Market Matters
July 2010 Vol.15
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Market Matters |
July 2010 Vol.15 |
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President's Report"Every garden is unique with a multitude of choices in soils, plants and themes. Finding your garden theme is as easy
as seeing what brings a smile to your face." 
When oh when will our summer arrive? The cool wet spring is gone and we are into summer. Customers are coming to our farmers markets and wondering where the vegetables are. We have the perfect opportunity to take this time to educate. As markets managers and vendors are questioned "Where are the vegetables?" "Why does everyone have only lettuce and salad?" we can share the frustrations of the farmers who have many challenges when the spring is wet and cool. We can help consumers to learn to eat in season. Yes lots of salad and greens. At the same time we are able to educate them about freshness and pricing. Often early crops are pricier and when there is abundance the farmer is able to charge less for their product. Let's help our customers support our vendors as the season moves forward. I personally am grateful for a very active BCAFM Board of Directors. Each Board member has stepped forward to take on responsibilities. With Elizabeth managing our affairs in the office with other staff I have been able to take time for my personal health and our farm. Over the next few months I will be facing surgery and recovery time. I will still be active on the Board and the BCAFM office. I am stepping back from many of the meetings and other committee work as Elizabeth and the Board members are taking care of business. Be sure to tell your vendors about MarketSafe. This is one of the best things that the BCAFM has ever accomplished and I am proud to have been a part of the process. Plan now for the fall. Call the office and make arrangements for your boards and managers to take the Board Governance, Manager Training and MarketSafe workshops. I look forward to a busy summer selling at markets and making new friends. Have a great Summer and Happy Selling!
Staff Report
A Warm Thank You to the BC Fruit Growers' AssociationWe recently received a generous and unexpected donation from the BC Fruit Growers' Association (BCFGA). We are proud to have received this vote of confidence from the industry and, as requested, we will continue our work to promote consumption of healthy BC fruits and vegetables. The donated funds were raised at one of several BCFGA events held at BC farmers' markets, to publicize the financial plight of BC apple growers, who have received about $0.12 per pound for their apples so far this year — whereas the direct cost of production is $0.22 per pound! Please show your support for Okanagan Valley Tree Fruit Growers and join their Facebook group. On behalf of the BC Association of Farmers' Markets we thank you for your generous donation! Farmers Appreciation Week September 18–25, 2010The BCAFM is pleased to announce the first annual Farmers Appreciation Week! The purpose of this event is to increase public awareness of BC agriculture and farmers' markets by showcasing the many benefits of choosing fresh, healthy products grown right here in BC. This is an opportunity to draw media attention to your markets, your farmers and agricultural issues all over BC. We need your participation to make a real impact. We encourage all of you to participate by organizing a Farmers Appreciation Event during the week of September 18th to 25th. By working together we can grow public support and create a media buzz around BC farmers' markets and agriculture. The 2010 Farmers Appreciation Week pilot will be hosted by the Kelowna farmers' market with extensive publicity from the Kelowna Save-on-Foods (part of the Overwaitea Food Group.) If this years' event is a success, the Overwaitea Food Group may decide to expand this initiative to communities all over BC next year! Here are some suggestions for activities to include in your Farmer Appreciation Week event:
Bumper Stickers Anyone?We have some ideas for bumper sticker slogans to support Farmers' Appreciation Week but we would like your feedback on:
Email us and tell us which one you like or send your best slogan to bcafmadmin@gmail.com. Marketing Farmers' MarketsThe BC Association of Agricultural Fairs and Exhibitions is celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2010. The Saanich Fairs on Vancouver Island has been hosting fairs since 1868 (boy that's a long time ago) clearly demonstrating the continued popularity of agricultural fairs with over 1.5 million people visiting fairs each year. To our good fortune BC Fairs listed BCAFM's 95 member markets in the 2010 BC Fairs directory, which is distributed to hundreds of locations across BC. As well, 2000 farmers' market directories will be distributed to all fairs this season. Consider adding the BC Fairs link (www.bcfairs.ca) to your website and partnering with your local fair to strengthen the fabric of agriculture and for cross-promotion opportunities. Visit www.bcfairs.ca to find a fair near you. The Media is WatchingMake it easy for them by updating your market profile on the BCAFM website. Here are two excellent reasons to keep your BCAFM web listing up to date:
Make it easy for customers and media to find up to date information about your market — create and maintain your BCAFM web listing. Consumers and media can access details about your market, like dates, time and location, through the BCAFM's MarketFinder. The MarketFinder receives 48,736 pageviews a year — all potential customers. Here is a step-by-step explanation of how to update or create your Farmers' Market listing on the BCAFM website. Creating and maintaining your markets' BCAFM web listing is your responsibility. This may seem daunting at first but I have faith that every one of you can do it. If you get stuck, send me an email at bcafmadmin@gmail.com.
Now that you are logged in...
