Category: Market News

British Columbia has over 800 blueberry growers cultivating 28,000 acres that yield approximately 120 million pounds a year. British Columbia is home to one of the largest highbush blueberry-growing regions in the world, helping Canada rank as the third highest producing country. The United States is the largest grower of blueberries. According to the Ag Marketing Resource Center at Iowa State University more than 473.3 million pounds of cultivated blueberries were harvested in 2012 with 60 percent sold as fresh blueberries.

“High bush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) are also known as “cultivated” blueberries. These berries grow on bushes that can be more than two meters high. High bush blueberries are harvested earlier, are generally larger, and are less perishable than the low bush variety which makes them highly suitable for shipping to retail markets. The majority of high bush blueberries in Canada are produced in British Columbia.” BC produces most of Canada’s high bush blueberries, with low bush blueberries predominantly grown in the eastern provinces.

Blueberries rank very high in antioxidant activity according to a number research studies. From the Dieticians of Canada: “Antioxidants provide a protective coating for your body’s cells to prevent damage caused by pollutants, smoke, unhealthy diets and the normal aging process.” Some of the benefits of antioxidants include the slowing of the aging process, a reduction of cell damage that can lead to cancer, cardiovascular disease and loss of brain function. Blueberries also contain condensed tannins that help prevent urinary tract infections, and anthyocyanin-a natural compound linked to reducing eyestrain. The BC Blueberry Council, where the catchy title of the blog was borrowed, has several studies cited on their web site.

Because of the abundance of blueberries in the Lower Mainland, farmers are looking for innovative ways to add value to what is a fairly low-margin crop that takes years of investment before bearing fruit. There are several farm-based blueberry processors that have diversified into a range of value-added products including juice and fruit wines. Bremner Foods produces high quality fruit juice on its farm in Delta using blueberries grown on site as well as other local juices from raspberries and cranberries. Because of the appeal of the anti-oxidant properties of their juices, they have made in-roads into the Asian market in addition to their presence on local retail shelves. They recently expanded into fruit wines and have a retail outlet in a heritage barn on their farm.

Cal-San Farms in Richmond is another example of a farm diversifying into frozen berries, fruit wine, and an innovative technology that produces their high-value, dried blueberry products. The product can be used as an ingredient in snack foods, cereals, energy bars, and baked goods. CAL-SAN Enterprises Ltd. has over 200 acres in production, along with a new 30,000 square foot facility capable of processing up to 7 million pounds of fruit annually.

If you are a blueberry lover there is no better time than now to buy. You can buy a year-round supply and simply bag the berries in large zip-lock bags. You don’t need to wash them, just take them out of your freezer and rinse them under the tap before eating. You can learn more about the different varieties and their availability from the Ministry of Agriculture web site. Drop by the market this Sunday for our Blueberry Pancake Breakfast and pick up some recipes supplied by the BC Blueberry Council.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup blueberries (140g)
Calories 80	Calories from Fat 0
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat0g	0%
Saturated Fat0g	0%
Cholesterol0mg	0%
Sodium 0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate19g	5%
Dietary Fibre 5g	20%
Sugars 9g
Protein1g
Vitamin A 0%	Vitamin C 15%
Calcium 0%	Iron 0%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

In a blog posted on the last week of April, we asked our readers to express their views on the province’s proposal to change the ALC Act. Despite considerable pressure from various groups and individuals to allow for a proper consultation process, Bill 24 passed on May 29^th with the Liberal majority carrying the day. The speed of the bill’s passing and the lack of public input was compounded by leaked government documents from last winter proposing an end to the ALR. Former Agriculture Minister, Pat Pimm was also accused of interference in an ALC ruling late last year. Prior to his cabinet posting, the ALC criticized MLA Pimm and the mayor of Fort St. John for lobbying on behalf of a landowner who built a rodeo facility on his land; “In our respectful view, those representations were not appropriate. They could create the impression for both the Commission and the public that these officials were attempting to politically influence the Commission.”[1]

Since passing Bill 24 in May, the provincial government has promised consultations on further changes to the ALR. Bill 24 changed the structure and governance of the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC), splitting the province into two zones. “Some of the detail that determines how these legislative changes will be implemented will be determined through changes to the ALR Regulation that supports the Act. This consultation is intended to solicit input on potential regulatory changes as they relate to changes in the land use activities allowable in Zone 1 and Zone 2.”[2]  The consultation process involves stakeholder engagement and an on-line survey.

