Now Hiring: Farmers Market Manager

Job Posting: Farmers Market Manager

Grow Local Society – TriCities (GLS) invites applications for the Farmers Market Manager position. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Market Manager is responsible for the smooth operation and promotion of our weekly, outdoor Farmers Markets.

About Grow Local Society:

Grow Local Society (GLS) is a non-profit, volunteer driven organization. We operate Farmers Markets, Community Gardens, and food security projects in the Tri-City region. Our beginnings are rooted in a community economic development project initiated by SFU students in 1996, resulting in one of the longest running suburban Farmers Markets in the Lower Mainland.

Position Responsibilities

The Farmers Market Manager responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following areas:

  • Marketing and communications;
  • Vendor management and relationship building;
  • Community leadership and engagement;
  • Leadership and HR;
  • Strategic planning;
  • Program development and management.

Qualifications and Competencies

  • Strong people management skills, including recruiting and retaining a diverse group of vendors
  • Significant marketing/branding, and financial management experience;
  • Experience working with small businesses is an asset;
  • Astute leadership skills;
  • Ability to set clear priorities, delegate, and contribute to organizational strategic direction;
  • Excellent relationship building skills with an ability to communicate and work effectively with a variety of internal and external stakeholders,
  • Strong analytic, organization, and problem-solving skills, which support and enable sound decision making;
  • Ability to cultivate a strong and cohesive culture across the organization;
  • Strong conflict management skills, and ability to negotiate persuasively and achieve
  • consensus amongst differing opinions; and
  • Outstanding presentation and communication skills with the ability to be an outgoing
  • spokesperson, and relationship builder; and
  • Collaborating, mentoring and empowering staff.

Role Overview

The Farmers Market Manager is a dynamic and versatile role. It is a key role in the organization managing farmers markets, creating a fun and engaging work environment, engaging the community, and contributing to the growth and direction of the Society. It requires a variety of diverse skills to manage the various aspects of the position.

On Market Day:

  • Manages Winter Markets – November – April attends Sunday markets (8am – 3pm)
  • Manages Annual Christmas Market – second Saturday in December (7am – 5pm)
  • Manages Summer Markets – May – October attends weekly Sunday markets (7am – 2pm)
  • Facilitates the set up of the Market including: determining tent layout, assembling tents, tables, banners, and other Market day materials
  • Manages vendors: directing vendors to their locations, collect fees, market currencies, and handle vendor queries
  • Assists Assistant Market Manager to oversee staff and volunteers, community group participants, and entertainers
  • Provides Market information to shoppers and vendors; and positively handles concerns and queries
  • Positively represents the Coquitlam Farmers Market Society to the community.

Beyond Market Day

  • Vendor Management: manage vendor relationships, create and maintain vendor schedule, create monthly newsletter, answer queries, recruit new vendors
  • Marketing and communications: create and implement plan to promote farmers market
    • Creates monthly newsletter, distribute press releases, create content and manage social media presence
    • Creates general, event and promotional materials
    • Maintains website – blog posts, social media promotions, vendor profiles, events and workshops
  • Program Management: implements and manages programs operating through the market
  • Attend monthly board meetings
  • Responds to general inquiries, through phone, email, and social media
  • Represents the CFMS at community events in the Tri-Cities
  • Works from home office

We are looking for someone who:

  • Enjoys working in a fast paced environment, has a passion for local food, and enjoys being outside in all weather conditions
  • Is a people person with excellent management abilities and enjoys talking and engaging with others
  • Has strong marketing skills with significant experience in social media and cause marketing campaigns
  • Has an interest and/or experience in community economic development and is familiar with the not-for- profit sector
  • Is self directed, reliable, responsible, and works collaboratively as part of a team
  • Can handle conflict situations with sensitivity
  • Can manage others and delegate tasks appropriately
  • Has excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Has regular access to a computer, printer, and email
  • Is computer literate, with good working knowledge of basic software applications (Word, Excel)
  • Graphic design and knowledge of design software an asset
  • Can lift up to 10 kg of equipment
  • Has a valid BC drivers license, and access to a reliable vehicle to bring market day items to market, and to use when posting signage with the surrounding community
  • Familiarity with the Tri-Cities area an asset

Term of Contract:

  • 35 hours per week
  • $33,670 – $45,500 annual salary

Please forward a cover letter and resume, describing how your background/experience meets the above criteria by email to info@makebakegrow.com

We thank all applicants, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Top 4 Benefits of Farmers Markets

Why are farmers markets so important? Well, the benefits of them are huge! They not only benefit our lives, but they also benefit the environment and the economy. Farmers markets bring fresh, local produce straight from farmers to consumers. There is less transport, less handling, less refrigeration and less storage which means the food is fresher and doesn’t lose its nutritional value. And, the farmers retain the profits. Supporting your local farmers is always a good thing! The Port Moody Farmers Market is filled with locally sourced foods and handmade wares; you can meet makers, bakers, and growers who bring their goods straight from their workshops and fields to the market every Sunday. It is beneficial to explore the market and see everything that it has to offer; meet the vendors, enjoy local artists at the music tent, meet different community groups, and enjoy doing the different kids activities offered with your children.

