Visit & Tour 2008 - (Page 21) Tourism Services & St. Thomas Times-Journal, February 2008 • www.elgintourist.com Elgin County 21 Exciting shopping choices in Elgin County & St. Thomas Elgin county is perfect for anyone looking to shop ‘til they drop — away from busy malls. With farmers markets, specialty stores and even a little streetside window shopping, there’s lots to do, and sometimes where you’d least expect it. Try the Aylmer Sales Arena and Farmer’s Market, which opens every Tuesday, from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m., and where vendors meet to offer produce, meat, cheese, furniture and clothing, and even laundry and pet wash services. But for those looking to get a little more quaint than southwestern Ontario’s largest flea and farmer’s market, there’s the Amish and Mennonite community that sells baked goods and produce as well. Then there’s nearby Malahide, known for its Pinecroft Showroom where shoppers can look at the area’s natural beauty while checking out the pottery and earthenware that’s made on-site. Shoppers can even flash a little green at West Elgin’s Lakeview Gardens and Greenhouses, where they can pick up plants, shrubs, flowers and home and garden decor. For shoppers looking to do a little window shopping downtown, check out the shopping hub of Elgin county — St. Thomas. It offers larger-ticket items like appliances, furniture, home building materials, jewellry and electronics, and smaller items like home-made chocolate, clothing and sporting goods. Farther along Talbot Street to the east, you will find a variety of large retail outlets, clothing and specialty stores. Don’t forget about Shedden, Port Stanley and Sparta which all have streetside antique stores and boutique shops well worth visiting. And with three wineries and an impressive selection of restaurants, Central Elgin means good food and impressive wines for shoppers in need of sustenance. With second-hand stores, antique markets and auction halls dotting the county, in particular along the Talbot Trail, you never have far to go to find that next great bargain or perfect gift. Farm Markets Encourage You to Eat Fresh Buy Local! Farm Markets Encourage You to Eat Fresh.. Buy Local! The first tastes of fresh produce in Elgin are asparagus and strawberries followed closely by early varieties of lettuce, radishes, then peas and other legumes. Produce stands, with margarine tubs as cash boxes for payment on the honour system, sprout up at the end of countless farmers’ lanes. East Elgin with its diverse Mennonite population has home made bread, baked goods, brown, eggs, even craft items, while Central Elgin and West Elgin have garlic, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, maple syrup, Rhea meat, corn, potatoes, honey and dried flowers. In season, nature’s bounty spills out to these roadside stands….peaches, cherries, pears, plums, apples….pumpkins and squash. Elgin’s soil and climate are great for grapes of all varieties…just look at the wineries…Quai du Vin, Rush Creek and Meadow Lane – all award winning wineries…. all different. This is where you want to “taste” & “try”… before you buy. For more detailed information, please contact our office at 519-631-1460, ext. 168 for our Eat Fresh…Buy Local brochure which lists many of the area locations where you can purchase fresh local produce from area farms and businesses. STEVE PETERS M. P. P. Elgin-Middlesex-London Constituency Office: 542 Talbot St., St. Thomas, Ontario N5P 1C4 Tel: (519) 631-0666 • Fax: (519) 631-9478 Toll Free: 1-800-265-7638 TTY: (519) 631-9904 Monday - Friday 10 am - 4:30 pm E-mail: speters.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org www.stevepeters.com http://www.elgintourist.com http://disbrowe.com http://disbrowe.com http://www.stevepeters.com
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