Welcome back to the Squamish Farmers Market. The season is well underway and we welcome new vendors each and every Saturday. You will notice some changes when you come to the market this season but sometimes with change, controversy shows up too. There has been some online presence about these changes and I would like to address them.
In an effort to support our local growers and producers, we have focused on giving local vendors top priority. Local includes the whole Sea to Sky Corridor, not just the boundaries of the district. Vendors from the Lower Mainland are welcome but only if there is not a vendor in Squamish who can provide the same service. Those who live in the Lower Mainland have lots of options of different markets to attend; those in the Sea to Sky area are limited.
There was also an online comment about the pricing at the market. The price is always set by the vendor; the market board never get involved in this issue. Being a vendor at the market involves not just showing up on Saturday. Everything that we offer at market is either made, baked or grown by the vendor. It takes many hours and days of work in order to show up looking like the whole thing is easy. The price you pay for a vendor’s product reflects that. Everyone deserves a livable wage.
Because the market started in April this year, it may look like some of the services that we offer, i.e. the coupon project, are not at the market this year. They will be at the market. The project is in place and as soon as we get the OK from the Sea to Sky Community Services, we’re good to go.
The comment about the lack of farmers at the market is very close to my heart. I am a retired grower and find it amazing that people don’t correlate the long, cold winter and the wet, miserable spring we had with the difficulty in growing food. Are we so removed from our food source that we don’t realize that we need warmth and sun to make these plants grow? Every farmer that we had at the market last year, with the exception of a Lower Mainland vendor, but with the inclusion of a new Pemberton grower, will be there when their crops are ready.
And this is the topic that never seems to go away. There was also an online comment about the dogs at market. Dogs are welcome at the market on a short lease only. Retractable leashes are often more of a problem than the dogs themselves. But have you ever wondered what it’s like for your dog to be at market? When it’s crowded and hot, does this have to potential to bring out behaviour that you don’t normally see your dog? Are you doing your dog a disservice by bringing them to the market? Would they be happier at home in the backyard waiting for you? Do you realize that there were people at the market who may be afraid of your dog?
I personally am very proud of what we do at the Farmers Market. There’s a lot of time and effort on everybody’s part to make this happen, vendors and staff alike. We cannot thank those enough who come each and every week to support this market. Without our loyal customers it would be a pretty bleak place.
If you ever have any questions or concerns about the running of the market, please stop by the market tent and express them in person. Elyssa is always happy to answer your questions or you can approach me when I’m at the Farmers’ Market every Saturday morning. We’ll see you there!
Barb Hinde
Chair, Board of Directors
Squamish Farmers Market
