves, baked goods, and pantry items available through the winter months. The location on Highway 26 makes it an easy stop on the way into or out of Stayner.
Rural Roots Nursery & Market Garden
2674 County Road 42. Rural Roots runs a self-serve farm store, which is exactly what it sounds like: you pull in, pick what you need, and pay on the honour system. They also operate a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, where you buy a seasonal share and receive a weekly box of whatever the farm is producing. If you want to commit to eating local, a CSA share is the most consistent way to do it. The nursery side of the operation sells plants and seedlings for home gardeners.
Creemore and Specialty Local Food
Over in Creemore, The 100 Mile Store operates on a straightforward concept: everything they sell is sourced from within a hundred miles. The shop specializes in local and organic food, carrying items from farms and food producers across the region. It is a good complement to the weekly markets, particularly in winter when the outdoor markets are closed and your options for local food narrow considerably.
Creemore also has its own community of food producers and artisans, and the village's dining scene draws heavily on local sourcing. If you are interested in the broader food culture of the area, a Saturday that combines a Stayner market visit with a browse through Creemore's shops is time well spent.
Farm Gate Sales
Throughout Clearview Township, farms sell directly from the property. You will see hand-painted signs along the county roads advertising eggs, honey, sweet corn, potatoes, garlic, maple syrup, and more. Some of these are seasonal operations that pop up when a particular crop comes in. Others run year-round with a small farm store or cooler at the end of the driveway.
Farm gate buying is one of the real perks of living in agricultural country. Prices are often lower than market prices because there is no overhead. The produce is as fresh as it gets. And you end up learning the landscape: which farms grow the best tomatoes, where to get unpasteurized honey, who has free-range eggs worth the drive.
If you are new to the area, ask at the Saturday market. Vendors will often tell you about other farms and producers in the township who sell directly. The network of local food is wider than what shows up at the organized markets.
What's in Season When
Growing seasons in Clearview follow the pattern you would expect for southern Simcoe County, which sits in a decent growing zone thanks to the moderating effect of Georgian Bay.
Spring (May-June): Asparagus arrives first and is worth seeking out from local growers. Rhubarb, early greens, radishes, and herbs follow. Bedding plants and seedlings are everywhere if you are starting a garden. Maple syrup from the spring run is still available at farm stores.
Summer (July-August): This is peak season. Strawberries come first, then raspberries and blueberries. Sweet corn hits the stands by mid-July and runs through August. Tomatoes, peppers, beans, zucchini, cucumbers, garlic, and fresh herbs are all abundant. This is when the markets are at their fullest and farm gate signs multiply along every road.
Fall (September-November): Apple season is the highlight. Clearview's location near the Collingwood and Thornbury orchards means excellent local apples from September through October. Squash, pumpkins, potatoes, carrots, beets, and late-season greens carry the markets into November. Root vegetables store well and appear at farm stores deep into fall.
Winter (December-April): The outdoor markets close, but farm stores like Fernwood and The 100 Mile Store keep local food available. Root vegetables, preserves, frozen meats, maple syrup, and honey carry through. Many CSA programs offer winter shares with storage crops. It is leaner than summer, but you do not have to abandon local eating entirely.
For a broader look at what each season brings to Clearview beyond food, see our seasonal guide. And if you are planning meals around local ingredients, the restaurant guide highlights which local spots prioritize regional sourcing.