“The focus of this consultation is to ask the question: what further activities should be allowable on farmland in the ALR without an application to the ALC, what parameters should be put around them, and should they vary between regions? A Reference Group convened by the Minister of Agriculture and comprised of representatives from the ALC, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) and the BC Agriculture Council (BCAC) has made a number of specific suggestions in answer to this question, and these suggestions are presented in this paper for your consideration and comment.”[3]

The background paper is available here: This survey link contains 11 questions ranging from on-farm processing, to alcohol-related businesses, to more troubling ideas like question 7. “One idea is to expand opportunities for a broader range of land-based non-agricultural businesses, such as certain oil and gas ancillary services.” The survey closes on August 22^nd. Please take the time to read the background paper and either fill in the survey or send your comments and questions directly to: ALCA_feedback@gov.bc.ca

[1] B.C. agriculture minister sought to influence an ALC decision prior to reform proposal http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bc-agriculture-minister-seeks-to-curtail-agencys-powers/article15363816/

[2] Consultation on Potential Changes to the Agricultural Land Commission Act, page 5,http://engage.gov.bc.ca/landreserve/files/2014/07/ALRPaper.pdf

[3] Consultation on Potential Changes to the Agricultural Land Commission Act, page 1,http://engage.gov.bc.ca/landreserve/files/2014/07/ALRPaper.pdf

An Abridged Version of the Questions

1. Currently the Regulation states that food storage, packing, product preparation, and food processing are permitted if at least 50% of the product is from the farm or is feed required for the farm. The parameters for allowable on-farm food storage, packing, processing and retail establishments should be revised.
2. Breweries, distilleries and meaderies should be allowed on ALR land on the same or similar terms as wineries and cideries are currently allowed.
3. Currently, wineries and cideries in the ALR are allowed to establish consumption areas (or ‘lounges’) to a maximum size of 125m² inside, and 125m² outside, which is roughly equal to a maximum of 130 people. The allowable footprint for consumption areas (or ‘lounges’) ancillary to wineries and cideries (and potentially also breweries, distilleries and meaderies) should be increased.
4. Wineries and cideries (and potentially breweries, distilleries and meaderies) should be allowed to sell alcohol that was produced elsewhere in BC, not at the winery or cidery.
5. Anaerobic digesters should be permitted in the ALR, if the inputs are generated from farming activities.
6. On-farm cogeneration facilities should be permitted on farms where a portion of the energy created is used on-farm.
7. Currently the Regulation permits a home occupation use that is accessory to a dwelling, of not more than 100 m² or such other area as specified in a local government bylaw. One idea is to expand opportunities for a broader range of land-based non-agricultural businesses, such as certain oil and gas ancillary services. The parameters should be expanded for when non-agriculture related businesses are allowed to operate on ALR properties in Zone 2.
8. The subdivision of ALR properties in Zone 2 to a minimum parcel size of a quarter section should be allowed without an application to the ALC.
9. The subdivision of ALR parcels in Zone 2 that are of a defined size, and that are divided by a major highway or waterway, should be allowed without an application to the ALC.
10. Greater clarity should be provided on what constitutes an agri-tourism activity that is allowable in the ALR without an application, and if so what parameters should be established.
11. a) Temporary leases of portions of a property in Zone 2 of the ALR should be allowed without an application to the ALC:  b) for intergenerational transfer of an active farm or ranch operation. And c) to encourage the use of otherwise unfarmed land by existing or new farmers.

 

Guest Blog by Christine Crosby

Christine is a long-time volunteer and former board member of the Coquitlam Farmers Market Society. She is reveling in this abundant season and, as usual, cannot leave a library without a couple of cookbooks in her arms, always looking for new ideas.

In the quest to increase the quality (nutrition) of our food and reduce the quantity of our food (calories) adding in more colourful fruits and vegetables can help you towards this goal. At market it can be quite easy to pick up nutritious and colourful items but when it comes to actually adding them into our meals that can be a bit trickier.

One of the easiest ideas I find is to diversify the colours in your food. For example: instead of just fried potatoes, add peppers, spinach and green onions. This gives you a more colourful, healthy and tasty dish! Add some protein to it and you’ve got a meal (a moderate amount, remember the “size of a deck of cards” rule). What else can you add colour to?

Another idea is to add some colour to your plate. So instead of having a full plate of macaroni and cheese have half a plate and add a colourful salad (greens, chopped salad, marinated…?) or a beautiful stirfry to one side of your plate. I love the contrast of the rich cheesy noodles with a tasty vegetable like broccoli, or a pepper, carrot and swiss chard stirfry.

