Plentiful pickings for Mac Market shoppers

Its harvest time at McGill University’s Macdonald College horticultural centre and a farmers market popular with students and locals is thriving as a result.

Mac Market as it’s affectionately known by shoppers, has been open since mid August, but just expanded its hours to include Saturday shopping as well.

Wendy Louck from L’Île-Bizard says she’s visited the market every few weeks for the past 20 years in order to stock up on the Asian pears that her husband loves.

“I come because the food is worth it,” she said. Louck also buys honey produced by Vaudreuil-Dorion farmer Claude Vinet.

According to Anne Baisley, who runs the cash register, Mac Market produce is extremely fresh.

“It’s practically picked the day you buy it,” she said.

The fruits and vegetables sold are grown by students from the horticultural program in the fields and orchards surrounding it.

And they are renowned equally for their crispness and affordable prices.

Apple varieties (sold by the bag for $6.50) that are ready now include Spartan, Cortland, Lobo, Empire and McIntosh.

In addition there are squash, peppers, tomatoes, melons, berries, eggplants… in short, a bountiful harvest.

Pumpkins growing in a nearby field will be ready soon.

The horticultural program has existed in the same place since Macdonald College began in the early 1900’s. Mac Market has been housed in its current digs since 1981.

The market will remain open until early December.

Mac Market for 20 years.