The Newsletter of Vancouver Farmers MarketsRIPE! - The 1st Annual Evening of Local Food & Libations
Vancouver Farmers Markets presents
RIPE: the 1st annual Evening of Local Food & Libations
On October 1st we're hosting a cocktail-style night of mingling, enjoying local food and drink and live entertainment with Vancouver foodie and farm friends. This is your invitation!
As a Vancouver Farmers Market member your ticket to RIPE includes:
-one drink ticket for a glass of local beer or wine from the bar
-all food from local farmers including Empire Valley Beef, Glorious Organics, Jane's Honey Bees and Kootenay Alpine Cheese among many others
-local food will then be prepared by Chefs Quang Dang and Robert Clark of C Restaurant into a delicious array of canapes served while you mingle
-live musical entertainment from Fiddlestix and Grist To The Mill
-tasting and sampling tables from vendor/farmers including Viennas Treasures
-a silent auction with items from local businesses including Millennium Water and the Movement Pilates Studio
-last but certainly not least, Jamie Maw will be the event MC!
Not a Vancouver Farmers Market member? No problem! Your ticket includes a one year membership to the organization plus everything above!
For ticket prices and where to purchase please go here
All the funds raised at the event will be going to support Vancouver Farmers Market initiatives...read more about that here.
RIPE is proudly sponsored by:
Supporting the Vancouver Farmers Markets keeps BC farmers farming, and we need your support!
Market News
It is Harvest Festival Time Again!
The dates for the Harvest Festivals will be:
East Vancouver - Sept 26th
Main Street - Sept 30th
West End - Oct 3rd
Kitsilano - Oct 4th - Pie Baking Contest on this day! (See contest entry info on the right sidebar)
We will be featuring Apples, Pears, Squash, Potatoes and other Fall /Winter produce somewhat similar to the Tomato Festival but with a Squash and Apple display and Apple sampling.
---------------------------------------------
Markets Continue after Thanksgiving at all sites except the East Vancouver
Still plenty of produce left to buy at these Harvest Markets. Enjoy pears, apples, potatoes, root crops and greens as well as a wide variety of baking and preserves, crafts and other treats.
---------------------------------------------
Gastown Farmers Market Trial Ends September 27
We're almost completely through our trial season of the Gastown Farmers Market. If you haven't been down to check it out, please do! We have a great assortment of vendors and the site couldn't be more picturesque with Gassy Jack presiding over our little town square market.
For the last two weeks we plan on carrying on our weekly surveys and data gathering to see if a market in Gastown will work for both residents and vendors. If you live in the area or know friends who do, we encourage you to support the market during this trial.
The Gastown Farmers Market is a partnership between Vancouver Farmers Markets and the Gastown Business Improvement Society and was made possible through the City of Vancouver's Summer Spaces initiative.
For more information about Summer Spaces and the Gastown Farmers Market, visit www.vancouver.ca/summerspaces or check out the Gastown Blog at www.gastownblog.com
---------------------------------------------
Trout Lake Market move - we're looking for a new site for our Trout Lake Farmers market for 2010 and beyond while the community centre is being rebuilt. Have an idea? Drop it in our suggestion box at the info tent or at our info table about the move.Stay tuned to future issues of Market Share as we share updates of our progress.
UPDATE: Construction on the community centre to take 16 months with starting date around April 2010 and finishing August 2011.
---------------------------------------------
Victoria Drive Road Closure and Parking - Road work continues on Victoria Drive between 15th and 19th. Please note you cannot access the community centre entrance via car travelling Norht on Victoria. The entrance at 15th is now open though and access to the alley and parking in the north lot is still open.
Parking in the area is limited - please watch for posted signs and don't block driveways and access to sidewalks for strollers and wheelchairs. Thanks for your patience and co-operation.
Vendor News
News and updates from your favourite vendors.
Beckmann Berry Farm
Beckmann Berry Farm has finished their season a little earlier than anticipated because the extra wet weather lately has come at just the wrong time for their blueberries. They're looking forward to a better season next year and thank you all for the support!
---------------------------------------------
Klippers Organic Acres Winter CSA
Klippers Organic Acres is now taking members for their winter CSA. It runs from November to April and will have pick ups twice a month for a total of 12 pickups at the Winter Farmers Market held at the WISE Hall.
As you may know, Annamarie and Kevin Klippenstein grow a wide diversity of fruits, vegetables, and herbs on their properties in Cawston. For each pickup they try to balance the need for basics like squash, onions, apples, walnuts and frozen tomatoes. During weeks where there is not much fresh produce you may be surprised with some apple juice, no sugar jam, or our tantalizing dried fruit. The winter share runs for 12 weeks from November thru April and every second week (except for January 2) recipients get a box of goodies valued at least $40.
To sign up just go to our website: www.klippersorganics.com and go to Join the Farm- from there just follow the links.
---------------------------------------------
Momma Nellie's Goodies - Delicious homemade salsa in 4 heat levels to suit your taste! Get 2 500ml jars of salsa for $14 ($2 savings)! And, if you're feeling like a little salsa RIGHT NOW, get a take-away with salsa and chips! Only $3! Momma Nellie's website
---------------------------------------------
Inner Alchemy Premium Artisanal Teas - look for Inner Alchemy at the Kitsilano Market coming up in September 20th and October 11th.
Classes and Events
TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
We're sponsoring a cleanup team working at New Brighton Park during the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. If you can make it out to help, here are the details:
The event is taking place Sunday September 20, 2009 from 10:30am - 12pm. Go to the picnic tables west of the New Brighton pool to sign-in for cleaning supplies and door prize entry!
Please see map link for location. And go to the Growing City Composting website for more details.
---------------------------------------------
VanDusen’s Annual Compost and Spring Bulb Sale
Saturday September 26, in the parking lot of VanDusen Gardens from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. $5 for a 20kg bag of compost or bag your own for the same price. Pre-orders accepted until Sept.21 To pre-order contact marcelfpichette@alumni.uottawa.ca While picking up your compost, why not add a few bulbs to your purchase. Wide selection available.
Volunteer Opportunities
VANCOUVER FARMERS MARKETS
Bike Valet Attendants
You may or may not know that we have a Bike Valet service at the Kitsilano Farmers Market. We offer the service to encourage shoppers to bring their bikes to the market rather than driving. Attendants park bikes, give out valet tickets and keep watch over bikes while patrons shop. This is a fun activity which involves a some lifting and standing for extended periods but you get to meet other food and cycling enthusiasts. We have two shifts per market - 10:00-12:00 and 12:00-2:00 and we like to have 2-3 people on each shift so that no one has to work too hard.
The Kitsilano Market is at West 10th Avenue and Larch Street in the parking lot of the Kitsilano Community Centre and happens every Sunday from now until October 25th. If you are interested please contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator, Danno at volunteer@eatlocal.org If you have friends and neighbours that ride bikes and go to the market you could mention to them that we need volunteers in order to make the service work. We need your help to make this service work for everyone!
US First lady speaks and shops at farmers market
By NATASHA T. METZLER
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- First lady Michelle Obama bought cheese, fingerling potatoes, eggs, black kale and other items Thursday at the launch of a new farmers market blocks from the White House.
Before shopping, Mrs. Obama spoke about the importance of healthy eating to about 300 shoppers gathered in the drizzling rain. CONTINUE READING...
market bag in a far-away place and we'll put it in the next issue of Market Share. This is an ongoing call for photos so send them in whenever you can. Photos can be sent to Jen in the market office either by mail or email (contact info below). Be sure to include where the photo was taken and your full name and address so we can thank you properly! Now get snapping! 