For kids there are sneakier ways to add in nutrition and colour. Of course the classic way is to cook a bunch of shredded or diced vegetables until tender, then puree them into spaghetti sauce. Kale chips are all the rage, maybe your kids might like them? Recipes are readily available online, as well as websites that give you ideas on how to get your kids to eat healthier. Raw fruit and vegetables make great snacks for kids. Pack these snacks with a healthy dip, and your kids will grow to like this idea (for example: fruit yogurt for fruit, hummus for veggies).

Sometimes identifying a cooking method can help you come to love and enjoy new vegetables. Have you been putting vegetables on the barbeque? They taste amazing, with or without a sauce brushed on them (use any salad dressing you have in the fridge). I like to haveFriday night as pizza night: what is in season that I can add to my pizza? Make it as colourful as you can. One of the easiest items to add is sliced greens (spinach, chard, etc.).

Another way to add colour, and flavour, to your food is to add herbs and spices. It’s simple to add green seasonal herbs to your salads or stirfries (right at the end of the cooking so you get their fresh taste). Add a touch of Indian spice with a yellow curry powder or turmeric (have you tried a curry sauce on a pizza? Yum!). And of course there are the wonderful reds of paprika, chili powder or cayenne that will add some spark to your food.

The ideas and colours are endlessly creative. So when you leave the farmers market make sure you have some colour in your basket or bags and you can look forward to some very tasty and colourful meals this week, to feed both your body and your soul.

Guest Blog by Christiana Miewald.

Christiana has been a board member at the Coquitlam Farmer’s Market for 8 years now and has written this fantastic piece for Sustainable SFU. Here is the link to the original post.

Like the majority of Canadians, you probably think of yourself as food secure.  While less than 10% of B.C. residents indicate that they are food insecure, our communities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to food insecurity.  While issues of food security are most often focused on vulnerable populations, if we reflect on our own food consumption, it becomes clear that most of our communities are not food secure.

According to the Dieticians of Canada, community food security “exists when all community residents obtain a safe, personally acceptable, nutritious diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes healthy choices, community self-reliance, and equal access for everyone.”  While the food you eat may be safe and nutritious, it is also important to ask if it promotes a sustainable food system, community self-reliance and equal access.

A sustainable food system is based on sustainable production and transportation practices.  The current industrial food system that provides the illusion of food security through an abundance of meat, fresh fruits and vegetables year-round, is the same system that contributes to climate change.  Climate change, in turn, is predicted to have severe effects on agriculture production, resulting in possible food shortages.  Droughts, shorter growing seasons and increased prevalence of pests are only some of the factors that are predicted to result in decreased crop yields worldwide.

One way to contribute to both food security and sustainability is to change our consumption habits.  The David Susuki Foundation suggests that consumers “vote with their fork” and buy local and organic whenever possible.   Buying local and organic food helps the environment and supports regional economies.  For example, supporting local farmers helps to ensure that small farms and rural communities remain viable.  While it may seem like food is more expensive when we buy organic or from our local farmers – especially when compared to the “cheap” food we can buy at the supermarket – if you think about the extra few cents you pay for local and organic food as aninvestment in your community and in promoting sustainability, it is actually a small price to pay.

Another component to community food security is equal access.  Too often food access within communities is uneven, resulting in poorer nutrition and health for those without the economic resources to purchase safe and nutritious food.   The fact that “each month, close to 850,000 Canadians are assisted by food banks, and 36.4% of those helped are children and youth” (Food Banks Canada’s 2013 Hunger Count), demonstrates that we do not have equal access to food within our communities.  Charitable food programs, such as food banks, are designed to provide short-term relief from hunger, however they have become an entrenched “reality” in many low-income communities.

An alternative to the charitable model is to work toward the “right to food for all”.  One organization that has been at the forefront of this movement in British Columbia is the Downtown Eastside Neighborhood House.  While the Downtown Eastside neighborhood has high rates of poverty and unemployment, the Neighborhood House strives to create an alternative to food banks and soup kitchens.  Their right to food philosophy highlights “the human right of Downtown Eastside residents to secure water and abundant, local, fresh and nutritious food that is available across the neighbourhood and delivered in a dignified manner.”  In Belo Horizonte, Brazil, this philosophy has been translated into public policy through programs such as People’s Restaurants and Farm to Consumer market stands.  These sites provide affordable produce and meals for all citizens and support local farmers.

