Farmers markets can usually be counted on for quirky commodities and wood buffalo would certainly qualify.
One of the new vendors at the Coquitlam Farmers Market Society’s winter market, which begins Sunday at the Port Moody Recreation Complex, is Tesfa Farms from Langley. Wood buffalo meat is lean, but its milk is fatty, which is why cheese connoisseurs love it.
Society executive director Tabitha McLoughlin said one of the members of the society’s jury that screens vendors exclaimed, “Oh my god, that cheese is so good” when trying it out.
This will be the society’s 11th winter market with up to 45 vendors. About 25 of them will be outside selling produce and other food, while about 20 will be inside peddling prepared foods, crafts and other items.
The society just concluded its 23rd outdoor market, held at Coquitlam’s Dogwood Pavilion, last Sunday. McLoughlin estimated it attracted an average of 2,500 shoppers each week.
“It was really good. We were fortunate to have good weather for the majority of it. We had some new farms join us this year, which is always a good sign,” said McLoughlin. “We’d love to see more, but we’re happy to see what we’ve done.”
She said Aslan Organic Farms from Yarrow and Crisp Organic Farms of Abbotsford were popular additions this summer.
“All the farms said they had a good year, including the new folks. Sometimes it takes a couple of years before they get established, but they seemed to be happy with the levels of sales that they did,” said McLoughlin.
The market also did a bunch of workshops and demonstrations including one on kokedama, Japanese-style moss balls that help insulate roots and hold water so they can incorporate it into indoor plants.
A municipal all-candidates meet-and-greet proved a popular format for the politicians and voters bringing a lot of first-timers to the market, McLoughlin said.
The society’s Power of Produce program attracted more than 300 kids, a 50% increase from its inaugural year in 2017. The program teaches children the local food system — where it comes from, how to grow it and how to cook it.
“We’ve had really great feedback from parents in terms of their kids being engaged. It has so many activities where they have to go to the farmers about what they like to do,” said McLoughlin.
She pointed out parents were pleased the program has some unintended benefits, such as developing social, reading and fiscal skills.
“There’s lots of spinoff benefits to it, that the kids are learning through the program but it’s also a fun way for them to engage with the local food system,” she said.
• The Port Moody Winter Farmers Market runs Nov. 4 to April 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays at Port Moody Recreation Complex, (300 Ioco Rd.), except for Remembrance Day (Nov. 11), Dec. 30 and Easter Sunday (April 21.) There will also be a Christmas market on Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex. The summer market will resume May 5 in the parking lot at Dogwood Pavilion at Poirier Street and Winslow Avenue.