Here are the top 4 benefits of why you should shop at your local farmers market:

  1. Stimulates Local Economies
    • Farmers get fair pay when you purchase directly from them.
    • The money spent at farmers markets goes right back into the community at other local businesses.
    • It creates more local jobs.
    • Buying locally supports local agriculture and supports the local economy.
  2. Preserves Farmland and Rural Livelihoods
    • More land is preserved for growing food and not just becoming development sites.
    • Farmers markets allow small and new farms to gain financial security as they build their businesses.
    • The winter markets help to create year-round income for farmers.
    • Enjoy food and goods that are sourced nearby, which benefits the environment by reducing the usage of fossil fuels.
  3. Increases Access to Fresh Food
    • Since the food is not travelling from country to country, it is fresher and healthier.
    • Studies show that farmers market produce is actually cheaper or comparable to supermarkets.
    • Markets create more access to organic foods.
    • See an array of fruits and vegetables that most grocery stores don’t carry, along with locally sourced honey, handmade sauces, and handmade giftware.
    • Learn what is in season as you explore the market, eat fresh and delicious produce, and know where your food is coming from.
  4. Supports Healthy Communities
    • People make healthier food choices when shopping at farmers markets as compared to supermarkets.
    • The market is a great place for farmers to communicate and educate shoppers about healthy produce.
    • Meet the farmers that grow your food; ask them about their farm, their farming practices, and any questions you may have about their produce.
    • Kids make healthier eating choices by participating in programs like the POP Club!
    • It’s an amazing environment to be more social and get to know the people in your community.

So, those are the benefits and reasons why you should continue supporting your local farmers market! This Sunday at the POP tent, kids will be learning a lot more about our market. They will be playing a farmers market version of BINGO where they will get to explore the market and learn more about what’s going on at the market!

Hope to see you there!

If you haven’t yet registered for the program this season, make sure you visit the POP tent to get started!

Learn more about the program here: POP Kids Club

5 Great Reasons to Have Your Children Start Gardening

Gardening with children is amazing for their development. Through gardening, they learn many new skills. They learn to work with their hands, how to take care of something else, and they learn patience as they wait for their plants to grow. Teaching children about planting seeds can be fun and educational. Kids love being creative, and this can also become a great outlet for them to express their creativity. They can make choices in what they want to plant and learn how real, nutritious food is actually made. Things don’t just come from a store, there is a process and getting them more involved in this process will help them become more conscious eaters as they grow older.

5 Great Reasons to Have Your Children Start Gardening:

  1. It builds their self-confidence they are creating something out of nothing.
  2. They learn how to be more responsible because they are now in charge of caring for something other than themselves.
  3. It is a great way to bond with them.
  4. The become healthier eaters because they are involved in the process of growing food and they are more likely to try eating something that they have created.
  5. It teaches them to be more patient as they wait for their little plants to grow.

This Sunday at the POP Club tent we will be teaching children how to plant beet seeds. They will each work with the soil and plant their little seeds into egg cartons. We will teach them about the different stages that the plant goes through and how to care for their little plants. Then they will take their plants home and watch them grow!

Hope to see you there!

If you haven’t yet registered for the program this season, make sure you visit the POP tent to get started!

Learn more about the program here: POP Kids Club

Engaging Kids in the 5 Senses

Why would developing our senses be important? Well our senses are the way that we explore the world and basically make sense of what is going on around us. Teaching children about the 5 senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste) is important to help them to stimulate their brains and to better understand their bodies. It is also great for building their self esteem because through activities relating to the senses, they are discovering new and exciting things about themselves.

A great way to have them engage in all their senses is to bring them to the Port Moody Farmers Market! You can ask them questions like what kinds of sounds do they hear? Maybe the musician of the week or vendors making their sales. Then ask what they see, like the assortment of fruits and vegetables we have to offer. There is always so much going on at the market and it’s a great way to engage in all the senses!

