Special Events
BC Association of Farmers' Markets
Throughout the season, farmers' markets hold many special events that are fun and educational! You are invited to join us in celebrating a civic holiday, the beginning of the berry season or a corn festival.
Events Calendar :: Feastivals
BC150 Feastivals
Feastival Reports and Media Articles
- Letter from Chef Instructor Vivian Cruise regarding Comox Farmers' Market BC150 Feastival
- Farmer's Market hosting 'Feastival' (Prince George) — July 24, 2008
- Strawberry Feastival, Clearwater — July 5, 2008
Letter From Chef Instructor Vivian Cruise regarding Comox Farmers' Market BC150 Feastival
Dear Farming Folk, hard working Chefs, Cooks and Assistants and family members:
Thank you so much for all your hard work today at Chef's Day at the Farmer's Market. The event was a resounding success with estimates of 400 - 500 people "grazing" at our booth. You might also say "We were out standing in our field!" Several Vendors said that this market day was one of the best for them financially in their history of attendance at the Market. A good partnership. If You grow it, we will cook it!
The products from the 25 local producers we were fortunate to have on hand were of such high quality that they leant themselves to over 18 different recipes, ALL a resounding YUM!
We made:
- BBQ'd Island Bison Sausages
- Grilled Koessler Pork Loin from Tannadice Farms
- Teriyaki Chicken Wings from Halstead Farms
- BBQ'd wild Salmon from Sea Monster Fisher folk
- Twigs Bakery Sourdough and Focaccia bread went well with Bite Size's Lavender and Pepper Jelly and Acropolis Kuizina's Tzatziki and Hummus
- Venison Stew from Seaview farms
- Gado Gado sauce went well on Snapdragon Acres grilled veggies, beans and snap peas
- Prontissima Spinach Pasta shells with Walnut Pesto was a delight
- Agouri Yemisto made with Island Farms sour cream and cottage cheese
- Fresh herbs covered Tastie Tatties long english cucumbers
- Good Earth Farms veggies stuffed their squash blossoms and gave people a new look at the attack of the killer zucchini
- Natural Pastures cumin seed and Parmadammer cheeses went into the pasta dish and the squash blossoms
- Natures Way Farms salad greens were well dressed with a Watrin Orchard Apple Cider vinegar dressing and an Island Farms Buttermilk and fresh herb dressing and their blueberries as well as Berry Best Farms blueberries were used in Blueberry Cream Cheese Tarts - 120 tarts went in 30 minutes!
- The other raspberries from Berry Best Farms and blackberries from Big D's Bees went into Big D's Blackberry honey and Island Farms yogurt dressing with a piece of pizzelle cookie on the side, 200 samples of that lasted 45 minutes.
- Ironwood farms fingerling potatoes and Tastie Tatties new potatoes
- Enjoyed a dance with fresh herbs from Steve in Merville and Snapdragon Farms too Sherry Ness's horseradish made its flavour debut in a couple of dishes
- The Thai Sauce Company ran with the squash blossoms and a few other dishes to spice up everyone's life
- Garlic and Largo from Big Buzz Acres went on the grill. The garlic also found its way into the teriyaki sauce and numerous other dishes.
- Cielam Farm cornish hens were tasty and cute.
If we forgot anyone please forgive us.
Thanks go to members of the North Vancouver Island Chefs Association: John & Eileen White from Parksville, James Derry of Salisbury House B & B, and Chris Hansen (NIC culinary arts instructor). Tristan, Joshua and Tricia St. Pierre from Locals, Kimberley Beausoleil from Campbell River, Nick Wilson from Fanny Bay and Joe and Glenn from the CV Farmers Market. Both Ronald St. Pierre and James Street had to return to work after the market finished.
We came, we collected, we cooked, the public sampled, smiled, and then shopped. Life is good. Shop locally! If Farmers are the salt of the earth... are Chefs the pepper?
Keep up the good work everyone. We look forward to Chef's Day at the Farmers Market in the Fall. Some of you we will see on Mount Washington, September 5, 6 & 7, 2008.
