鈥淭o be a farmer鈥� takes immense dedication, fortitude and persistence,鈥� says Carolyn Morris, market manager at 撸奶社区Farmers鈥� Market. 鈥淭hey really throw their lives into this pursuit and it brings them joy to share their stories and connect with the people who are eating their food.鈥�
That鈥檚 why 撸奶社区Farmer鈥檚 Market is holding an extra special market day on Saturday, September 13 as part of B.C.鈥檚 Farmers Appreciation Week celebrations, giving thanks to the hard-working farmers while enjoying some family fun.
And there鈥檚 a lot to celebrate here
in Squamish.聽
鈥淔or the first three years of our farmers鈥� market we didn鈥檛 even have farmers,鈥� says Morris. 鈥淪ince then it has just grown and grown. We presently have 20 farmers selling fresh produce from all over the area. Fruits from the Okanagan鈥� eggs, beef, honey and chicken.鈥�
On Farmers Appreciation day, shoppers will have 12 farmers to choose from including regular favourites such as Good Time Farming, Laughing Crow Organics, Stony Mountain Farm, Redls Home-Grown Beef, Goldstrike Honey and Rockweld Farm.
In addition to this, the farmers themselves will be sharing their stories of farming, and answering any questions the public might have. There will also be a children鈥檚 craft tent, old-fashioned games in the park and a mini-scavenger hunt.
Market booths will be decorated and everyone is encouraged to dress up, so bring along your checkered shirts and straw hats for a fun family day out.
And while filling your reusable cloth bags with tasty, fresh produce, take a moment to think about the immense positive impact that you are having by shopping locally. Every penny you spend goes directly back to the farmers to support them and the future of family farms in our area.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important that people are aware that they can vote with their dollar,鈥� says Morris. 鈥淣ot only are you getting your food and sustenance, but you are also investing in food security in our community. Shoppers have a lot of power in where they choose to spend their money. Spending it on high quality local produce is a wonderful choice to make.鈥�
All fresh produce at 撸奶社区Farmers鈥� Market is GMO-free, and much is grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. And if you want to know more, simply ask.聽
鈥淕ood Time Farming would love to share with you some of their strategies on effective microorganisms and compost teas,鈥� says Morris.
The selection of produce is so abundant at this time of year that it鈥檚 possible to buy your weekly shopping from the market alone.聽
鈥淭here will be lots of fresh greens, and there will still be some fruits around,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut this is the time of year when we see an abundance of garlics, squashes, roots, potatoes, onions鈥� all sorts of things that are fantastic for eating as they are, or for preserving or storing in the root cellar for the upcoming months.鈥�
If you鈥檙e stuck for inspiration, why not try making something new such as celeriac soup, moist zucchini cake, or some homemade kimchi.
撸奶社区Farmers鈥� Market takes place in downtown Squamish, at the corner of Cleveland Avenue and Victoria Street between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering for this or other 撸奶社区Farmers鈥� Market events, contact Carolyn Morris at [email protected].