Here are some other activities that you can try with your children to help them engage in their 5 senses:

Sight: Playing I Spy with your kids is a fun and easy game to play with them to have them become more aware of the things around them.

Smell: The blindfold test is a great way to help kids activate their sense of smell. Take familiar items like cocoa powder and lemons and have them figure out what it is only by smelling it.

Touch: A great way to have them engage in this sense is by getting a box and hiding a mystery object within it. Cut a hole so they can stick their hands into the cardboard to use their sense of touch to discover what it is. This is exactly what we’ll be doing for this Sunday’s activity at the POP Club!

Hearing: Take kids to a park and have them point out all the things that they hear. Is it a bird, or a plane, or maybe the laughter of other children? Have them describe all the things that they hear.

Taste: The blindfold test can also be used here to help kids differentiate between different tastes. Have them try different foods and answer questions like is it salty or is it sweet?

Join us this Sunday for a fun activity that will help POP kids engage in their sense of touch by using their hands to figure out what vegetable is hidden in the mystery box! They will not only be using their hands, but also their critical thinking skills in order to make sense of what they are feeling.

Hope to see you there!

If you haven’t yet registered for the program this season, make sure you visit the POP tent to get started!

Learn more about the program here: POP Kids Club

Why It’s Important to Teach Kids About Money

Teaching children at a young age about money and savings will help them become better money managers as they get older. In the POP Club Program, children earn a $3 market token after participating in the activity and 2Bite. These tokens can then be either used that day on produce within the market or saved for bigger purchases in the future. Children get to choose which helps them to develop better decision-making skills.

It’s important to give children a good foundation about money management. Teaching them the basics about how to budget, spend and save will establish good money habits for life. Through our program, we teach young kids the value of money through real life situations to help them understand where money (aka market tokens) come from and how to earn them. We are also able to teach them that there is a process in order to get the things that they want. You work hard at something, earn money from that and then you get to reap the benefits.

It can be difficult for children to understand what money is and why we need it. Especially in this day and age, where most purchases are made by using debit or credit cards or otherwise known as “invisible money”. Here are some tips on how you can help your child be more money conscious:

  1. Start by allowing your children to actually see money.
  2. Teach them the importance of saving by getting them a piggy bank.
  3. Give your kids pocket money so they can start making their own decisions about how they want their money spent.
  4. Exchange money for chores around the house to teach them that money is earned.

This Sunday at the POP tent, the POP kids will be working through a worksheet that will help them understand how to use their POP tokens to purchase the things that they want within in the market. They will also learn the value of patience by saving up their tokens to make big purchases.

Hope to see you there!

If you haven’t yet registered for the program this season, make sure you visit the POP tent to get started!

Learn more about the program here: POP Kids Club

Kale Yeah! The Health Benefits of Kale

This Sunday at the Power of Produce Club, children will be participating in a cooking demo to make a healthy kale salad! It can be difficult to get children excited about eating their vegetables, so a fun way to do so is to get them more involved in the process. They will learn valuable skills that will help them understand the importance of cooking their own food and how delicious fresh produce really is. Having kids join in on the cooking process can make it more exciting and enjoyable for them. Plus, they are more likely to try something that they created themselves. Even if it’s a vegetable that they would normally turn their nose up to like kale!

Kale is actually one of the worlds most healthiest foods since its packed with so many nutrients!

Here are some interesting facts about kale:

  1. Kale is a green, leafy, winter vegetable that is high in fiber.
  2. It has more nutritional value than spinach.
  3. The potassium content of kale may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
  4. The nutrients it contains support healthy skin, hair and bones.
  5. The fiber content enhances digestion and contributes to cardiovascular health.
  6. It is a good source of vitamin c and iron.
  7. It contains fiber, antioxidants, calcium, vitamin k and more.

Here’s the recipe that we’ll be trying out:

Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups of chopped kale
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • ¼ cup diced red onion

Dressing Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp honey

Instructions:

  1. First make your dressing by combining ingredients above in a bowl and mix well to emulsify. You can make this dressing as sweet or tart as your heart desires! All you have to do is adjust the honey, salt and pepper to taste.
  2. In a large bowl, combine kale, carrots and onion. Pour about 1/3 of the dressing over the salad. Toss to coat and add extra dressing, to taste.

Come join us this Sunday at the Port Moody Market so the POP kids can come and try making this recipe!

Hope to see you there!

If you haven’t yet registered for the program this season, make sure you visit the POP tent to get started!

