Vendor Spotlight: Nasty Free Naturals

Nasty Free Naturals Feature photo

SPOTLIGHT FEATURE SALE: This Sunday at the Port Moody Farmers Market, Nasty Free Naturals will be offering a special deal just for you.  If you stop by her booth and ask for the spotlight deal, you will get to purchase “Bug Off” Spray for $9 (regular price $10.) *This offer has now expired.*

Q. Nasty Free Naturals are 100% All Natural, Healthy, Handmade Home and Beauty Products. Why did you decide to start making these products at home?
A really good friend of mine got me started on my all-natural journey years ago. She taught classes on how to make all-natural product. I loved her classes and my own passion was born from them. It began with me tinkering with it for fun, making product for my family and friends. Once my two boys came along, I realized I didn’t want to work in Corporate Downtown anymore. I was encouraged by my growing fan base of friends and family to pursue my aromatherapy “hobby” as something I could do while allowing me to be flexible for my boys. I received my certificate in Aromatherapy from West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy and my little business was born!

Q. What goes into the process of making one item?
Every item is different. But it really starts with me doing my homework. Knowing the reputable suppliers for essential oils and ingredients. You wouldn’t believe how different they can be! I work in small batches. I try to never make more than 12 to 16 of any product at a time. It allows me to maintain a fresh supply for my customers and also maintain my own strict level of quality control.

Q. Why are your products so popular?
Thank you for calling my products popular! I think my loyal customer base comes from trying the product and it working for them. I love nothing more than having someone come back to me and saying “I love your deodorant/bug-spray/face cream” … Word of mouth has been a huge part of my success as well, and for that I am thankful! I’m also very chatty with everyone who comes by. I love answering all their questions. In doing so, it’s very helpful for them to make their decision because they now know the ingredients in what they are buying; why those ingredients are in there and their benefits.

Q. Some of your most popular items are the sunscreen and bug spray. They offer the same protection as the ones we buy in stores except for the fact that they are chemical-free. If that is the case, why are they still made with chemicals and why do people still buy them?
I wish I could answer that. The fact that these known carcinogens are still allowed in these products is beyond me. As for why people still buy them, I honestly think they just haven’t done their homework. Knowledge is power. And when you know better, you can choose better. Slowly but surely people are coming around.

Q. You primarily sell your products on your website and at the farmers market. Why do you think farmers markets are such an important part of the community?
I love the sense of community that they foster. Seeing families out spending time together, picking up their fresh local food for the week ahead, supporting local. I see a lot of the same faces each week. My boys love the markets and all their amazing offerings. They know most of the vendors by name, and the customers too. It’s just a wonderful vibe.

Q. What are some of your favorite products to make and use?
My favourite products to make and use are my Soothe the Soul Peppermint and Eucalyptus Bath Salts. I am seriously addicted. Also, my Bug-Off Bug Spray. I am not exaggerating when I say I am an absolute magnet for mosquitos. MAGNET. As is my oldest son. So my Bug Off is a life saver for us. It really works! Products I use every day and I cannot be without is my line of Face Food. Cleanser, toner and most importantly, my Green Tea and Rose Moisturizer. I would have to say that moisturizer is one of my favourite products to make. There is something about watching the magic of all these incredible ingredients coming together to make this beautiful, creamy lotion! It gets me every time!

1508184_10153116455860589_3369144008641481173_nCONNECT WITH A NASTY FREE NATURALS


THIS WEEKS INSTAGRAM/FACEBOOK WINNER

Thank you to everyone who played along in this week’s Facebook & Instagram giveaway for a chance to win a $10 credit to spend at the Port Moody Farmers Market. This weeks winner is Jenny Gasparini via Facebook. Congratulations and please send an e-mail to admin@makebakegrow.com to claim your prize.

Winter Market – Grand Finale Giveaway!

Our last day of the Port Moody Winter Farmers Market is almost here, this Sunday April 26. The end of the Winter Market also signals the start of our Poirier Street Farmers Market starting May 10.

