BC Association of Farmers' Markets - Grow With Us!

Market Matters

Fall 2008  Vol.6
BCAFM

What's in
This Issue:

  • President's Report
  • Important Notification of Change in Membership Dues Date
  • 2008 BC Farmers' Market Guide
  • Contract Position Available
  • Photos Wanted!
  • Request for vendor emails
  • BC150 Celebrations Report
  • Nutrition and Coupon Project Update
  • Investment Agriculture Foundation Funding Announcement

President's Report

Mary Forstbauer, President BCAFM

It seems like we waited forever for summer to start and now we are nearing fall. As we move into the "back to school" mode, many families who have been holidaying will get back to the routine of visiting our farmers' markets. Now is a time to remind our shoppers that great snacks are fresh fruits and vegetables purchased at the farmers' market.

Over the past month, the BCAFM has been busy interviewing for an Executive Director. We originally posted the position as part-time but funding has come through for us to hire a full time Executive Director. I am excited and confident that we will find the right person to work with us to serve the needs of our membership.

The BC150 feastivals and the Farmers' Market Nutrition and Coupon Program have exceeded the expectations of many markets. Both of these programs provide your market with ways to engage your vendors and a means to draw more customers to your market. I hope that you have taken the opportunity to have some fun with organizing your BC150 feastivals and pick up a few promotional tips along the way. A big thank you goes to our project managers Sher Hackwell for BC150 and Paula Luther for the FMNCP. It is because of their dedication that these programs are very successful.

Visit our updated website at www.bcfarmersmarket.org. We've tried to capture the essence of the unique qualities of farmers' markets plus added information and articles of special interest for consumers and markets. Look it over and send me your comments. If you are the person responsible for updating information please take the time to update your market information. If you need help with logging in please contact me and I will get you the necessary information. Tell your vendors about the website and ask them for recipes and stories that we can post.

The BCAFM, with the help of Ministry of Agriculture, is pleased to have produced a 2008 Guide of BC Association member Farmers' Markets. All member markets and Visitor Information Centres received copies of the 2008 brochure. We are looking forward to producing this annually. We are requesting that payment for all full membership dues be received by April 1, 2009 to be listed in the 2009 Guide. This will allow us to have the guide out when the markets open in mid-May.

Watch for an announcement for November 2008 when markets and their vendors will be invited to attend a one-day educational workshop. The topics and details are being worked on now and will be announced on the BCAFM website at www.bcfarmersmarket.org by mid-September. Our annual general meeting (AGM) will be held in February 2009 so please check our website for upcoming details. Does your market wish to host the AGM and conference?

We are moving forward with our Strategic Plan. On August 23rd at the Burnaby Farmers' Market there was a media event where I was presented with a cheque to move forward with our projects (see news article later in this newsletter).

Thank you to all the directors who are working for you the members. Please remember we are all volunteers. Sometimes we are able to respond to your requests quickly and sometimes it takes a few days. I am looking forward to having paid staff to look after your questions and needs in a more timely fashion.

Happy Selling!

Mary Forstbauer
Mary Forstbauer
President
(604) 794-3999

Request for Vendor Emails

We are requesting all market managers to send an email list of your vendors to donna.anaka@gov.bc.ca before October 1st. By communicating directly with vendors we can more easily and effectively advise vendors of opportunities including upcoming vendor workshops, special offers and eventually a vendor's newsletter. We thank Donna who is working with the BCAFM through the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.

Those markets who submit their vendor lists to Donna by October 1st will be entered into a draw to win 1 of 5 prizes!

Farmers' Market Nutrition and Coupon ProjectNutrition and Coupon Project Update

The Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Project (FMNCP) is in full swing for the 2008 season. With 10 participating Farmers' Markets, low-income families with children around the province are benefiting. Not only are they receiving coupons weekly to access farm fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy and fresh cut herbs, they are also participating in Cooking & Skill Building (CSB) programs. Hands on cooking, nutrition, menu planning and budgeting are a few of the activities our families are participating in this season.

Healthy Eating board
Margot Edwards, Team Leader, Slaheena Program and Early Childhood Development shows off the Healthy Eating board at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre

Great connections are being made between Markets & CSB programs and beyond. Several Markets have donated bags to FMNCP participants, as well as a local Business Improvement Associations. The Moss Street Market has been working closely with the Victoria Native Friendship Centre. Both are participating for the first time in 2008. The result has been very positive. Participants all report feeling very welcomed at the Market, and are enjoying exploring foods they may not have tried otherwise. It is a great opportunity to put into action all they have been learning at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre.

Moss Street Market
Moss Street Market staff (l-r):
Jenna Cook, Timothy Trebilcock, Manager, Rhia Ironside

September 20th offers an opportunity for all market goers to learn more about native foods. The Victoria Native Friendship Centre will be participating with an interactive educational display on native foods. This will be an exciting day at Market — with an Iron Chef Challenge also taking place. Want to learn more about your food & how to prepare it? Moss Street Market is the place to be on Saturday, September 20th.

Fiddlehead Market, Gibsons
Participating Vendor, Fiddlehead Market, Gibsons

Another new community for the 2008 season is Gibsons. The FMNCP is taking off 'like wildfire', as Charlotte Creed, Community Developer said. This is evidenced in a heartfelt letter received from one of the participants, "... I want to thank you for the Farmers' Marker vouchers we have received. They encourage me to visit the Gibsons Fiddlehead Farmers' Market that I have never visited before. It is an amazing place and I will continue to visit long after I stop attending the CPNP [Canadian Prenatal Program]." The Fiddlehead Market is partnered with the Bellies & Babies program and the Gibsons Health Unit. They are building on participants' enthusiasm and are working on having a local grain miller come to market for a demonstration. Community Kitchens, shopping trips, display boards, and more are happening in Gibsons as a direct result of the FMNCP.

redeeming coupons
Ann Friesen of Friesen Farms redeems a day's worth of coupons at the Abbotsford Market

As the seasonal bounty at the Markets grows, so too does the redemption level. I am travelling to all participating Markets, as well as visiting participating CSB programs.

It is inspiring to see the work everyone puts into the success of the Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Project.

Paula Luther, RHN
Project Manager
Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Project

Paula Luther, RHN

Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF) Funding Announcement

Burnaby's Mayor, Derek Corrigan, welcomed Peter Donkers, Executive Director for IAF and MP James Moore to the Burnaby Farmers' market on Saturday, August 23rd. Media attended an announcement that the Investment Agriculture Foundation is investing $219,000 in BC's farmers' markets. Mary Forstbauer, President of BCAFM and a vendor at the Burnaby market accepted the first payment that will be used to implement their three year strategic plan. The goal is to improve the public image of farmers' markets, and the management skills and capacity of market mangers, vendors and boards. Contractors will soon begin working on the Market Smart Food Safety Manual and the Board Governance/Market Manager Training manual plus workshops designed for market managers and food vendors.

IAF presentation
Left - His Worship Derek Corrigan, Mayor of Burnaby;
Centre - Mary Forstbauer, President, BCAFM;
Right - James Moore, Secretary of State (2010 Olympics) (Asia Pacific Gateway) (Official Languages)