Excitement is building around town as the Kimberley Farmers’ Market fast approaches!

The market opens this Thursday, June 23, on Howard Street from 5 – 7:30 p.m. It will run every Thursday rain or shine from June 23 – September 8.

The vibrancy of the market is apparent and has become a community-gathering place. Visitors and locals come to shop for the freshest local food, one of a kind crafts, and to listen to music performed by local musicians. Friends and neighbours compare purchases as they stroll through Howard Street, peering into each other’s shopping bags and planning meals together with complementary food items.

Each week will feature a rotating line up of vendors, offering a broad selection of the Kootenay’s best fresh picked fruits and vegetables, free range eggs, grass fed meat, handcrafted spirits, sourdough bread and honey, handcrafted art, jewelry, body care products, fresh baked goods and ready to eat food.  Two Kimberley urban gardeners even grow enough produce to feed their families and participate as full season vendors.

Linda McVetty has stepped in as the new Kimberley Farmers’ Market Coordinator as Erna Jensen embarks on a new business venture. Linda grew up on an orchard and hobby farm and recognizes the value of locally made, baked and grown products.

McVetty attributes the success of the market to the civic-minded community. “Its not just because the food is fresher and tastes better. Local residents are very community minded. In a time of increased globalization and large factory farms, they like to support local business and know who grows or produces their food.”

Farmers markets offer a great start for new local businesses as the barriers to entry are lower for farmers’ market vendors than most other venues.  This year the Kimberley market has 17 new vendors selling handmade quilts, cold pressed soap, wine, glitter tattoos, shade sails, fibre artwork, pottery, fresh baking, grass fed meat, juice, custom engraved products, body care products and fruits and vegetables.

Other exciting news is the market’s participation in the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets, Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program. This program was created in 2012 to give lower income expectant mothers, young families and seniors access to fresh nutritious food from their local farmers’ markets.

Wildsight Kimberley/ Cranbrook Branch Manager Andrea Chapman is very committed to this program. “We are very excited to be offering this program and it had been a personal goal of mine to bring it to our local area.” She added, “Making the market accessible to everyone has the potential to heighten the pride and purpose of this weekly ritual in our community.”

Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook is thankful for in kind help from the City of Kimberley, the amazing volunteers, and to all of the vendors and customers for making the market a huge success.

For more information or to become a vendor please contact the Market Coordinator, Linda McVetty at 250-427-9325 x 224 or at [email protected]. Join the Kimberley Farmers Market Facebook page to stay in the loop.

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