Of course we want to go out in style as well as tide you over for your farmers market needs until the Poirier Market opens, so we are teaming up with 7 of our awesome market vendors to bring you an amazing giveaway! And when I say amazing, I really mean it! Valued at $160, here all all the fabulous goodies you could be getting in the Winter Market Grand Finale Giveaway:

winter market grand finale giveaway

1. 7 Kids Foods
Homemade Marinara Sauce and 3 different flavoured Coconut Creams

2. The Salt Dispensary
Black Truffle Salt

3. Cravings Kettle Corn
2 Bags of Kettle Corn

4. Nasty Free Naturals
Chemical Free Bug Off Spray and Natural Sun Stick Sunscreen

5. Sweet Thea
$20 Gift Certificate to spend

6. Wild West Coast Sea Foods
Canned Tuna and Smoked Oysters

7. Kics Lemonade
5 Jars of Marmalade

8. Coquitlam Farmers Market
$10 Market Coin

Now all you need to do is follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below to enter for your chance to win our Winter Market Grand Finale Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can also enter through our Facebook page and via Instagram. Good luck and see you at the market!

 

Small Space Gardening Tips via Little Miss Mama

Local lifestyle blogger, Tairalyn at LittleMissMama.com shared her tips and tricks for small space gardening last week. Today we’re sharing them with you.

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Your only excuse for not growing a garden of your own is, that you thumb is more a shade of purple than it is green. Space is definitely not a issue when it comes to growing a garden of your own. Your garden won’t look traditional, but who ever strives for that anyways? Gardening in a small space can be just as rewarding as one with ample room, with the added bonus of always being close to your beverage. Right? It’s the way I like to garden, shovel in one hand, cool bevvy in the other.

After being inspired by all the amazing gardens online, I decided to bring all my favorites together under one roof, and by roof I of course mean a pinterest board. I have learnt lots, been inspired by many, and more importantly am sharing my tips and tricks for gardening in a small space with you today.

Here is your golden ticket to a beautiful and successful patio garden this year:

Think Vertical
traditionally you grow along the ground, horizontally, but when you have a small space that isn’t always an option. Need more garden real-estate? Grow up. See some of our favorite ideas on our pin-board, Lettuce Turnip the Beet” now. Get inspired and start looking up.

Get Creative
Don’t just think your garden needs to be on land, think hanging baskets, think window boxes, think think think. As long as this container isn’t biodegradable {you wouldn’t want it to eventually give out} and as long as you have ample drainage, you can pretty much grow what you would like in any container. We got a few crazy but a whole lotta’ great idea’s on our pin-board.

Loads of Love
Just like anything that grows, babies included, you’re going to need to give it a ridiculous amount of your love. Watering and sunshine is key, especially if you are gardening on a covered patio {trick: water your vegetables with recycled cooking water. boiling potatoes? steaming broccoli? use the water once cooled to feed your patio vegetable plants}. Make sure they get ample water, sun, and love; the only thing that will get hurt from talking to your plants is your reputation with your neighbors. Make sure to check out all the other fun ways to love your garden on our pin-board, Lettuce Turnip the Beet.

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WILL YOU be getting your hands dirty this gardening season?

The Port Moody Farmers Market: It’s (Not) All About the Cookies

When local mom blogger, Hillary With 2L’s visited our farmers market with her adorable son, she posted about her adventure and we are sharing it all with you!

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When you think of the farmers market, you likely think of local produce. Which isn’t totally off base; the Port Moody Winter Farmers Market is a great place to find beautiful produce. The farmers market has so much more to offer than mountains of radishes and bushels of kale though.

Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of piles of gorgeous produce.

Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of piles of gorgeous produce.

When I told Grady we were going on an adventure to the farmers market last Sunday, the first thing out of his mouth was: “they got cookies there?” I told him they do have cookies there (thanks to the lovely Sweet Thea! Pro tip: try the lemon tart. You will die it’s so good.) He thought about it for a minute and then clarified “we get the cookies?” As soon as I confirmed, my little negotiator agreed to a trip to the market and we were on our way.

Our very first stop? Cookies, obviously.

Our very first stop? Cookies, obviously.

The Port Moody Winter Farmers Market is more than just a place to stop to grab some groceries. It’s an experience. There are food trucks so you can grab a yummy snack. There’s live music and space for the little kids to run around and dance without knocking over any shoppers. Many of the vendors offer samples and all of them are happy to talk about their product. Grady was absolutely charmed by the pictures of the farm animals hanging out with Barrie’s granddaughters at Redl’s Home-Grown Beef while I hemmed and hawed over what I should buy (everything sounded amazing and it’s tough to not buy one of everything when it’s local beef raised on the pasture with no hormones, antibiotics, steroids, or any other nasty stuff.) It’s a different level of service than what I experience at the grocery store. The vendors are proud of what they’re selling and it shows.

