Visit the market this Sunday to find the best in local produce, baked goods, artisan crafts, local spirits, and more!
The Tri-Cities Pride Society is hosting a pancake breakfast at the market this weekend. Come grab a stack of pancakes, and your Sunday coffee from Biscotti Joe! Rocky Point Ice Cream will also be in attendance.
There are a few spots left in our Summer Fruit workshop this Sunday! Join us at 10am to learn some recipes for simple sauces, jams, and salsas, and take home a jar of your own. Pre-registration is required HERE.
Join us at the Kids Craft Table to make paper snails!
Musician, Barry Wilson, joins us at the Market this Sunday! Get a sneak peek of his music HERE, and catch him live this weekend!
Vendors scheduled to attend market this Sunday (please note this list is subject to change)
It’s blueberry season at the market, which means you can get your hands on a variety of fresh local blueberries! Not only are they delicious but they are also high in fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K! Blueberries are also said to have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all common fruits and vegetables. Come by the market this Sunday to learn more about the blueberries offered, and of course, sample them! Below are some blueberry snack ideas your kids (and you) will love:
Frozen Blueberry Bites (recipe from www.Hellofresh.com):
In a bowl combine 1 cup greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon honey, and the seeds of 1 vanilla bean. Pierce each blueberry with a toothpick, dip into the yogurt mixture to thoroughly coat and then place on a lined baking sheet. Freeze for at least 45 minutes, and enjoy!
Blueberry Fruit Leather (recipe from www.blueberrycouncil.org):
In a blender puree 2 cups baby spinach, 1 cup greek yogurt, 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup pomegranate juice, 1 cup ice cubes, and 2 tablespoons of chia seeds until smooth. Divide between two glasses, and enjoy!
other great ideas: blueberry oatmeal cookies, blueberry bark, blueberry fruit leather, blueberry granola
On Sunday July 14 our POP Club kids will be learning how to follow a recipe as they work together to make blueberry chia jam. learn more about the POP Club here and visit us at the market to register.
The POP Club is a farmer’s market-based kids program. Children (ages 5 – 12 years old) will learn about fruits and vegetables, local food systems and healthy food preparation through fun activities all season long.
Each week children will earn a $3 market token to use towards any fruit or vegetable of their choice. There is no cost to participate and the program runs every Sunday rain or shine!
How does Sweet Thea differentiate its baked goods from those found at the grocery store, or other bakeries?
We are a scratch bakery, which is very rare in the lower mainland (most bakeries rely on premixes). Everything we produce is the best product possible, made only with raw ingredients. There are no shortcuts in our bakery – every detail is important – the look, the smell, the flavor, the crumb, the mouth feel – are all considered when preparing an item. The eating experience is essential and we like to keep our eaters happy. We use simple ingredients – no preservatives, no chemicals, no gimmicks.
What are some interesting facts about working in a bakery that many would not know?
Ingredients are never the same from day to day. Our style of traditional European pastries require constant vigilance – you cannot just follow a recipe and get consistent results. Weather and humidity is as important to a baker as it is to a farmer!
What is your favourite baked good / pastry to enjoy?
Our christmas stollen is the highlight of our year, every year. And we all swoon when our fragrant hearth breads come out of the oven!
What do you enjoy the most about selling at farmers markets?
That’s a huge question! We love feeding people who appreciate what we are doing; we love watching babies turn into cookie munching kids, and then to lemon tart loving teens! Perhaps best is we love interacting with our fellow vendors – we feel very blessed to be on the ‘front line’ of fresh fruit and vegetables, to be among the first to try delicious treats from inspired fellow artisans. Local cheese, fresh spinach, crispy apples, tart raspberries – every market we share the joy our customers do, in finding out what is new today.
Why is growing local important to you?
The villains of this world are trying to turn everything into assets in their bank accounts. Supporting local is one of the few ways we can stand against this filthy tide of greed.
Discover the Power of Produce and join the POP Club this Sunday!
July 14 – Week 11: It is Blueberry Festival at the market! POP Club kids will learn about working together and following a recipe as they make blueberry chia jam. Since this activity requires following a recipe, we will be running the demo every half hour (first will start at 9am, last will start at 12:30pm). There will also be an activity for those who do not want to make the jam and those who are waiting for a demo to begin (you can also do both, of course!). Stop by the POP tents to sign in (or register) and get started on the activity. Don’t forget to participate in the 2 Bite Club and complete your passport to get your $3 token, redeemable on any fruits and vegetables in the market.
2 Bite Club: blueberry
The POP Club is a farmers market-based kids program. Children (ages 5 – 12 years old) will learn about fruits and vegetables, local food systems and healthy food preparation through fun activities all season long.
Each week children will earn a $3 market token to use towards any fruit or vegetable of their choice. There is no cost to participate and the program runs every Sunday rain or shine!
