Farmers' Markets

If you're around this weekend, check out A Taste of B.C. at Minter Gardens on August 5 and 6. The weekend will showcase B.C. food and beverage products including fresh fruit, cheeses, organic meat, poultry, honey, baked goods, flowers, and of course B.C. wine and beer.

Unfortunately we're out of town this weekend, otherwise we'd check it out. If anyone has a chance to attend this event, let us know what you thought!

In Vancouver we're blessed with an abundance of locally based farms and food producers. There's no better time than summer to check out some of the great farms that are literally in our back yards!

To follow up from yesterday, it turns out we gave the wrong information about Don Shultz (of Big Don's Pickles fame) and Don Genova (of Pacific Palate fame).

Here's the real skinny (from Devorah, thanks again!) on Don Schultz's and Don Genova's current schedules at the East Van Farmers Market (EVFM) and West End Farmers Market (WEFM):

Don Schultz:
July 14 & 21 - EVFM
July 28 - WEFM
Sept. 8 - WEFM
Sept. 22,29 & Oct. 6 - EVFM

Don Genova & Dana Zaruba:
WEFM: July 14, 21, 28

Devorah Kahn, one of the organizers of the East Van Farmers Market and also the West End Farmers Market, emailed us with some feedback about our stories on the East Van Farmers Market. Thanks, Devorah!

She gave us some corrections which we will be posting shortly but also reminded us about the West End Farmers Market which is held every Saturday from June 30 to October 6 at the Lord Roberts Elementary parking lot at Bidwell and Pendrell Streets from 10:000am to 2:00pm.

Last Saturday when we were at the East Van Farmers' Market, we bought some beautiful radishes which are now in season. They reminded me of a trip to San Francisco and my stay at a great bed and breakfast. For breakfast one morning, my hostess cut a deep slash into a fresh, glistening radish, filled it with a thick slice of butter and dipped it in coarse salt. She plonked it on my sideplate and proclaimed, "Now that's how to eat a radish!!" And it is! Try this for an unusual part of your French provencal breakfast or lunch.

According to our friend Patrice (and this was confirmed with the official schedule), the East Van Farmers Market opens tomorrow May the 19th at Trout Lake in East Van. This is the place to be to get local farmer's fresh produce.

Check out our original story from last June for more details about the market. Thanks Patrice!

The Heritage Hall One-of-a-Kind Christmas Craft Fair featuring excellent local crafts and food is on today and tomorrow from 11 am to 4:30 p.m. at the Heritage Hall which is located at 15th Avenue and Main Street. Admission is $2, free for those under 12. This fair is great place to pick up gifts from local artisans as well as cool sauces, jams and other food delights from local food crafters many of whom also sell at the East Van Farmers' Market.

We went to the Cloverdale Produce Farm today in Surrey.

FarmFolk/CityFolk are the people behind the Vancouver Farmers' Markets and other cool local food projects. This is a non-profit that ties together consumers and producers, thus lessening the distance between consumers and farmers. I particularly appreciate FFCF's efforts to promote local and sustainable agriculture. The policy making end of this organization also ensures that we in B.C.

The East Van Farmers' Market is now on! Read Barb's story about it and the scrumptious fresh food on sale there.