Meghan Alton and Brett Andrews showcased the low-waste products from their new businesses - Social Nutmeg and Big Bear Trails - at the Enderby Farmer's Market on Friday, Nov. 29. (Brendan Shykora - Morning Star)

Meghan Alton and Brett Andrews showcased the low-waste products from their new businesses - Social Nutmeg and Big Bear Trails - at the Enderby Farmer's Market on Friday, Nov. 29. (Brendan Shykora - Morning Star)

Local, eco-friendly goods in stock at Enderby Christmas Market

New to the market: handcrafted gifts from Grindrod's Creative Nutmeg and Big Bear Woodshack

Christmas shopping season is here, and some new faces have arrived at the Enderby Farmers’ Market just in time.

Meghan Alton and Brett Andrews moved from Ontario to the Grindrod area little over a month ago and already they’ve each launched their separate product lines — Creative Nutmeg and Big Bear Woodshack.

The couple’s product lines are a decidedly unique mix: Alton handcrafts beeswax candle holiday decorations, while Andrews specializes in hand-carved wooden utensils. The one similarity between the two is that their products use locally-sourced materials made with as little waste as possible.

“I think that’s what we try to promote, as well as not using a lot of chemicals and plastics and things like that for environmental purposes,” said Andrews.

Last Friday was the couple’s first market at the Splatsin Centre, and their first impression had them looking forward to the many markets to come.

“We were looking forward to it all week long,” Andrews said. “It’s a local market but it was fun and there were a lot of great people.”

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This past Spring an old friend had reached out and inquired about crafting a spoon for cooking, while around the campfire, and another for multi-use or just eating, for her and her husband. Both being hardcore, outdoor enthusiasts. . . I had been toying at trying to mimic an ottertail style, solo, canoe paddle I own (in spoon form) and figured what a great design for the project. . . The 2nd spoon, I was attempting to mimic again, was a @seatosummitgear spork or spoon because they are literally the best utensil for backpacking and camping, in my opinion. . . Couple days later and voila! Seeing as I really loved the design and the time spent on these, I am bringing them BACK!! . . These pups are available for order and are a perfect addition to your pack or gear loadout! Strong, ultralight, natural and organic. And☝🏼 in a survival situation can be broken down as kindling and fire starter. . . . Wood; kiln dried knotty pine, untreated. . . . . #spooncarving #dowoodworking #woodgrain #woodcraft #customwoodworking #lovewoodworking #carved #slojd #woodworkingheart #woodworkingideas #woodenspoon #dowoodworking #spooncarving #woodlife #bestigwoodworking #woodporn #exploreokanagan #okanaganwoodlife #okanaganlifestyle #northokanagan #okanagannow #thompsonokanagan #bc #salmonarm #revelstoke

A post shared by Brett Andrews (@bigbear_woodshack) on Nov 19, 2019 at 5:04pm PST

Alton’s Creative Nutmeg re-purposes and reuses old materials to make environmentally friendly candles and decorations.

“I’m using beeswax from this area, and the decorations I’ve made have no glue in them,” she said. “We’re trying to be as non-toxic and as organic as possible in everything that we do.”

Instead of an adhesive, Alton uses wire wrapping to hold her decorations together.

“If it doesn’t wire up, I don’t want to use it.”

The Enderby Farmers’ Market runs Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Splatsin Centre, but there are only two Friday markets left in the 2019 season.

READ MORE: Small Vernon businesses up against B.C.’s best

READ MORE: Vernon event inspires handmade holiday


Brendan Shykora

Reporter, Vernon Morning Star

Email me at Brendan.Shykora@vernonmorningstar.com

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