Getting into the swing again.

Yes, it's cold outside. But here is a thought to warm you up.
Crampton's Market will be open on Wednesday, May 4th for our first day of the 2011 season!
Hours of operation
Monday to Friday 9-8
Saturday and Sunday 9-6

Sam and Ira's ice cream shop will be open from the July long weekend through to the September long weekend.
Hours of operation
Monday to Friday 12-8
Saturday and Sunday 10-6

Summer must be around the corner...right?




Brrrrrrr..... Is this really March? Seriously?
Last year when I started interviewing staff for the season, it was warm enough to hold the interviews in the store. This year, not so much. I'll be interviewing many many more people for working at the shop this year than I did last year. We had such a busy summer last season and lost a couple of great staff people due to injury just as things were getting really hectic. I hopefully have learned my lesson and am hiring more part time staff to keep shifting flexible. Staffing the store every year is always the hardest thing at the market. I love going out on a treasure hunt in rural Manitoba to find my suppliers. I love my most wonderful, supportive, community minded customers. And I love my staff. I just hate the process of advertising, going through resumees, interviewing and hiring. I can ask as many questions as I would like in an interview, but I really don't know how anyone is going to do until I work beside them for a few weeks. Oh well. It must be done.

I've been back home getting things ready for the shop for weeks now. I love this time of year. I get to meet with new suppliers. I actually have the time to go out to people's farms, commercial kitchens, places of business to talk shop and find new items. Once the Market opens I am either at the store working, or home sleeping, and I don't see my suppliers (or anyone else for that matter), unless they stop in at the store. I am relishing these months of work with freedom!

We're planning lots of new and fun things at the store this summer. If you're not signed up to get the store's newsletter, be certain to do so. Just scroll to the bottom of the blog to enter your email address to sign up. If you don't you could be missing some good times at Crampton's this year!

I hope that everyone had a great winter, didn't put their backs out shoveling snow, and is as ready as I am for local fresh foods. I just can't wait!

Take Care
Erin