We’re celebrating BC blueberries this Sunday at the market! This weekend is our annual Blueberry Festival – Click Here to find out more about this fun family event!
Come hungry and pick up some brunch/lunch at Brazilian Roots or Gypsy Trunk Gourmet Fare. Be sure to grab your Sunday coffee from Brewnetti Cafe!
Join us at the Kids Craft Table to paint a bucket of blueberries! Not as delicious as the real thing, but lots of fun to create!
We’re happy to welcome the Coquitlam Munch back to the market this Sunday. Find out about this great edible trail in the Austin Heights neighbourhood and stop by their tent to make a small trellis out of items you can find at home. Also, the City of Coquitlam will be in attendance looking for input from the community on their upcoming strategic plan.
Musician, Caden Knudson, joins us at the Market this Sunday! Get a sneak peek of his music HERE, and catch him live this weekend!
Benefits of Buying Locally Grown Food: How Farmer’s Markets Help the Community and Planet Guest Blog by Westwood Total Health
More and more, people in Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam are seeing the benefits of purchasing locally grown food. According to McGill University, “There are many definitions of ‘local food’, but the concept is based primarily on distance. Many people like to purchase food locally by starting within their own community, then moving out to the region, province, country and so on. This type of food consumption is the basis for the popular 100-mile diet, which promotes buying and eating food that’s grown, manufactured or produced within a 100-mile radius of the consumer’s home.”
Here are 6 benefits of buying local food:
1. Local Food Contains More Nutrients
Most food travels a great distance to get to Coquitlam. In the winter, you see produce from South America, The United States and Mexico in the grocery store. In order for produce to arrive fresh, the University of Toronto Food Services tells us, “it is often harvested early so the produce doesn’t spoil on the journey, packaged with preservatives and beaten around on the way. Once produce is harvested, it begins to slowly lose its nutritional value. The longer it has to travel and sit in the store before it makes its way to your fridge, the less nutritional it is.” For food containing the most nutrients, check out your local farmer’s market and pick up locally grown, seasonal fare for your entire family to enjoy.
2. It’s Better for the Environment
“In Canada, particularly in winter, most fruits and vegetables are transported at least 2,500 km from their point of origin to your table,” says Caritas Canada. “While it may seem like you’re paying more for those local fruits and veggies, you’re actually paying for the quality rather than the convenience. Imported produce must be transported in, a costly business. In a way, you are paying more for the greenhouse gas emissions of importing those tomatoes than you are for the actual tomato,” reports the University of Toronto Food Services. At a time when we are all conscious of our impact on the environment, we may need to give up eating those fresh blueberries from Chile over the winter. But we don’t have to sacrifice blueberries altogether. Purchase locally grown blueberries and other fruit in the summer, freeze, and enjoy all winter long in smoothies, crisps, muffins, waffles and pies.
3. It Supports Local Farmers
Farmers derive their income from the food they produce. When you purchase food locally, you are supporting local farmers, “so they can keep farming. That helps to create affordable, nutritious, high quality food for the future. When you buy local food, you are helping to preserve our valuable farmland for future generations,” states UnlockFood.ca
4. It’s Better for the Local Economy
Of course, keeping our money flowing through the local economy benefits other local businesses as well. According to the University of Toronto Food Services, “when you invest your money in local produce, that money goes to [local] farmers, to aid in continuing their business, and will likely be reinvested further into the community by them as they use local services and products to run their own establishments. This circulation of currency allows the local economy to flourish. Additionally, opting for local can also reveal any gaps in the local market which the community can fill, resulting in more jobs and a little more self-reliance.”
5. Local Food Tastes Better
Many of us have grown fruit and vegetables in our own backyard gardens and we do this because it’s more flavourful than the produce coming from the other side of the world. Vancouver Farmer’s Markets state, “Many of our farmers harvest their produce the day before and sometimes even the morning of each market to ensure peak freshness. Producers who sell at farmers markets are also more likely to grow unusual and heirloom varieties of fruits and veggies that contain better flavour, while seafood vendors and foragers bring products that are wild harvested and indigenous to the region.”
6. You Get to Know The People in Your Community
Visit any local farmer’s market in summer or winter and you have the opportunity to meet local growers and the people in your community. It’s a hub of activity and a pleasant, relaxing way to spend a couple of hours, sampling local fare and getting to know your neighbours.
About Us Westwood Total Health is an award-winning chiropractic, physiotherapy and massage therapy clinic and has been providing health and wellness care to families in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody since 2006. Since 2013, we have been consistently voted favourite natural health clinic by readers of the Tri-City News. Visit us at the local Coquitlam Farmers Market where we offer free postural and spinal stress screenings. Our goal is to make the Tri-Cities the healthiest community in the country. Won’t you join us?
Getting children involved in meal prep helps them to understand what is going into their bodies. Children involved in meal prep also tend to make healthier choices when it comes to food and therefore are likely to eat more fruits and vegetables. Additionally, teaching them at a young age allows their skills to develop and strengthen, which they can take into adulthood.
