Peachland Farmer's Market Missive

        I can't believe after all of the Farmer's Market Missives that I have posted here over the past few years I have yet to write about the Sunday market in Peachland. Located at Heritage Park right in the heart of the downtown core the Sunday market really attracts the crowds- locals and visitors alike gather between 10:00 and 2:00 to enjoy music, local foods and crafts on the shores of Okanagan Lake. While the market tends to run a bit heavy on the jewellery and a bit light on the fresh produce- there are plenty of bakers and makers to provide local, yummy treats.

       Of course being the Okanagan apple product abound in the form of juice and apple chips- fresh apples are not to be seen for another few months. Strawberries and Cherries are the fruits of choice in season right now- Peaches also being a few weeks off. Unlike the markets in Vancouver "organic" is not posted at every vendor stall you come across- only one certified organic vendor was in attendance and their prices were really reasonable- I wonder why everyone isn't buying their kale and lettuce at the Peachland Market!

       The Farmers Market in Peachland really only got going after I moved to Vancouver- I have to say that it's pretty impressive to see this kind of gathering- a bit of a tourist draw along the lines of the markets on Saltspring or Pender Islands. Still amongst the tourists it was fun to see familiar old faces from my days of working at the marina- which is right next door to the market.

         It's so nice to see this hustle and bustle in the downtown core of this little town I am proud to be from- off the highway and down by the lake is a handful of little gems- including the market. Often people- ourselves included- whizz right by these turn offs never knowing what lays beyond the highway exit. I would definitely recommend the Peachland Farmer's Market on Sundays as a fun little outing- grab a coffee before hand as there is no coffee cart on site- and wander the waterfront walkway!

P.S.- Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians near and afar- today we will be hitting the beach again- Peachland puts on a stellar parade be sure tomorrow's post will be full of parade related pictures!

Farmers Market Missive: Santa Clara

       I love food- I love trying new food- I love learning about food- at this point in my life I am open to trying just about any food offered. So it was with glee that I hopped into my friend's car the other day and headed out- practically kid free save for the brand new addition- to their local Farmers Market in Santa Clara, California. The majority of my Farmers Market experiences have been limited to Pacific North West growing conditions- currently at our local market we mostly have root vegetables and kale- so it was my great delight to discover that right now is citrus season in California!

        First off it was a shear joy to buy citrus that is being grown with in miles of where it is sold- ditto on the winter strawberries- my kids may have totally gorged themselves as they haven't had a fresh berry in months! Aesthetically the market in Santa Clara was a visual feast- the colours and textures a jumble of yellows, reds and orange at a time with most of our veg is brown and dull. I was treated to samples of food I have never tried before like these huge citrus- the Pomelo- can I just say yumm!

        It wasn't just the fresh produce that intrigued me- the raw milk stand was ever so interesting and after drinking raw milk in my coffee and on our cereal for a few days I have to say I really liked it- not just the full fat aspect but the real taste- it actually tasted like milk! In Canada raw milk is "illegal" and very hard to come by- unless you have a cow parked in your side yard- which obviously in the city we do not.

       After buying plenty of provisions for the coming days the Mommas and the little Miss headed to a favourite coffee shop- my friend knows me well! Chromatic Coffee is a coffee lovers delight- really good strong beans that are hand crafted in the Valley of the Hearts Delight -isn't that the most amazing name for an area! Apparently they make really good "fancy" drinks here as well but I just went with my standard latte as I love good espresso! FYI- this is also Hipster central which I- of course- loved- great people watching to go along with yummy coffee!

        I thoroughly enjoyed our mini foodie adventure-  all the new foods topped off by excellent coffee and company! See that pastry above- a mini pecan pie if you will- yeah it was gone in seconds- it was just that good! I will admit that I think the most thrilling part of the entire experience was the citrus- so different than anything I have ever experienced- even in my friend's yard she has many different citrus trees growing- including Meyer Lemon- oh the curd that could make! The Valley of Heart's Delight is now for the most part Silicone Valley but the food is still there too and it is oh so good!