The selection of products available is extensive without feeling overwhelming. We managed to come home with our beef and cookies, but also snagged two giant bags of gorgeous organic kale from Ripple Creek Organic Farm (I know this is going to make you roll your eyes at me but seriously, I have never tasted kale like the kale I bought from Ripple Creek.) We also brought home an amazing loaf of bread from A Bread Affair ( it had cheese and roasted garlic in it, have mercy), wildflower honey and a beeswax candle from Vlad’s Apiary, and a dozen organic eggs from Rockweld Farm.

Our market haul!

Our market haul!

Buying from and supporting locally-owned businesses is important to our family. Shawn and I both work for locally-owned small businesses so we see the value in keeping our dollars in the local economy; we worry about the environmental impact of buying food from far-off places (it’s been painful to cut back on favourites like fresh pineapple and papaya in favour of fruit that grows closer to home but we believe the effort is worth it); and we don’t want to see our neighbourhood turn into a no-personality zone of big box stores and chain restaurants.

The Port Moody Winter Farmers Market runs on Sundays from 10am – 2pm until April 26th and then the Poirier Street Farmers Market will run May 10 – October 25th on Sundays from 9am – 1pm.  You can find the market on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter and Instagram (psst – they’ve got a cool social media contest on now where you can win Market Money and products from the vendors so keep an eye out for the hashtag #makebakegrow!)

Vendor Spotlight: Bobali

VendorSpotlightBobAli
SPOTLIGHT FEATURE SALE: This Sunday at the Port Moody Farmers Market, BobAli will be offering a special deal just for you! Stop by their stand and ask for the spotlight deal which will be on all their products. 1 for $5 or 3 for $12. Make sure to get as many of their delicious items as you can!

BobAli’s Hummus, Pesto and Tapenades are famous for their freshness and amazing flavour. Their homemade hummus, pesto and tapenade are often the talk of the market and we got to chat with them to find out more!

Q: BobAli, where does the name root from?
We had no idea what to do for our business name when we started so we went with ‘Bob’ – my dad and ‘Ali’ is my partners dad.

Q: What do you love most about bringing ‘BobAli’ to farmers markets?

I love making a fresh product and bringing it to the market the next day for customers to be able to take home and enjoy.  It’s also a great environment to test out new flavour combinations.

Q: What are your most popular products?

The Dips that pack a bit of heat, Thai Green Coconut Curry Hummus and the Miso, Sesame & Horseradish Hummus

Q: Out of all that you create, what if your personal favorite?

Curried Carrot, Orange & Ginger Hummus, it’s like a soup in a hummus!

Q: Other than as a dip, what do you hear your customers using your products for?

I have one customer in Port Moody that likes to freeze the hummus in ice cube trays and then pop them into a soup for some extra flavour.  Otherwise most customers like to use them as sandwich spreads, salad dressings and even just as a sauce to go with whatever they’re eating.

04.13.15CONNECT WITH A BOBALI
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THIS WEEKS INSTAGRAM/FACEBOOK WINNER

Thank you to everyone who played along in this week’s Facebook & Instagram giveaway for a chance to win a $10 credit to the Port Moody Farmers Market. This weeks winner is Charmaine Francis (charmaingail) via instagram. Congratulations and please send an e-mail to admin@makebakegrow.com to claim your prize. Another giveaway will go live on Monday, so make sure you are following us on FB and Instagram for your next chance to win!

 

Vendor Spotlight: A Bread Affair

ABreadAffairSpotlight

One of the most simple and delicious pleasures in life is homemade bread. A Bread Affair takes it to the next level with their love of baking as well as their natural and organic ingredients. We had a chance to chat with them and find out a little more about this bread affair.

Q. Is there honestly any better smell than that of freshly baked bread?
Nothing unless I also have a cup of coffee in my hands.

Q.  What do you love the most about bringing ‘A Bread Affair’ to farmers markets?
My wonderful customers that I get to see every week.