In order to ensure all community members enjoy food security, each of us must examine our own food practices.  Take a look at where your food comes from and consider what it took to get it to your plate.  Where was it produced and by whom?  What are the working conditions for laborers who picked that tomato?  What farming practices were used to grow that cucumber?  How far did those bananas travel?  Changing food choices to make them more sustainable is challenging and won’t happen overnight, but making a few small changes may result in gradual shifts toward a more sustainable food system that results in food security for all.

July 3rd, 2014

It’s ironic that when we discuss sustainable agriculture, it looks very much like the system farmers practiced prior to World War II. The industrialization of agriculture is a relatively new occurrence. In the post-war period chemical and armament manufacturers applied their skills to producing fertilizers, pesticides, and farm machinery. While crop yields increased, the specialization in single crops, or monoculture, became an accepted farming practice. The specialization extends to animal production as well, and industrialization has had a profound effect on the environment.

National Geographic cites a number of costs associated with this type of food production: “erosion; depleted and contaminated soil and water resources; loss of biodiversity; deforestation; labor abuses; and the decline of the family farm.”[1] Sustainable agriculture, on the other hand, includes farming practices that reduces pesticide use, conserves water, and requires less tilling.

An excellent local example shows how habitat enhancement and sustainable agriculture can be viewed as supportive activities. Cover crops are currently used on several Delta farms through a stewardship program offered by the Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust. Winter cover crops “provide feeding habitat for herbivorous waterfowl and shorebirds, protect the soil from erosion due to heavy winter rain, scavenge excess nutrients like nitrogen before they leach from the soil, and increase organic matter in the soil, thereby improving soil structure.”[2] Farmers are also encouraged to plant hedgerows and natural grass borders that attract pollinators and other wildlife.

Consumers have an important role in building a sustainable local food system. By supporting farms that are managing the soil, conserving water, and reducing their use of pesticides, they are encouraging a more sustainable food system. Purchasing meats and poultry that have been ethically treated, makes a statement that you place value on food that is raised in a sustainable fashion. Farmer’s markets provide significant benefits to consumers that are looking for information on how their food is raised or grown. They can make those social connections with the farmers and learn about their production methods.

Policies that promote urban agriculture, local processing, and food waste reduction contribute greatly to a sustainable local food system. Community gardens are being built throughout the region, and the demand for plots far exceeds supply. Workshops on organic gardening, cooking and food preservation are offered by agencies and non-profit organizations, often at no charge. Municipalities are incorporating food policies into their land use planning, and some are extracting benefits such as community garden plots from developers.

We’ve come a long way in fostering sustainable agricultural practices, but still have a long way to go. If you’d like to learn more about sustainable agriculture, the University of California-Davis Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP) has a great web site on the subject. A current initiative of Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Institute for Sustainable Food Systems provides a local example of a bio-regional food systems research project.

Shopping at our farmer’s market is an excellent way of supporting sustainable agriculture.

 

[1] http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/sustainable-agriculture/

 

[2] http://www.deltafarmland.ca/subpage/our-programs/winter-cover-crop-stewardship-program/

The Metro Vancouver region is blessed with a multicultural smorgasbord of excellent food. Our regional cuisine places a high value on fresh ingredients and seasonality. Local chefs have long valued the ingredients provided by local farmers and fishers. Chef’s cooperatives, events like “Meet your Maker”, and even apps for smartphones have connected the people that produce the food with those that prepare it. The cultural diversity in our region has benefited our palates, but it does come with some challenges.

Newcomers to Canada will often seek out foods that are familiar to them, and may be reluctant to try some of these strange foods that are native to our region.  Although shopping at markets is a common experience around the globe, it can be intimidating if the food is unfamiliar. Providing recipes and cooking ideas that feature our local food is one way to break down these barriers.

Many farmers in our region have responded to shifting demands and consumer tastes by increasing the variety of product they grow. Many producers are responding to specific demands for Kosher or Halal products. As these markets grow, we all benefit from the interesting dishes and new flavours as we expand our own dietary horizons. Many crops that are transported great distances to satisfy the desire for ethnic foods, can be grown in Canada.

From a CBC news story: Glen Filson, a professor at the University of Guelph, identified a potential demand for “fresh, locally grown ethnic vegetables could be worth $61 million a month in the greater Toronto area alone.” The Chinese community are looking for bok choi, Chinese broccoli, and eggplant while the South Asian community seeks okra, eggplant and bitter melon. Those in the African-Caribbean community also would look for okra, along with African eggplant, garden eggs and callaloo, also known as smooth amaranth.

