DISPATCHES

This season marks ten years of holiday markets for me. I have stood behind tables, set up booths, smiled through exhaustion, and carried boxes of candles through snowstorms more times than I can count. Markets have helped shaped Farmer’s Son Co. from the very beginning. They have connected me with thousands of people and reminded me of why I love what I do. But they have also taught me some hard lessons about what it means to be a small business owner during the busiest, most demanding season of the year. This Dispatch is a reflection on the reality of that world - the good, the difficult, and the parts that most people never see.

This summer I stumbled across my mom’s green tomato mincemeat recipe in one of her old cookbooks. A prairie classic she made most autumns, it’s rich, spiced and full of flavour - the kind of preserve that feels festive even before the holidays arrive. I’ve made a few batches already and can’t wait to enjoy these jars in tarts, pies, cakes this cozy season!

As Farmer’s Son Co. enters its tenth holiday season, I’m opening my fragrance archive for the first time. Labworks Discovery is a collection of one-of-a-kind candles inspired by Manitoba’s prairies, lakes, forests and winters - pieces pulled from years of notes, blends, and memories. This is my way of leaning into fragrance as both craft and art, sharing stories of place and emotion through scent.

A behind-the-scenes look at how things have shifted at Farmer’s Son Co. over the past few months. Dan reflects on the reality of running a Canadian artisan fragrance studio during a time of sourcing challenges, supplier changes and rising costs. From fragrance reformulations to format changes, this is a mid-year update on what’s staying, what’s evolving and how FSCo. continues to push forward.

I don't know about you, but a good Caesar just hits differently when the chores are done and the sun’s still out.

It might be the ritual of it. The squeeze of lemon. The hit of salt. The quiet satisfaction of the first sip after you’ve been in the garden all morning or finally sat down at the cabin with your feet up and the day still has a little stretch to it.

I’ve always loved a Caesar. Years ago, two close friends and I took a weekend road trip across Manitoba on a mission to find the best one. We stopped at small-town watering holes, hotel lounges and gravel road bars. We ordered Caesars with breakfast, lunch and anything in between.

At the time, the Alexandria Hotel in Virden had our vote. Briny. Spicy. Ice cold. No frills. Exactly what we were looking for.

This version is what I’ve landed on since then.

It’s not trying to be fancy. Just fresh. Clean. Properly balanced.
The kind of Caesar that feels right when you’ve earned it.

The difference for me? I start with tomato juice. Not a mix or a ready-to-pour tomato & clam.

Tomato juice gives you a clean base, letting you build the flavour yourself. Add what you want. Leave out what you don’t. You end up with something that tastes like it was made on purpose. Not poured from a bottle and masked with garnish.

Then comes the gin (vodka works fine too if that's more your vibe). Then lemon juice. Pickle brine. A little soy sauce. Worcestershire (in my case, lots of Worcestershire). A few dashes of hot sauce. Sometimes I go with celery salt. Other times I use a few drops of celery bitters.

No shaking. Just a good stir to bring it together.

Did I mention that you'll find a selection of bar spoons in the Farmer's Son Co. shoppe?

I love to rim my glasses with Provisions Caesar Salt (you'll find it in our shoppe too!). Flavourful. Balanced. Sharp without being overpowering. Did I mention that it's Canadian?

I keep it simple with a Triana spicy cocktail stick. They're fantastic! A little heat. A little texture. A bit of bite that compliments my Caesar instead of overwhelming it.

No olives. No skewers stacked with half a grocery store.
Just the right kind of savoury.

But like, you do you. There's no wrong way to garnish a Caesar. 

The Recipe: The Sunday Caesar

1½ oz gin or vodka
4 oz high-quality tomato juice
½ oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz pickle brine
½ tsp soy sauce
2 dashes Worcestershire
2 to 3 dashes hot sauce
If you like, a pinch of celery salt or a few dashes of celery bitters

Rim: Provisions Caesar Salt
Garnish: Triana spicy cocktail stick

Run a lemon wedge around the rim of a tall glass and dip it into Caesar salt.
Fill the glass with fresh ice.
In a shaker or mixing tin, combine everything and stir.
Pour into your prepared glass. Find a vintage one if you can. It makes your Caesar taste that much better. I promise. Then, garnish with a Triana stick.

This is the Caesar I make when I’ve been out in the garden for a few hours and want something cold and savoury. When we’re at the cabin and the sun hasn’t gone down yet. When there’s no rush to be anywhere else.

Or on the dock, when that game of ladder ball is getting a little too competitive and someone’s insisting the last round didn’t count.

It’s crisp. Balanced. Just the right amount of bold.

Unmistakably Canadian. With a little twist.
And exactly what I want in my hand when the day’s still wide open.

Cheers,
Dan