Vivian Cruise
Chef Instructor, Food Safe Instructor & Cookbook Author
Activities Coordinator - North Vancouver Island Chefs' Association
Farmer's Market hosting 'Feastival'
Prince George Citizen
Thursday, July 24, 2008, Page 17
By Bernice Trick
The Prince George Farmer's Market will commemorate the 150th anniversary of B.C. with a celebration of local food, people and culture.
The Heritage-Inspired 'Feastival' will be held at the usual downtown courthouse site Aug. 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. where the diversity and availability of local foods and local growers, makers and bakers will be highlighted, said Judy Croome, farmers' market president.
She said for more than 100 years community farmers, ranchers, and First Nations hunters and gatherers have been able to provide food, despite unfavourable climate conditions in the region. "Lately, local food production has experienced a renaissance, and we will pay homage to our farmers and food artisans with this celebration," Croome said.
Roman Muntener, farmers market director, said visitors can expect to see between 60 and 70 vendors during "a packed market" day.
Along with produce growers, bread bakers and jam makers, visitors will find a unique mushroom grower, organic tomato growers, a fresh fruit truck from the Okanagan and artisans offering wares ranging from photography and willowry to outdoor items like bird houses and stepping stones.
Local chef Wade Magnant will help mark the 150th by barbecuing 150 shish kebabs of buffalo, vegetables and bannock wraps to be given away to visitors. Food and beverages will be served from 11 a.m. to noon followed by a birthday cake.
There will be musical entertainment and a display of historic photographs of early day farming in the Prince George region, courtesy Exploration Place. The event is being held in partnership with the B.C. Farmers' Market Association, which allocated funds to hold the special day.
Strawberry Feastival, Clearwater — July 5, 2008
(L-r) Jerrie Wilkie, Sharon Cooluris and Stephanie Teare prepare to cut a B.C. 150-year birthday cake during the Strawberry Festival.
Photos and story by Keith McNeill, Clearwater Times
It was a day of family fun on Saturday, July 5, as dozens of children with their parents, friends and neighbours took part in the Strawberry Feastival in Clearwater.
The event, organized by the Clearwater Farmers' Market and Clearwater Ski Club, celebrated B.C.'s 150th birthday as well as the area's strawberry-growing heritage. It appears to be the latest incarnation of the Strawberry Festival held off and on in Clearwater for decades.
Morgan Pacquette (l) and Neil Walther-Hartwig battle it out in a strawberry eating contest. Youngsters and adults took part in the fun events.
Activities started in the morning at the Interior Whitewater building with Clearwater Elks serving strawberry breakfasts and the Kettle Café providing strawberry smoothies. The first paying customers after 9 a.m. received complimentary strawberry runners to plant.
Kids of all ages, including some adults, took part in the strawberry-eating contest, a fun event.
Judges (l-r) Jerrie Wilkie, Stephanie Teare and Sher Hackwell check out a strawberry smoothie created by Jan Trotter.
For the gastronomically inclined, there was a baking contest. Strawberry shortbread from Neal Broswick took first in the Sweets category, while Mrs. Handy's bumbleberry pie and strawberry shortcake took second and third respectively. Sabine Cooperman's salad with strawberries and garlic took first in the Savory category. A strawberry smoothie created by Jan Trotter took first place in the Other category in the Strawberry Feastival baking contest, followed by a strawberry breakfast submitted by Clearwater Elks.
Rachel Dohms wallops a strawberry pinata with a paddle, creating a crack and making parts fly. Dozens of young people enjoyed the events at the festival.
A strawberry-shaped piñata filled with small gifts attracted much attention from youngsters. Lined up smallest to largest, they took turns trying to break it open with a paddle.
An event tent in the Clearwater Farmers' Market area contained displays about the strawberry-growing history of the area.
Strawberry Moose donated a B.C. 150th birthday cake for the festivities.
After lunch the fun moved across town to a strawberry tea at the ski club chalet. A variety of local entertainers performed for the audience.
Above photo by Kneale Quayle, at Clearwater Strawberry Feastival
