St. Jacobs is a quaint village near Waterloo, Ontario here in Canada, about an hour drive from Toronto, and is well known for its Farmers’ Market and its big Old Order Mennonite community. We come here every Spring and Fall to buy the family’s favorite home made apple pies and marmalade – the Black Currant and Blueberry comes highly recommended. The organic fruits and vegetables you can find here are home grown by Mennonite farmers. There are some 600 vendors in the market (Farmers and Flea market) that sells everything from fresh meats, sausages, cheeses and pastries to antiques, books and boots. One thing I like about the shops here are the classic handicrafts (old English and contemporary) that you can buy to decorate your patio, kitchen, or just about any part of your house. If my mom will visit this place I know she’ll drool over these crafts. There are also lots of antiques and collectible products. Of course you can also find that in other flea markets but here you can find one that is of very good condition.

I can write more about St. Jacobs but I think pictures will speak louder than words.







We visited the Visitor Centre Museum and learned about the Mennonite Story. Watching the 15 minutes video presentation about the Mennonites Story makes one reflects about their simple lifestyle and not so dependent on new technologies. I can’t even imagine how challenging life would be without email and the internet. Watching the video reminds us to appreciate what we have, our progress and what our accomplishments are. I didn’t take any picture of the Order out of respect. You can normally see them in their horse drawn carriage in their black dress. Near the farmer’s market, there is a tour that will take you to the Mennonite farms. The tour will last an hour and half on a horse-drawn carriage.