      Friends it is Friday again- time sure does fly when you are having fun! This weekend we are going to throw ourselves into winter activities up at Grouse Mountain- a completely different experience from last weekend spent in the sun! Happy Friday Friends!

Market Missive

        Good Morning! As many of you know and are wondering about (Mom) this past weekend marked my foray into the Farmers Market scene. I know I had claimed to be finished with markets for the Holiday season but when the opportunity to participate in the Steveston Farmers and Artisans Market arose it was just too good to pass up- I jumped at it- and I am so glad I did! This may have been my first market as a vendor but I like to consider myself a bit of a Farmer's Market connoisseur- having visited a fair amount all over this fair province I feel I have an eye for a good market- and this was a good one!

          Located in the historic Gulf of Georgia Cannery the Steveston winter market provided a really good balance of locally made and grown goods- folks like The Sharing Farm were on hand with yummy honey and garlic along side home made Christmas decorations and adorable hair accessories for the kiddos. I spotted my favourite bread sellers- Uprising Breads- and their shelves were empty by the end of day! Swag bags as well as a craft corner were all set up for the Littles that came out with their families- and I noticed that pretty much ever vendor was handing out candy canes- our kids thought it was the best thing ever! Crafts and candy- they were in heaven!

           The afternoon was rounded out with a real treat- the Richmond Delta Youth Orchestra playing some real Holiday classics- the live music was a really nice touch that added to the over all festive atmosphere! The Steveston Farmers and Artisans Market runs through out the year- after a bit f a break in January the market resumes February 9- check the website for dates. I can't wait to do this market again- I had such a good time and everyone from organizers to vendors to shoppers were so friendly! The only issue I have with being a vendor is that I was busy behind my table and didn't get to do much shopping!

Tales From The Weekend

        It's funny how most people consider Summer time the season for slowing down and taking things easy- myself I consider Winter- or late Fall as we are in now- the perfect time for snuggling in and being a lazy bones. The temperature is dipping and the clouds have rolled in to stay- personally I have very little excuse to be outside right now! That said we did bundle up and head over to the Winter Farmer's Market at Nat Bailey Stadium this past weekend- this is by far our favourite market- all of our favourite vendors in one place consistently- so convenient for the weekly grocery shop!

         The market was packed this week so it seems we are not the only locals who share in this point of view- so much goodness is still coming in from the fields! Not to mention the cheeses, butter, bread, beef jerky, sausages, eggs, dried goods, herbs- all these wonderful pantry staples are up for purchase year round. I'm sure I have mentioned before how much I prefer shopping the Farmer's Market to the grocery store- the community spirit is practically palatable on days like this- the buskers adding to the mood with their tunes- throw in a bunch of dogs and kids- its a recipe for warm fuzzy feelings!

          As mentioned things are getting chilly round these parts- even though both the Mr. and I grew up in much colder climes we have both become accustomed to winter on the West Coast- or Wet Coast as is often the case. The slightest dip in temperature sends us shivering for hats, mitts and hot chocolate- so post- market a quick stop at our favourite neighbourhood cafe- Le Marche was in order. Stepping into Le Marche is akin to stepping into a still life painting- everything is so beautifully curated- from the silver and china they use to serve on- to the groceries displayed on the shelves. This truly is one of my happy places!

           To my mind Fall is about tucking in and re-connecting with the people you love- with the neighbourhoods you love, with the food you love. Put to bed are our carefree, adventure days of summer- replaced with a time of rest. Winter Solstice is approaching- that magical time of year when the days are so short- such an ancient event that modern humans have yet to control or change. The days are short and the nights are long- time to rest and recharge one's batteries in anticipation of the return of the sun!

Farmer's Market: Squamish

     
       This past Saturday we ventured up to Squamish yet again- over the course of the summer this little city and all of it's possibilities has captured our hearts- we love it. It is small enough to remind the Mr. and I of the towns we grew up in yet it is large enough to be filled with potential to make a living. Also being regarded as British Columbia's outdoor capital helps- there is so much to do here! One of the things we were so impressed with was how many people were out riding bikes and walking- through out all the areas we visited there were folks everywhere travelling under their own steam- we like this a lot!