 

 

 

 

 

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Lower Mainland’s produces 1.5 million kilograms of Chinese vegetables annually. The MOA web site offers the following description:

WHAT ARE CHINESE VEGETABLES?

Chinese vegetables are vegetables that are associated with oriental cooking. The most popular Chinese greens are bok choy, choy sum, gai choy, sui choy and gai lan. Others include Chinese cabbage, daikon and lotus root. Bok choy is also called Chinese chard. The most common type has thick white stalks with large, dark green, oval-shaped leaves. Chinese cabbage has a long thin, firm head of leaves. The outer leaves are pale green and the inner leaves are almost white with a thick mid-rib. Daikon are also called Chinese turnips or Japanese radish. This is a spherical, oblong or cylindrical root which is available all year. Lotus root resembles flowers when sliced.

These shifting trends in consumer taste provide farmer’s market shoppers an amazing opportunity to experiment with some lesser known exotic vegetables. If you are new to Canada and are missing something from home, talk to the farmers and ask if that product can be grown here. Some farmers love experimenting with new crops and the results are sometimes surprising. The variety of fresh fruits and vegetables continues to grow every year, opening new markets and opportunities for experimentation.

 

 

 

The Poirier Street Farmers Market in Coquitlam is located in Coast Salish territory. The city of Coquitlam’s name is derived from the Kwikwetlem First Nation (KFN) band. The name Kwikwetlem means, “Red fish up the river” and the band’s reserve lands are located alongside the Coquitlam River. The red fish or salmon, has been an integral part of the First Nations’ diet in the coastal regions of British Columbia for several millennia.

When most people learn about BC’s history, it’s in the context of European settlement. Cities, islands, rivers, and other bodies of water bear the names of explorers from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The KFN band offers a historical timeline on their web site that traces the presence of First Nations people in the Mary Hill area to over 6,000 years ago. Archaeologist Valerie Patenaude collected approximately 50,000 artifacts while excavating a spring summer villagebetween 1978 and 1981. “She quoted in the 1995 Tri-City News “These were wealthy people. They had salmon, berries, potatoes, migratory birds, deer, mountain sheep, specialists in art and storytellers.”[1]

The Coast Salish people relied on the ocean as the main source of food. Salmon, halibut, shellfish, smelt, crabs, seaweed, and whale were staples of the coastal diet. While some of the salmon that was caught was eaten fresh, most of it would be dried in smokehouses and stored for later consumption. The dried salmon was often eaten with eulachon oil. Eulachon is a type of smelt that is rich in oil. Many of these traditions remain but a variety of environmental factors have had significant impacts on traditional aboriginal diet.

A First Nations Food Nutrition and Environment study conducted in 2011 found that communities that include traditional foods like salmon, moose, and berries in their diet, enjoy better health. Unfortunately, due to loss of habitat and water pollution these traditional food sources are in decline. In some cases, fish, seafood and other traditional foods contain carcinogenic pollutants. The study continues to establish baseline data and quantify the level of toxins in the food supply.

In response to the World Food Summit Plan of Action, the Canadian government developed Canada’s Action Plan for Food Security in 1998. The following is one of the ten priorities identified:

Priority 5: Traditional food acquisition methods of Aboriginal and coastal communitiesacknowledge the important role that hunting, fishing, gathering, bartering and trading play in the food security of many communities in Canada and abroad. By sharing their awareness of traditional foods and their knowledge of sustainable natural resource practices, indigenous people have an important contribution to make in achieving the World Food Summit’s goal. Actions related to the reduction of environmental contaminants, sustainable management of resources (including fisheries) and appropriate supplementation with high-quality commercial foods, strengthen access to food for these communities.[2]

Lastly, this excerpt from Food Secure Canada underscores the important role that environmental stewardship plays in our relationship with food:

Indigenous stewardship practices and traditional knowledge of the land may help the general Canadian society appreciate its responsibilities to the land. In this time of dynamic change, the traditional Indigenous way of looking at the land may assist Canadian society to understand some of the maxims needed to protect the Earth:

1. The Earth is Our Mother.

2. Cooperation is the way to survive.

3. Knowledge is powerful, only if it is shared.

4. Responsibility is the best practice.

5. Everything is connected to everything.

6. Place is important.

7. The spiritual world is not distant from the Earth.[3]

 

[1] http://www.kwikwetlem.com/history___culture

[2] http://www.agr.gc.ca/misb/fsec-seca/pdf/action_e.pdf

[3] http://foodsecurecanada.org/sites/foodsecurecanada.org/files/DP1_Indigenous_Food_Sovereignty.pdf

 

What better day than Father’s Day to consider how important family meals are? According a Vanier Institute article, people’s hurried lives equate to skipped breakfasts, lunches eaten at work stations, and dinners that are subjected to severe time crunches. They found that work schedules and children’s activities make family meal preparation a challenge, with 55% of Canadians preparing dinners in 15 minutes or less.

