HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL BC FARMERS' MARKETS
President's Report
He Knows No Winter
He knows no winter, he who loves the soil,
For, stormy days, when he is free from toil,
He plans his summer crops, selects his seeds
From bright-paged catalogues for garden needs.
When looking out upon frost-silvered fields,
He visualizes autumn's golden yields;
He sees in snow and sleet and icy rain
Precious moisture for his early grain;
He hears spring-heralds in the storm's turmoil
He knows no winter, he who loves the soil.
—SUDIE STUART HAGER
As I sit here writing this I am watching the snow cover our vegetable fields. It reminds me of new beginnings. This past year has been a busy year
for the association. We have seen growth and are encouraged by how many markets have ventured into offering their vendors a winter market opportunity.
Winter markets are offering a local farm product to the consumer year-round in the farmers' market setting. Some of these markets are monthly, some are
biweekly and some are attempting to offer a weekly market. This also gives the vendors year round income!
I am excited by the hiring of Elizabeth Quinn as office manager. I have been doing a lot of the day-to-day operations of BCAFM so this has freed me
up to look after my farm, family and higher end needs of the association. I am still available to talk or bounce ideas off. Elizabeth will be able to
answer most of your questions. With paid staff BCAFM will be better organized and prepared to assist markets with their needs.
This past month we have entered into partnership with the FoodSafe Secretariat at Camosun College for MarketSafe. We have also contracted with
University of Vancouver Island to prepare board and manager templates. If your market has a manual for market manager or board governance please
forward the information to our office so that we can include your best practices in our new manual.
Happy Holidays,
Mary Forstbauer
President, BCAFM
president@bcfarmersmarket.org
www.bcfarmersmarket.org
604-794-3999
Welcome BCAFM Office Manager!
Elizabeth Quinn
Elizabeth has over 10 years experience in administration, social marketing and environmental education. She has led campaigns and programs on climate
change, organic gardening, composting and zero waste.
As a member of the sustainability team at Yasodhara Society, in the west Kootenays, she helped win a Fortis BC Conservation Excellence Award and a
nomination for a Tourism BC Conservation Award. As well, she managed foodservices for Yasodhara and initiated the local foods purchasing program,
including buying over 70% organic local ingredients. Over 10% was grown on the small organic farm and orchard located on the property. She also calculated
the carbon footprint of food purchased, and created a plan for the organization to become carbon neutral by 2012.
On the farm she led the canning and jamming for all the cherries, plums, apples and pears from the orchard as well as processing raspberries and
storing root crops. This she feels was a deeply satisfying process. By the end of the growing season the root cellar was full of thousands of jars of
preserves and bins overflowing with root crops.
Elizabeth has a strong interest in the local food movement and the role that Farmers' Markets play in stimulating local markets for BC's farmers and
reversing climate change.
Attend the 2009 Conference and AGM
- An informative three-day conference and AGM organized by the BCAFM in partnership with the BC AgriTourism Alliance and the Small Scale Food
Processors will be held in Kelowna on March 6, 7, 8th.
- Visit www.bcfarmersmarket.org/ind/conference.htm or call Elizabeth at 604-734-9797 for more information.
Board Governance & Market Manager Training Manuals
 Sara-Jane Brocklehurst
 Dr. Jenny Horn
A team from Vancouver Island University (VIU) has been awarded the opportunity to develop and deliver the Market Manager and Board Governance
manuals and training for the BCAFM. As team leader, researcher and writer, Sara-Jane Brocklehurst will be working closely with researchers/writers
Dr. Jenny Horn and Sue Wells. Both Jenny and Sue have worked as Market Managers for the Duncan Farmers' Market, so their direct experience will greatly
augment the development of these manuals. In addition, Nancy Hamilton will provide VIU's institutional administrative coordination. The completed
manuals will provide the basis for the Market Manager and Board Governance training sessions, to be delivered in the fall of 2009, and will also be
available for purchase. If you would like further information or have input to provide to the manuals, please feel free to contact Sara-Jane at
250-247-7390 or Sara-Jane.brocklehurst@viu.ca.
MarketSafe Project Update
The BCAFM has entered into a partnership The BC FOODSAFE Secretariat to develop food safety training materials for farmers' market vendors and
managers in British Columbia. The project will include reviewing the existing farmers' market food safety guidelines in BC and across North America;
facilitating the cooperation of government and industry stakeholders; developing the MarketSafe food safety manual and training program; and preparing
recommendations for the ongoing delivery, administration and sustainability of the program. Toni Burton, Coordinator of the BC FOODSAFE Secretariat,
has put together a team of experts in farmers' market administration, food safety, and curriculum development to work on this project. She anticipates
that pilot of MarketSafe will be ready for delivery by Spring 2009.
Nutrition and Coupon Project Update
eat local, nutritious food
As the year draws to a close, the final number crunching is taking place for the Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Project. The 2008 season was
a success overall. With this success, we look at the opportunities to learn and grow from our experiences.
By all counts participants greatly enjoyed the increase of fresh foods in their families' diets, the market experience, and the opportunity to
learn more cooking and nutrition skills. The slow start to the growing season, as well as participants saving coupons for larger purchases such as
meat, poultry, fish and larger quantities of fruits and vegetables for canning, impacted the redemption rate of the coupons. Some markets experienced
a spike in redemption of coupons with large volumes of coupons being redeemed towards the end of the season. This also impacted the final season
processing. We have identified several areas to strengthen for next season to streamline the process.
We will be working with the cooking & skill building partners for a smooth flow of coupons throughout the season. Of course, there will always be a
spike in redemption rate as the season progresses, and families look to fill their freezers and preserve the bounty of BC. However, we will work
together to manage the impact on the participating markets. We will also be working with participating markets to ensure regular submission of coupons
throughout the season. We will be expanding our staff, which will also help facilitate smooth & speedy processing.
Many thanks to all of the participating markets, and their stellar market managers, vendors and market volunteers, who worked to make the season a
success. Your work has made a difference in the lives of low-income families with children and pregnant women around the province.
The Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Project will be expanding to 20 communities for the 2009 season. This is a great opportunity to build and
strengthen community partnerships, to raise the profile of your market, and to make your market more accessible to those in need. A great first step is
to forge a relationship with a cooking and skill building program for low-income families &/or pregnant women in your community. Not to worry if you
do not have a pre-existing relationship with a cooking and skill building program in your community; we facilitate the partnering of programs and markets
in participating communities. While a pre-existing relationship is not required, experience shows that the stronger the relationship between market
and cooking and skill building program, the more rewarding the experience is for all involved.
Applications for the 2009 season will be available in March, 2009. The application is open to all BCAFM member markets in good standing.
For more information, contact: Paula Luther, Project Manager at coupon@bcfarmersmarket.org.
Happy holidays — may you be well fed & well loved.
Paula Luther, RHN
Project Manager
coupon@bcfarmersmarket.org
604-254-4512
Upcoming Events
The 11th Annual Pacific Agriculture Show will be held at Tradex in Abbotsford from Feb 19th to 21st. Attend the Direct Farm Marketing Day in the
Evergro Room on Saturday Feb 21st to meet fellow colleagues who sell direct from their farmgate or at farmers' markets.
Visit www.agricultureshow.net for more information.
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