Learn more about the program here: POP Kids Club

A Farmers Work Never Ends

Just because the harvest season is over, doesn’t mean that a farmers work ends. Farmers play many different roles and this Sunday we will be teaching our POP kids what these roles are. From being a veterinarian to a scientist, the daily tasks a farmer takes on varies. There are many different types of farming such as livestock, crop, tree, dairy and many more. Each type of farming requires specialized skills and knowledge.

There are farms that grow crops, others raise animals and some do both! For the winter season, farmers focus on preparing for the harvest season. They make decisions on what crops to plant on which fields, they prepare the fields, and they budget for and purchase items likes seeds and fertilizer. They also take on the role of a mechanic and work on farm equipment like tractors and planters to prepare for spring planting. Since our winters can get very cold, they also need to ensure the water lines don’t freeze, and that their animals have proper shelter, enough food and bedding to keep warm. A farms tasks varies greatly according to the type of farming, the type of crop or livestock, which machinery and equipment are used, and what size the farming operation is.

Here are a few examples of the different roles a farmer has:

Veterinarian: farmers must be able to recognize early signs of disease in animals, assist with the birth of animals, and administer medicine to any sick animals.

Weather Forecaster: farmers must understand weather and climate, be aware of possible weather changes, and know how to prepare for these changes.

Mechanic: farmers must be able to operate and maintain both simple and complicated machinery, make repairs, and keep machines in good working order.

Nutritionist: farmers must know how to prepare feed rations for best growth and production of livestock.

Scientist: farmers must be able to conduct experiments that help answer agricultural questions like which crops grow best in particular climates or soil.

Engineer: farmers must know how to plan and construct fences and buildings, build irrigation ditches and control the flow of water, and use natural resources to grow products useful to people.

Business Manager: farmers must be able to balance accounts, sell farm produce to the market, be responsible for making payments and payrolls, and keep track of equipment, products, and land.

Forest Ranger: farmers must be able to recognize the various kinds of trees, detect fires and know methods of controlling them, and clear trees from land and prevent soil erosion.

This Sunday, children will participate in a fun activity that will teach them more about the different role’s farmers play. Come down to the Port Moody Winters Farmers Market and let’s learn together!

If you haven’t yet registered for the program this season, make sure you visit the POP tent to get started!

Learn more about the program here: POP Kids Club

Animals on the Farm

If you have ever spent some time on a farm then you know that there are usually a variety of animals to be found. Animals on the farm are referred to as livestock, this term includes cattle, sheep, horses, goats, and other domestic animals raised on farms for use or profit. Chickens and turkeys are not considered livestock, instead, they are referred to as poultry. Below are some fun facts about some of the common animals found on a farm:

Chicken – did you know that there are more chickens on earth than people – around 20 billion! It is believed that chickens were domesticated around 9,000 years ago.

Cow – Did you know that there are over 800 different cattle breeds recognized worldwide! Cows spend around 10 hours a day laying down relaxing.

Horse – Did you know that there is only one truly wild horse species still in existence, the Przewalski horse lives in Mongolia. Other wild horses are feral, for example, mustangs in North America. The average horse heart weighs approximately 9 or 10 pounds.

Pig – Did you know that pigs were domesticated around 8,000 years ago in China. Pigs are the brains of the barnyard and extraordinarily intelligent, some report that they are smarter than dogs and even some primates.

Goat – Did you know that goats were among the first animals brought over to North America, the earliest European settlers brought them over on the Mayflower. Goats have rectangular pupils, this gives them a fuller range of vision than humans and other animals that have round pupils.

On Sunday, October 20 our POP Club kids will be learning facts about different animals that can be found around the farm. 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!

The Role of Agriculture in our Daily Lives

Agriculture is vital to the economy, community, society, and is at the heart of our daily lives. Many people know that the food we eat every day is thanks to hard-working farmers, but you may not realize just how much of an impact agriculture has on your daily lives outside of the food you consume.

Have a look at just a few of the ways that agriculture impacts your daily life:

Fabric – natural fibers found in your clothing and furniture are produced on the farm; most commonly wool and cotton

Flowers – nursery crops are also a part of agriculture; when you decorate your home with a bouquet of flowers know that their beauty is thanks to agriculture

Forestry – many forests are cultivated; grown to provide paper and other wood products that you use every day

Household – agriculture products such as corn and soybeans are often found in cleaning products that you use around your home

Fuel – one of the most common agriculture products that people forget about is fuel; ethanol is derived from corn and is used to power cars

On Sunday, October 13 our POP Club kids will be learning about the role of agriculture in our daily lives and try to understand how most of the necessities of life can be traced back to the farm. 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!