        Of course what I was most interested in was the local Farmer's Market- which turned out to be more of an artisan's market- jam packed with great original finds- there is loads of talent in this place! Located right down town in the shadow of the mountains this market is open May 11- October 26- 10am to 3pm- rain or shine. We stocked up on green beans for pickling as well as some tasty baby zucchini and spinach- as well as connecting with a few familiar faces from the city!

       Pretty much every other time we have visited Squamish has been on a Sunday when the down town core seemed pretty quiet- it was so nice to wander around town- peeking in stores- in the sunshine. It is hard to resist such a view!

        Granted most things are more magical and appealing on a perfect Summer day but I really feel a connection forming to this place. Sitting back in the city again- listening to the air conditioner roar from our neighbouring building I am day dreaming. Dreaming of a garden and space- of quiet. Squamish is most definitely on our short list of possible places to move- it has everything we are looking for- including snow in the winter! Far away enough from the city yet close enough to commute- definite potential!

Farmer's Market: Sechelt

          By now we all know how much I love a good Farmer's Market- as you may have read last week- it never occurred to me that I could visit other markets through out B.C.- so my original plan of visiting as many Farmer's Markets in Vancouver has now expanded to include all of BC! If there are crafters, coffee, bread and produce for sale in an outdoor venue I will find it and write about it- this is my new mission for the summer! So by now you will have noticed the big banner proclaiming Sechelt's Farmers and Artisans Market- and this is where we found ourselves last Saturday morning.

           What I love about visiting markets in different areas of our province is how the vibe or nature of each market is slightly different- each market attracting a slightly different crowd. The Sechelt market has a decidedly sea side vibe- lots of driftwood, blue, shells and translucent blown glass- this market was as ocean side as you could possibly get- vendors and wares matching the light in the air. How beautiful are these bowls?

          The food- oh the food! While the food truck invasion has yet to hit the Sunshine Coast there was plenty of local goodies to satisfy the troops- we had waffles from the Belgian Waffle stand and they were delish! With miniature waffles for the Littles and regular sized ones for adults we were all quite happy! Not to mention the candy, bread and Brookies- a hybrid of Brownie Cookie- which was awesomesauce!

          The Sechelt Market is the largest market on the Sunshine Coast and runs rain or shine from April through the end of September- every Saturday 9- 2:30. You can find the market tucked away next to Trail Bay Mall- the entire street is closed to traffic during the market. Potters, Jewelers, Glass Blowers and First Nations Artists are tucked in among beautiful stands of baking, produce and fish.

        I love seeing how artists are informed by their geographic region- their work a reflection of their settings- the feeling on the Sunshine Coast is definitely one of the good life and it shows on people's faces. Everyone we encountered was so friendly and happy- possibly a side effect of being surrounded by water and forests. The Sechelt market was one of the loveliest markets we have been to this summer- so much to see with so much thought and attention put into the details- it is very evident that these folks love what they do!

Farmer's Market: Pender Island

         Earlier in the Summer when I declared that I wanted to visit as many Farmer's Markets as possible this year it never dawned on me that there would be other markets in other towns that I would get to check out! So I was pleasantly surprised when my Mom told me about the Pender Island Farmer's Market- it runs every Saturday from 9:30- 1pm at the Rec Centre in the Summer months.
       

         I was super impressed- the majority of vendors were artists and crafters showing off some stellar items- everything from re- purposed children's clothes to beautiful leather goods and jewelry. We watched how wooden spoons are made which was really interesting. If we had been so inclined- A.K.A. if The Mr. had waited for me- there were also Tarot card and palm readers which would have been fun. All of this was in addition to some lovely produce, eggs, coffee, preserves and breads- so much goodness in one place- this was definitely more of an Artisan's Market than a Farmer's Market!

         The Pender Island Fire Department was on hand teaching kids about fire safety and "stop, drop and roll"- of course our kids were only interested in shooting the fire hose at the target! The Boy may or may not have wanted to hose down other things but luckily that Fireman kept him in check!