Q. What are your most popular breads?
Our Love At First Bite, Threes Company and Apple of My Eye

Q. What makes ‘A Bread Affair’ different than the rest?
We are Certified Organic which means we are 100% GMO Free and our breads take two days to make because we use natural cultures in all of our breads. In fact, most of our breads are vegan-friendly. Every single loaf of bread we bring to the farmers market is baked just a few hours before. And they are all made with love.

We are also the only bakery that purchases local ingredients for a large part of the bread that we make. For example, the Love at First Bite is made using Pitt Meadow blueberries, Hazelnuts from Bradner and sprouted wheat from Agassiz.

Q. What is your favorite bread?
The Wild Thing, which I eat toasted in the morning with peanut butter.

CONNECT WITH A BREAD AFFAIR
04.06.15

THIS WEEKS INSTAGRAM/FACEBOOK WINNER

Thank you to everyone who played along in this week’s Facebook & Instagram giveaway for a chance to win a $10 credit to the Port Moody Farmers Market. This weeks winner is Apommygirl via instagram. Congratulations and please send an e-mail to admin@makebakegrow.com to claim your prize. Another giveaway will go live on Monday, so make sure you are following us on FB and Instagram for your next chance to win!

 

Farmers Market Goodies

We loved when The Write Balance shared her first Farmers Market Haul. So when she did another, we knew you’d want to peak at what was inside her reusable shopping bag this time!

Farmers Market Haul #2

The Port Moody Farmers Market is becoming part of of our weekly routine. I love that we can pick up fresh local produce, prepared foods and other items while at the same time, getting pesticide-free produce and supporting local farmers and businesses. It’s also a good opportunity to talk to the kids about why we come to the farmers market each week besides the delicious kettle corn and sweet carrots.

I had a really positive response to my first Farmers Market Haul post, so I thought another one was in order to share all the great things I brought home recently.

1. Organic Carrots
I can honestly say that these were the sweetest and most delicious carrots we have ever eaten! When we stopped by the Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm stand at the market, she gave my kids a carrot just to taste test. The kids loved them and we bought a bunch to take home. I’m not even exaggerating when I say they were all gone within 36 hours. And when my kids asked me for more, you should have seen how disappointed they were when I told them we’d have to wait for the Sunday to pick up more.

2. Free-Range Eggs
Since watching the documentary Food Inc, it’s changed my perspective on food and what I eat, including eggs. I will go out of my way and pay a little extra to get free-range eggs. At first it was at the grocery store, but now when I make my weekly Sunday trip to the famers market, I will pick up a dozen free range eggs. #shoplocal and #support local whenever I can

3. Coconut Cream Treats
First I tried 7 Kids Foods delicious marinara sauce. This time, they had a great new treat, Coconut Creams. They are made with organic ingredients and come in three flavours and the kids love them. Also, they come with these cute handmade covers so your kids fingers don’t get cold.

4. Gourmet Marshmallows
We also had to try some of the delicate marshmallow treats from Whipped Baked Goods which actually melted in our mouth. They are made with cane sugar, no corn syrup in site. I loved the green tea ones, but the kids insisted on buying the Neapolitan flavour which was great too.

5. Organice Potatoes
And finally, we picked up some organic potatoes. Since reading that they are part of the dirty dozen, I figure it’s worth it, don’t you ?

Small Space Gardening

There are plenty of resources available to help get you started in growing your own food. The popularity of community gardens has never been greater, with waiting lists measured in years at most gardens in the Lower Mainland. But don’t despair, you can grow food and herbs in containers almost anywhere. Our next Vancity sponsored workshop will show you how.

Rachel Elves, from Burquitlam Community Organic Garden Society and Green Zebra Markets in Vancouver, will lead you through building your own DIY self-watering planter. With this cheap to make and easy to replicate planter, you can leave your plants to self-water for quite a while. This workshop is perfect for those who might not have the time to garden often or possibly want to add to their existing garden without adding to the workload!

Container gardening can be a lot of fun, and educational too. The BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation rolled out its Spuds in Tubs program in 2013. Spuds in tubs includes a Teacher Guide with age appropriate learning outcomes. In the 2013/2014 school year over 8,000 BC students participated in the planting, growing, harvesting, and eating of 70,000 pounds of potatoes.

