Category: Market News

What are pollinators?

Pollinators are primarily insects (though some mammals as well) that fertilize plants, resulting in the formation of seeds and fruit. Flowering plants rely on pollinators to make seeds for the next generation of plants.

Why do we need pollinators?

Humans depend on pollinators to produce fruit and nuts that we rely on for a healthy diety. Approximately 300,000 species of flowering plants require pollination, and 3/4 of our major global food crops depend on pollinators. Additionally, pollinators are an integral part of a healthy ecosystem and they play an important role in an array of ecosystem services.

Examples of pollinators:

• Bees
• Butterflies
• Beetles
• Flies
• Some birds and bats

Want to help attract pollinators? Here are some examples of plants that bees love that you can plant:

• Lavender
• Black-eyed Susans
• Foxglove
• Crocus

On Sunday June 16 our POP Club kids will learn how pollination works and then become pollinators themselves, 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!

Exploring the Market

The Coquitlam 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.

Benefits of shopping at your local farmers market:

Great variety – see an array of fruits and vegetables that most grocery stores don’t carry, along with locally sourced honey, handmade sauces, and handmade giftware

Eat seasonally – learn what is in season as you explore the market, eat fresh and delicious produce, and know where your food is coming from

Great prices – find great prices on local and organic fruit and vegetables that taste good and are good for you

Buy local – buying locally supports local agriculture and supports the local economy. Enjoy food and goods that are sourced nearby, which benefits the environment by reducing the usage of fossil fuels

Get to know your farmers – meet the farmers that grow your food; ask them about their farm, their farming practices, and any questions you may have about their produce

 

On Sunday June 9 our POP Club kids will get out and explore the market through a BINGO activity, 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!

Why is it important to eat fruit and vegetables in a variety of colours?

Each colour is caused by specific phytonutrients, and each colour indicates specific nutrients that are beneficial to your body. Our bodies benefit from variety; eating the rainbow ensures that you get the complete range of minerals and vitamins that your body needs for healthy functioning.

Below are some examples of foods to try when eating the rainbow at home:

Red: red peppers, apples, tomatoes

Orange and Yellow: carrots, peaches, corn

Green: kale, swiss chard, zucchini

Blue and Purple: blueberries, eggplant, plums

White and Brown: cauliflower, mushrooms, parsnip

Having a variety of colour in your meals promotes the healthy functioning of your children’s bodies and encourages nutritious eating habits. Encouraging your children to eat the rainbow helps make nutritious eating fun!

On Sunday June 2 our POP Club kids will learn about the importance of eating the rainbow, 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!

Why engage the five senses?

Your child’s development is shaped through experiences that they have, which include using their five senses (hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste). Drawing from the five senses and discussing them with children increases their understanding of and communication with everything around us. Here are some activities to engage the senses…

Hearing: Go on a hike – take a walk and ask your child to notice what sounds they are hearing, are they loud? quiet? high pitch? can they guess where the sound is coming from?

Sight: Play “I Spy” – While doing everyday activities play “I Spy” with your child about things they see around them

Touch: Use a box and a pair of socks – put an object inside of a box and then have your child put socks over their hands and have them feel the object and try to guess what is inside. Is it soft? hard? spikey?

Smell: Blindfolded smell test – blindfold your child and place familiar scents under their nose. What does it smell like? does it remind you of something?

Taste: Blindfolded taste test – blindfold your child and have them taste different foods. Is it sweet? salty? fruity?

On Sunday May 26 our POP Club kids will be using their sense of touch to try and guess which vegetables they are feeling, 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!

Five reasons to switch to reusable bags:

1. Plastic bags don’t biodegrade and can take between 15 – 1000 years to break down into small particles
2. Millions of birds and sea animals die each year from ingesting plastics
3. Plastic bags pollute the water and coastlines
4. Paper bag production (like plastic bags) requires high temperatures and chemicals which releases toxins into the atmosphere
5. Incentive – many stores now charge a fee for plastic bags. Bringing your own reusable bags will save you money

Have plastic bags you don’t know what to do with? Try some of these DIY projects to repurpose and reuse them:

1. Braid plastic bags into a jump rope
2.  Weave baskets from old plastic bags
3. Make friendship bracelets with plastic bags

On Sunday May 19 our POP Club kids will be repurposing old t-shirts and making them into market shopping bags, 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 importance of fruits and vegetables:

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of healthy eating and healthy bodies, they contain important nutrients such as vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Meals and snacks should include plenty of fruits and vegetables and the new Canada Food Guide recommends that you should be aiming to make half of you and your child’s plates fruits and vegetables. However, sometimes it can be difficult to get your child to enjoy and try new healthy food options.

 

5 Tips for getting your child to love fruits and vegetables:

1. Introduce new fruits and vegetables alongside familiar foods. Does your child love tacos? try adding beans and roasted vegetables to them!
2. Choose different textures, colours, and shapes. This not only aids in sensory learning for your child but also ensures they are getting a range of vitamins and minerals from their foods.
3. Lead by example! If your children see others trying new fruits and vegetables they are more willing to try it along with them. Making healthy choices for yourself will promote healthy habits in your children.
4. Get your children involved. Try planting your own foods or taking them to your local farmers market to learn about new foods, where they come from and how they are grown. Another great way to to get children involved is to include them in grocery shopping and meal preparation.
5. Try, try again. Most children need to be introduced to a new food up to 10 times before they will try it, and it can be another few tries until they decide if they enjoy it, so don’t give up. Giving your child fruits and vegetables from a young age can assist in making them more open to trying new foods.

On Sunday May 12 our POP Club kids will be trying radishes at the Two Bite Club, 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!

Did you know…

Gardening is great for curious children who like to learn by doing and enjoy playing in the dirt, it can also be a fun activity for both you and your children to enjoy together! Gardening helps develop skills and allows children to learn from growing their own food.  Planting with children engages their senses, encourages healthy eating, teaches them about where fresh food comes from, and promotes the importance of taking care of nature and the environment.

Tips for gardening with kids:

1. Plant the rainbow! It is fun to have a range of colours growing in your garden
2. Plant foods that you know that they enjoy, but also new foods to try as well
3. Plant a range of textures to engage their senses
4. Some quick growing plants include: lettuce, radishes, and cherry tomatoes

Tips for growing beans:

1. Feed and water well
2. Put in a place that gets sunlight
3. Beans do well in pots
4. If planting pole beans, give them a support to climb

We will be planting bean seeds this Sunday May 5th at the POP Club! Learn more about the POP club here and visit us at the market to sign up! 

Children will plant beans,  learn how to take care of their future seedlings, and take them home to watch them grow!

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!

Interested in agriculture, local food and community? The Coquitlam Farmers Market has two positions available for the upcoming summer market season. These positions are Canada Summer Student Grant positions – Candidates must be 15 – 30 years of age.

Events Program Assistant:market-day-assistant-events-2019
Program Coordinator:program-coordinator-2019

Thank you for your interest in the Coquitlam Farmers Market!

Thank you to our Raffle Basket Sponsors: 

• Art Knapp
• Andrew Peller Estates
• Austin Heights BIA
• Art Knapp
• Browns Social House
• CFMS Board of Directors
• CFMS Vendors
• Coquitlam Family Chiropractic
• Innovative Fitness, Port Moody & Coquitlam
• Mint Hair Studio
• Romer’s, Port Moody
• Salt Cave Wellness
• Skoah
• Tea & Paper Nook
• Telus
• The Village Toy Shop
• Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
• WESTCOAST Sightseeing
• Westwood Total Health