After a successful summer season, the Creston Valley Farmers’ Market is on the move to its fall location starting on Saturday.
The October relocation from Millennium Park to Morris Flowers Garden Centre helps to make it one of the longest market seasons in B.C., and allows for a wider variety of vendors to sell their wares before Christmas.
“The regulars start to go on vacation,” said co-manager Martha Boland. “Then you have an influx of new people. You find people who wouldn’t typically be at it because they sell things that are better for this time of year.”
Throughout the summer, the market averaged about 35 vendors and was offered twice a week, on Saturdays at the park and Thursdays behind the Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Boland and co-manager Tamara Movold enjoyed their summer taking over for manager (and new mom) Jen Comer — whom Movold refers to as a “one-woman army” — and found themselves capable of keeping the large weekly event under control.
“It was exciting and draining,” said Boland.
“It’s very intense all the time,” added Movold. “It seemed like we got a lot of good feedback from the vendors and customers.”
A few weeks ago, they organized a vendor appreciation weekend, in which customers got to name their favourite vendors (the winner hasn’t been announced yet).
“A lot of people said, ‘That was a great idea. You should do it more often,’ ” said Movold. “It was a great way to make a connection.”
To further connect with anyone interested, the Creston Valley Food Action Coalition, which runs the farmers’ market, resumes its monthly meetings on Monday at 7 p.m. at the College of the Rockies greenhouse, with a presentation by Merv Sloss on supporting young farmers.
“It’s about putting them in a position where they are able to buy land and make a living off it,” said Movold.
The meetings will continue on the first Monday of each month. The Nov. 4 meeting will be a visioning session for the coalition, and will likely also include a guest speaker.Interest is already high for the relocated market, which will run at the Morris greenhouse on Saturdays at its usual time from 8 a.m.-noon from Oct. 6-Dec. 22.
“Lots of people are not only signing up but trying to secure a spot for the entire season,” said Movold.“It’s compact and you have the natural light and warmth of the greenhouse,” said Boland. “To have such a great location is amazing.”