Family meal patterns can have a direct impact on our health and well-being. AboutKidsHealth is a great source of information on how to get the family involved in meal planning, and by extension, increase everyone’s health outcomes. “Depending on the children’s developmental ages and stages, they may be able to help with: planning the menu calendar; preparing shopping lists; shopping; putting the groceries away; and food preparation and clean-up.” The farmer’s market is an ideal place to practice, and pass along those meal planning skills.

The Nutrition Wise blog from the Mayo Clinic provides a list of benefits to eating at least 3-5 meals per week together as a family.  These include: “a sense of family connectedness, routine and stability; improved school performance; lower risk of substance abuse and delinquency; healthier eating habits; and healthier weight and a reduced risk of obesity and disordered eating.” Beyond shopping, preparing, and consuming food, there are a multitude of other opportunities to connect through food.

Growing food is an excellent way to start raising awareness of where our food comes from, and establishing an appreciation for the work it takes to meet even a small portion of our dietary needs. If you lack the space or time to grow your own food, consider visiting a farm. This is a perfect time of year to visit farms that offers u-pick strawberries. Harvesting berries is hard work, but something that provides a good bonding experience for families. Freezing the berries or making jam will allow you to enjoy the harvest for months to come.

The environmental and social benefits of farmer’s markets are often described as the main reasons to shop there. But what about the economic benefits to the broader community? Direct sales can offer vendors a better return for their efforts. The other important benefit is that local businesses tend to spend more locally. Sometimes described as the multiplier effect, how much money is recirculated into the local economy is determined in a number of ways.

The first consideration in shopping at a farmer’s market is that there is no middle man. Direct sales by farmers, bakers, prepared food vendors, and folks that sell their crafts is free from wholesale, distribution, and retail fees. There are still a multitude of other expenses that vendors incur, but more of that hard earned income goes to the vendor, and the people they employ.

Another consideration is how other businesses are impacted by the presence of a farmer’s market. The first instinct for neighbouring businesses is to resist the presence of farmer’s markets. However, studies in Canada and the United States indicate that local business increases when a farmer’s market is present. Depending on location and other variables, farmer’s market shoppers tend to spend approximately 60% in additional dollars at neighbouring businesses.

The third way is the multiplier effect, and how the dollars that you spend are recirculated into the local economy by those farmers and other vendors. There is the direct impact of the purchases they make in equipment, products, and wages they pay. And there is the impact of the purchasing power of their profits within their local communities.

Author Michael Shuman coined the term LOIS, local ownership and import substitution, in his book The Small-Mart Revolution.  First tracking the devastating effect on small businesses of retail giants like Wal-Mart, Shuman traced the push-back of small independent businesses in communities across the United States. Shuman cited studies by Civic Economics and other sources, showing the economic multiplier effect of local business was two to four times greater than comparable non-local businesses.

The Transition Movement  is another example of how communities around the globe are building their local economies, and increasing their resilience. The transition movement has a strong focus on local food and has gained traction as the effects of climate change and peak oil have become more apparent. Village Vancouver and Village Surrey are two examples of transition organizations in the region. Supporting your local farmer’s market is an excellent way of stimulating the local economy.

We sometimes hear complaints from people that don’t shop at farmer’s markets that they are too expensive, or that they don’t have time to prepare dinner. For the same price as a couple of fast food meals, you can put together a nutritious and delicious meal for a family of four. If you were at our opening day market you may have seen Chef Fred Soofi create a meal from a variety of vendor supplied foods.

You can do the same thing, and at the same time engage the rest of your family or some friends in the preparation of a great meal. You can use the recipe below from the Dieticians of Canada. Just substitute any vegetables that are not in season with something else you find from our vast array of vendors. We have vendors that sell regular home-made pastas or gluten-free varieties. You can add protein including beef, fish, or chicken. And there are cheeses, baked goods, and a variety of condiments and spices to add some flavour. If you are short on time, consider frying or woking your vegetables.

Roasted vegetables pasta