Helpful Hints:Mention the name of your farmers' market within your market description, for example "Come join us at the ... Farmers' Market" or "See you this week at the ... Farmers' Market." This is a tip for increasing your farmers' market's online presence. If you have any questions please email Georgia at bcafmadmin@gmail.com. Cash Services Increase Convenience at BC Farmers' MarketsThis season, the Kelowna farmers' market joined the likes of many farmers' markets across North America in offering ATM services to market shoppers. ATM machines can be purchased or rented out for the season (as a trial run). Standard service includes the ATM, all servicing needs, training and "on-line" reports on a daily rolling calendar that shows your transaction numbers and the dollars dispensed from the ATM. The market provides $20.00 bills for loading into the ATM. These dispensed dollars are then electronically re-deposited into your market bank account. There is often a transaction fee ($2 is standard), which is shared 50/50 by the market and the ATM provider. The Vancouver Farmers' Market Society offers a similar service, which allows market shoppers to swipe their debit cards in return for market money tokens. Vendors are reimbursed by the farmers' market society upon returning market money tokens. Cash services like these add to the convenience of farmers' market shopping, encourage existing market customers to spend more and allow you — market vendors to take advantage of that irresistible impulse to buy that flat of ruby red strawberries, those chocolate truffles or a bouquet of flowers. If you are interested in having an ATM at your market please contact: If you are interested in accepting debit cards at your farmers' market, contact the Merchant Services Branch of your bank or credit union. The BCAFM Welcomes Twitter and Facebook!The BCAFM is pleased to announce that we are now on Twitter and Facebook — thanks to our summer intern Alexis Gregoire! If your market does not have a website, both Twitter and Facebook are an excellent alternative. They are both free and very easy to update — without the associated costs of up keeping a website. If at any point you have questions about how to create a Twitter or Facebook account please feel free to email Alexis, the BCAFM Intern at bcafm.intern@gmail.com or call 604-734-9797. We encourage you to join our Facebook Group — "I Support BC Farmers Markets and Local Farmers.” The intention of this group is to both engage British Columbians in current agricultural issues and to capture the groundswell of public support for farmers' markets and local farmers. As support for our group increases, we will be able to use this information to demonstrate public support for farmers' markets and local farmers. We also encourage you to create your own Twitter Account. Twitter is a free and simple way to get small messages out to the public. Twitter is a great way to stay in touch with potential customers and display your products and services. Please follow the BCAFM at www.twitter.com/bcfarmersmarket. Even if you barely have any idea what Twitter is, it's important that you learn! Regardless — if you are young or old, it's a great F-R-E-E way to promote your business. Would you like us to host a BCAFM Market Manager or Board Governance Training in your Community?Here at the BCAFM we are starting to plan for the Fall and would like to know if any of you would like us to offer to organize Market Manager, Advanced Board
Governance or Intro to Board Governance training sessions in your community? If you are interested please send an email to
bcafmadmin@gmail.com with the following information: For more information about the training sessions we offer please go to www.bcfarmersmarket.org/ind/workshops.htm. Google AnalyticsDo you know what pages are most popular on your website? Learn to be strategic with planning and updating your site. What is your most important message? Make sure it's on the most popular page. Sign up FREE for Google Analytics at www.google.com/analytics/. Of all our member markets, the Ladner Village farmers' market website refers the most people to our website. Thanks to all you for adding a BCAFM link to your website. |
 Market Managers: make sure to share this newsletter with your vendor community, boards and managers 
Quick Tips for Raising Funds
Donna Anaka Better Together
Food + Family Fun = www.bettertogetherbc.caWe'd like to tell you about a community forum called Better Together that has recently launched with a vision to reconnect food and fun in the kitchen! Better Together is an active online community forum, coming together to celebrate family meals, cooking, trying new recipes & eating local. We're moving forward in response to a wealth of research demonstrating significant benefits to children, youth & adults who eat family meals together on a regular basis — including better nutrition, better school performance and better social adjustment (view these findings in the 'research' section of www.bettertogetherbc.ca). The Better Together website, weekly blog, and outreach through Twitter and Facebook provide tons of information and inspiration around involving children in cooking and eating together. We discuss hot topics like how to deal with picky eaters; provide recipe inspiration from BC chefs like Vikram Vij and Rob Feenie; and we host a personal recipe sharing & archiving tool so you can actually create your own family cookbook online. Better Together is setting out to encourage BC families to celebrate eating together! Monica Krake
Do you operate a small-scale farm? Have your say!The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council is researching the labour needs on farms with less than $100,000 in gross receipts. Your responses will be used to better understand employment needs of smaller farms and will ensure that operations from British Columbia are represented in the research. Go to www.cahrc-ccrha.ca or call CAHRC at 1-866-430-7457 ext. 228 to complete the survey by phone. All respondents can enter for a chance to win $100. About CAHRC: The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) was created to address human resource issues facing agricultural businesses across Canada. CAHRC works with industry leaders, governments, and education stakeholders to research, develop and communicate solutions to the challenges in agriculture employment and skills development.
Key BCAFM Contacts:General Inquiries:Elizabeth Quinn Mary Forstbauer Georgia Stanley |
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