Spring has been anything but.
Yet the organizers of the Coquitlam Farmers Market are already thinking about summer.
In fact, they’re so optimistic for sunshine and warmer days, they’re opening the seasonal Poirier Street Market on May 7, a week earlier than usual.
“People are so desperate for the nice weather to come, they’re looking for any activity to get them outside,” said Tabitha McLoughlin, the executive director of the Coquitlam Farmers Market Society that administers the weekly market in the Dogwood Pavilion parking lot through the summer months as well as the Port Moody Winter Farmers Market.
And while the cold, cloudy weather that feels like it’s gripped Southwestern British Columbia since November may not seem conducive to many of the market’s 60 vendors being able to offer a bounty of fresh local produce on opening day, McLoughlin said they’re loaded up and raring to go.
“They’re kind of accustomed to different kinds of weather.”
In fact, said McLoughlin, some of the early-season greens like kale may even benefit, as they often taste sweeter after enduring a freeze. The full impact of the winter that was and the spring that isn’t likely won’t be felt until later as berry harvests are delayed.
But even that could work to the advantage of market lovers, said McLoughlin, as their juicy sweetness will be spread out over several more weeks unlike last year when mild weather brought strawberries, blueberries and raspberries at pretty much the same time.
And if hardy crops like kale, chard and rhuhbarb aren’t your culinary thing, market manager Julia Zado said there’s plenty of artisans and activities to make the market “worth the weekly trip.”
The Coquitlam Farmers Market programming is so varied it was named the Farmers Market of the Year (Large Category) for 2016 by the BC Association of Farmers Markets and Zado was named Market Manager of the Year.
This year’s program will include an opportunity to get to know the three Provincial election candidates for Coquitlam-Maillardville, a monthly coffee chat with city councillors, a chilli cook-off and a chance to dine on market finds with a local chef. There’s also a new agricultural program for young people that will give them a chance to grow their own food, cook it and learn about the local food system.
“Youth are the next generation of shoppers and consumers,” said Zado. “This program is providing them with educational and learning opportunities that will benefit them and the community into the future. It’s a really fun and empowering way to engage with kids at the market.”
In addition, old favourites like the salmon BBQ, blueberry pancake breakfast, harvest festival and Spooktacular will be back, along with monthly hands-on cooking and gardening workshops.
“There’s a whole rise in people enjoying their food rather than just using it as fuel to get through their day,” said McLoughlin. “It fits in well with farmers markets.”
• The Coquitlam Farmers Market runs every Sunday, from May 7 to October, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., in the parking lot at Dogwood Pavilion on Poirier Street and Winslow.