4 Tips for getting children involved in food prep:
Allow them to make choices – this makes your child feel important in the kitchen. Show them a cookbook and let them choose some recipes for you to make together
Delegate tasks – delegating tasks between children not only speeds up the cooking process but also allows them to take ownership and pride over the meal
Let them be creative – meal prep doesn’t need to be by the book. Let your child try cutting the veggies in different shapes, add ingredients, not in the recipe, and share their ideas with you. Be supportive of their ideas so that they are not discouraged
Get them to measure – knowing how to measure quantities of ingredients is important, as well as teaching them how to portion their meals.
On Sunday July 7 our POP Club kids will be learning about the importance of vitamins as they create their own fruit salads. learn more about the POP Club here and visit us at the market to register.
The POP Club is a farmer’s market-based kids program. Children (ages 5 – 12 years old) will learn about fruits and vegetables, local food systems and healthy food preparation through fun activities all season long.
Each week children will earn a $3 market token to use towards any fruit or vegetable of their choice. There is no cost to participate and the program runs every Sunday rain or shine!
How do you ensure that your berries are grown sustain-ably, to prevent any negative impacts to the environment?
We practice Non-Organic IPM:
People ask me, “are these organic”?
It can be confusing to hear that a farm is not organic, through media exposure over the years general consumers have come to associate organic with more sustainable, healthy, and over all a “better option”. But is that even #true?
It is first important to note that organic pesticides, even though derived from organic compounds are not necessarily safer than synthetic pesticides. They can be just as toxic. And also Research Studies have proven that Organic is not more #nutritious than Non-Organic fruit! #Google it.
We use both organic and #synthetic pesticides. But for organic only growers they can not use synthetic pesticides. And if they were to use non-organic sprays, they would not be able to legally
sell as Certified Organic. Thus, they have to reapply the same Pesticide over and over again in one season as they don’t have any other option!
This reapplication builds up #resistance and it means that organic farmers will have to apply more of the same Pesticide for it to be effective. Thus, organic farmers have lower #yields per acre and feed less people but charge more money! What’s sustainable in that?
Practicing IPM and farming the way we do, means we are able to feed more #families per acre at a lower cost and are #healthier for the environment (more sustainable).
Positives of Non-Organic IPM:
1️⃣ we spray less often
2️⃣ we are more Sustainable because we don’t build resistance, and thus future farmers for decades to come don’t have to deal with super bugs!
3️⃣ we have higher yields per acre, meaning that we can feed more families per acre, making us more Sustainable for a family farm to be successful.
4️⃣ we’re less costly than organic, because we don’t have to charge ridiculous amounts to compensate for the reduced yield!
What differentiates berries from Maan Farms from those in the grocery store?
Transparency, I share all of my growing practices on our Instagram and Facebook. People should know about how their food has been grown!
Favorite things about growing up on a farm?
It never gets boring. Mother nature keeps us on our toes and being a destination farm we have opportunity to work in many different industries.
What do you enjoy the most about selling at farmers markets?
Educating people about how food is grown in our community. We want to be able to answer all of your questions and this is a great way for us to get some one on one time with each other at our booth.
Why is growing local important to you?
Growing local means that we get to feed thousands of people but we also employ about 150 people every year. Most of these are students that some have gone on and completed their education to become lawyers, doctors and teachers in our community. This Butterfly effect is the reason why we as a family try to buy everything as local as possible. We know that this cycle of supporting other local businesses helps strengthen our home where we live and helps create a strong future from generations to come.
Discover the Power of Produce and join the POP Club this Sunday!
July 7 – Week 10: This week in the POP tent we will be doing a cooking demo! – we will be making fruit salad and learning about the importance of vitamins. Stop by the POP tents to sign in (or register) and get started on the activity. Don’t forget to participate in the 2 Bite Club and complete your passport to get your $3 token, redeemable on any fruits and vegetables in the market.
2 Bite Club: fruit salad
The POP Club is a farmers market-based kids program. Children (ages 5 – 12 years old) will learn about fruits and vegetables, local food systems and healthy food preparation through fun activities all season long.
Each week children will earn a $3 market token to use towards any fruit or vegetable of their choice. There is no cost to participate and the program runs every Sunday rain or shine!
Visit the market this Sunday to find the best in local produce, baked goods, artisan crafts, local spirits, and more!
Come hungry and pick up some brunch/lunch at Brazilian Roots, Kara’s Crepes or Nina’s Pierogi. Be sure to grab a cool treat from the Rocky Point Ice Cream Truck!
Join us at the Kids Craft Table to make a paper straw dragonfly!
Musician, Pernell Reichert, joins us at the Market this Sunday! Get a sneak peek of his music HERE, and catch him live this weekend!
Vendors scheduled for July 7 – please note this list is subject to change