        I was thrilled when I came across the Button Lady of Pender Island- table upon table of amazing handmade buttons! I could have spent all day chatting & perusing buttons but the Littles were having none of that- so I made my selection with the help of The Boy and away we went. This oversizes turquoise thimble also came home with me- so cute!

         In my little world these are the best possible souvenirs to bring home from a vacation- something special that I can't find any where else that when I use it and look at it I will remember the smoking hot day, beside a barn, shaded by giant Douglas Firs that I bought it! Those little wrens are destined to be on a sweater for Miss Lo and that giant poppy perhaps on a hat!

PS- there is also apparently a stellar Fall Fair on the Island which would be fun to go back for- it takes place Saturday August 24.

Farmer's Market: Trout Lake

         Our latest and by far biggest market to visit was last weekend - the Trout Lake Market is located just off Commercial Drive and is by far one of the more vibrant and busy markets. All our favourite vendor's from the Winter Market were here as well as a few new ones we were more than happy to discover! 

       SO much goodness was happening here! As you can see BC is coming into cherry season- where I grew up this was a big industry- lots of family farms still getting by on one crop of cherries a year- such a short window to make an entire year's worth of income. Although the cherry orchards of the Okanagan are not as plentiful as they once were you can still hear the bird cannons going off with much regularity this time of the year- every few minutes- BOOM!

       One of the things I am totally loving at this year's markets are all the swaps- magazines and now cook books- what a super idea! I am always on the look out few fresh inspiration and if the market wares were not enough now we have inspiration on what to do with all that fresh produce!

        When I think back to how we shopped as a family even a little less than a year ago I am shocked at what we considered to be normal- crammed grocery store- shopping buggies battling in traffic- fluorescent lighting. Now I am not claiming there is anything wrong with grocery store shopping- not everyone has Farmer's Markets in their towns such as we do. It just works for our family really well- even in the hubbub of the Trout Lake market I felt relaxed and happy- to be outside- buying good clean food- all of us together- shopping as a family.

         The Trout Lake market is open Saturdays 9am- 2 pm- starting May 11 and running through until October 19. The market is located in the North parking lot of John Hendry Park- due to construction in the old location. Parking is super limited at this popular market so walk, cycle or take transit if you can!

Farmer's Market: West End

       This weekend was car free weekend in many Vancouver neighbourhoods- until recently we have always been car free- we only got our mobile two years ago! So we decided to make this past weekend as much about being on foot and leaving that mobile of ours parked in the garage- there for we stuck a bit closer to home and checked out the West End Farmer's Market.

       The West End holds a special place in our hearts as we lived here for the first five years of our life together- in our perfect- silverfish infested- apartment by the sea- over looking the dumpster- oh nostalgia can do funny things! At any rate The Mr. and I first started coming to the West End market when we first started our foray into eating locally- and this market was super local for us- right up at the end of our street! The market is right on the corner of Comox- across from Nelson Park on Mole Hill- a great combination of community and food coming together.

   
    So many goodies are in season right now- strawberries, radishes- and as always fantastic artisans like Ildiko. If you are in the market for a gorgeous piece of silver jewelry- Ildiko is your girl- lovely handmade silver pieces mixed with semi precious stones. Keep your eyes peeled for Ildiko and her  hilarious side kick at any number of the Vancouver markets- these folks stuck it out all winter at Nat Bailey and are happy now that sunnier days are here! Check out her web site  and Etsy shop to get an idea of all the lovely shiny things available!

           Aside from the market there is ample space to roam up on Mole Hill- community gardens to check out- dogs to watch and of course the playground. This is indeed our community market- we can walk or bus here- wandering the neighbourhood home after stocking up for the week. I think what I love best about the West End market is that the vendors are only on one side of the street which lends to a more open and less busy feeling- combined with live music, trees and sunny skies- this is one great market!

           Vancouver's West End Farmer's Market is every Saturday from 9am- 2pm- located at the corner of Comox street and Thurlow- it runs from June 1- October 19.