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As satisfying as it is to eat local food you’ve just purchased from the farmer’s market, there is nothing better than nurturing your own plants from seeds to your dinner plate. For inspiration you can check out this UK web site for ideas on some of the best yielding plants for container gardening. Another fun resource is this Garden Planning Software where you can drag and drop your veggies to design your own garden.

biglittle-250x333Confined spaces don’t have to confine the imagination. The Biggest Little Garden in Town is a container garden project that was started by Fraserside Community Services in New Westminster. Using tiered garden boxes and a trellis made from Western Red Cedar, these units are perfect for growing vegetables in small areas. The project provided containers, soil, seeds, and instructions for Fraserside clients. There are now several agreements with other food security organizations that wish to replicate these compact urban oases.

If you want to get started on your container garden, register now for our Small Space Gardening Workshop at Eventbrite. Choose one of two start times, 10:30 or noon on April 19th.

Vendor Spotlight: Forstbauer Natural Food Farms

ForstbauerNaturalSpotlight

SPOTLIGHT FEATURE SALE the next Sunday that the Port Moody Farmers Market is open, April 12th, make sure to stop by Forstbauer Natural Food Farms because they have a special deal for you. Buy 3lbs of blueberries for $15 instead of $17, or 1lb of blueberries for $5 instead of $6. You can also pre-ordered 5lbs of blueberries for $23  instead of $25 (pre-ordered via email forstbauernaturalfoodfarm@shaw.ca  by April 10th for pickup at the April 12th market).

Blueberries, carrots, and beets OH MY! Forstbauer Natural Food Farms is only about certified organic foods, and those who shop with them get to take advantage of all the benefits. A family business which has grown locally since 1977, you must read about their story here.

Q. You have a family farm and have raised 12 children there. How is it running a family business?
Since 1977 in matsqui ~ we moved to Chilliwack in 1989

Q. What is the main produce that you grow?
All certified organic and certified demeter (bio-dynamic) blueberries, zucchini, beans, carrots, beets, pickling cukes and many other great vegetables

Q. Your family is a pioneer in organic farming. Why did you decided this was important 30 years ago?
Hans was raised on a bio-dynamic farm. We had children and did not want to expose them to the chemicals .

Q. For someone who doesn’t understand, what does it mean when they buy and eat produce that is organic certified?
Food grown on an organic certified farm is grown using cultural, biological and mechanical practices that promote ecological balance and biodiversity.  Synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers are not allowed.  Our farms and bookkeeping is checked regularly to ensure we are following the standards.  The certification bodies are audited regularly to ensure that they have all the checks and balances in place

Q. For someone who has bought and tried your produce, why does it taste so much better than what is bought in grocery stores?
It is local and fresh.  We also grow bio dynamically which is more strict than organic.  Using chemicals on/in our soil can cause less sugar to be available to the plants.

Q. Why do you think farmers markets are important in the community?
For centuries  people have gathered together to share food.  At farmers markets people build community and meet their neighbours.  In today’s world many people do not have gardens and their only connection to food is a grocery store.  At farmers markets people learn that farmers are real people just like them.  They have families and the same challenges as every one else

Q. What is your most popular produce? What do customers ask for the most?
Our carrots.  They are super sweet ~~ after a school farm tour i often receive calls from parents to see if our farm is the one that has the candy cane sweet carrots.  Also our northland blueberries.

Q. How do you see organic farming changing and growing in the future?
Every year there are more young people wanting to reconnect with farming. I see the younger generations moving back to the land as a way of securing food for the future.  These young people care about our environment and the food they eat so they are farming  using organic methods.   I believe more mainstream farmers will move to organic as they want to be more sustainable.  We are already seeing mainstream farmers looking at the organic industry for answers to some of their production problems.

I, personally, did not grow up on a farm.  We raised our children on the farm and they have a respect for life and community that i am very proud of.  I am now watching our grandchildren show pride in the food we grow.  It is rewarding that they care and brag that we are organic farmers,  they take part in the farming and marketing.   We empower them to be a part of the farm business giving them responsibilities.

CONNECT WITH FORSTBAUER FAMILY NATURAL FOOD FARMS

 

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THIS WEEKS INSTAGRAM WINNER

Thank you to everyone who played along in this week’s FacebookInstagram giveaway for a chance to win a $10 credit to the Port Moody Farmers Market. This weeks winner is Vanessa Campbell. Congratulations and please send an e-mail to admin@makebakegrow.com to claim your prize. Another giveaway will go live on Monday, so come back and play along for your next chance to win!