Vendor Spotlight: A Bread Affair

With the onset of COVID-19, the farmer’s markets are slightly different this year. To maintain the flow of traffic and avoid crowding we have asked that people “Shop, don’t stop” during the market. This may have created a lack of connection between you and our incredible vendors. We will be posting a weekly spotlight of our vendors to give you the opportunity to stop and connect with your local makers, bakers, and growers!

This week’s vendor spotlight is Morgyn’s Harbour

Tell us about your business?

We’re a family-owned Jamaican Patty maker based out of Port Coquitlam. We use only the highest quality ingredients and believe that quality should never be compromised.

What inspired you to start your business?

The opportunity to personally grow through business development and to introduce and share the Caribbean Food that I grew up on with the West Coast.

What is your favourite thing about the Port Moody Market and Port Moody?

The community and vendors that support and attend the market and make it the most fun to be at.

What is something you are grateful for this year?

The ability to share our patties with the Port Moody community because of their continued support.

 


Interested in supporting a local business?

Visit Brian and staff at the Port Moody Winter Market on the following dates from 10am -2 pm:

**Please note dates may be subject to change due to COVID-19 Public Health Orders**

April 25th 

Want to stay up to date with Morgyn’s Harbour and the Farmers market?

Click below to follow our social media!

Morgyn’s Harbour/ Port Moody Market

Vendor Spotlight: A Bread Affair

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

Vendor Spotlight: Forstbauer Farms

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

 

 

 

Vendor Spotlight: Kizzy’s Macarons

For today’s vendor spotlight, we have Kira from Kizzy’s Macarons.

Macarons are a fairly niche product – what made you start making them in particular?

I tried my first macaron back in 2013 at Thierry’s in downtown Vancouver with my sister. I immediately fell in love and even though I was not a baker by any means, I somehow thought I would give making macarons a try. Countless trial and error and creating a recipe that worked for me, and 6 months later ( & a few thousand dollars of equipment and ingredients) I had finally mastered a somewhat successful batch on macarons. From there is just snow-balled, I started to do orders for friends and then added markets into the mix. Then with the help of my Dad we turned an old building on our farm into a commercial kitchen bakeshop, setting specific open hours where I usually always have macarons for purchase and where I can bake countless macarons for orders, markets and wholesale.

What differentiates your macarons from store-bought ones?

When I was first trying out different macarons from various pastry shops and locations, I noticed certain things I liked and didn’t like about each of the different macarons I tried. For me, I was never a fan of super sweet things and didn’t like the way some macarons just mainly consisted of sugar and once bitten into simply dissolved in my mouth. I carried this through into my own recipe, cutting down on the icing sugar in the recipe and using more almond flour instead. It definitely makes for a trickier macaron to bake, but the results are so much more satisfying! I always bake fresh for my markets and orders, this enables the macarons to last longer and if kept refrigerated they can last up to (if not longer ) than 7 days!

We noticed that you have started bringing produce to farmers markets in addition to your usual macarons. What prompted this change?

Not only do I have a little bake shop but we are also located on 7 acres. I grew up half of my life in a tiny little village, in the countryside of England. I have always been a country girl and love my animals and farm life. I met my better half Winston (Son of Fe- Never say die nursery) at the Farmers markets and now we are making use of the land we live on, to grow unique produce for the markets and customers. Its definitely hard work running two businesses, but everyone needs to eat, and the amount of support for local farmers and agriculture is outstanding and so rewarding.

What do you enjoy the most about selling at farmers markets?

The wonderful smiles, conversations and relationships with customers and vendors you build is incredible. I can be so tired at 8 am on a Sunday morning after pulling 16 hours days and once the market opens and the market atmosphere is thriving, it is one of the best feelings in the world.

Why is growing local important to you?

There is nothing better we can do for our planet than to grow our own produce in the area we live in. Providing locally grown food to the people in our towns and cities brings communities together, educates everyone and makes for a healthier lifestyle. The support for local farmers and businesses is so important in the world we live in today and it creates such a big impact on the world around us.

You have recently started bringing vegetables to the market in addition to your signature macarons. How did you get into farming, and how long has the process taken from the beginning to now?

Although we were growing last year, this year we started bringing our produce to market and it has been an incredible eye-opener. It’s wonderful to see not only returning customers for my macarons but how the majority of customers who come to the markets are there to support local farmers and produce. With Winston’s knowledge and our hard work we have really pulled it together, and to see our gardens flourishing is such an incredible feeling. It has definitely been the longest days I have ever done, not only baking between 2-500 macarons a day then followed by heading outside and maintaining the gardens, harvesting for markets and staying on top of every crop. Every bit of money we have made from the sales of our produce has gone back into the farm. From huge loads of manure, to seed orders and to finally having a walk in cooler, the farm is thriving. We are already planning and prepping for next year, we are even looking into making our first big purchase! A tractor! We cant wait to end the season with a bang and start getting geared up for the next year ahead, with even more utilised land for vegetables, branching out into fruits, huge flower gardens, edible flowers, oh and maybe even a few more animals! (But don’t tell Winston). 🙂

 

 

 

Find Kizzy’s Macarons at our market this week to relieve your sweet tooth, and possibly compensate with some healthy produce on the side!

Vendor Spotlight: Culture Kefir Co.

We’re thrilled to have a water kefir vendor at our Markets! If you haven’t visited Lyndsay Scott and Culture Kefir, you need to soon! In the meantime, read more about her and her products in this Vendor Spotlight.

When did you first discover water kefir?

I discovered kefir 2 years ago when looking for a natural probiotic for my family. We had been constantly sick, my youngest son was suffering from severe eczema outbreaks coupled with asthma, and my husband had significant digestive issues. Our doctors helped as best they could but we continued to struggle to manage our health. I began researching natural ways that we could improve our health and probiotics kept showing up, specifically kefir. So I reached out to a local woman for a set of starter grains and began brewing kefir at home.

What got you into making water kefir? And how did you develop your delicious flavors?

We started making milk kefir and after seeing wonderfully positive results in our health, I began making water kefir for my husband, who is allergic to milk. Soon everyone in our household preferred the water kefir and drank it daily. Through many rounds of taste testing, we developed a few flavours that our family really enjoyed – Cranberry Turmeric, Strawberry and Mango Ginger. Soon I began making water kefir for family, friends and neighbours as well. Feedback continued to pour in from people that the kefir was improving their health in numerous ways – treating digestive issues, clearing H-pylori infections, relieving eczema outbreaks, improving immune system health, etc. This was when I decided to make water kefir commercially and try to get kefir to as many people as we could.

What exactly is water kefir and how is it different than kombucha?

Water Kefir and Kombucha are both naturally fermented probiotic drinks made from culturing sweetened water with a “mother” SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeasts). From there, Water Kefir differs from Kombucha in 3 distinct ways:
-Caffeine-free: Water kefir does not brew in tea, as kombucha does
-Different Probiotics: The SCOBY of water kefir is composed of different diverse bacteria and yeasts, presenting different benefits to your health
-Mild Flavour: Water kefir fermentation produces a milder, less acidic liquid making a light palatable beverage

What do you enjoy most about selling at farmers markets?

Farmers Markets are a wonderful way to directly meet our customers, develop relationships and speak with them about the benefits of water kefir and how it may help their health. Many people are unfamiliar with water kefir, or that a non-dairy probiotic option exists. Farmers Markets give us a chance to answer questions, provide taste tests, and understand what people are looking for to benefit their health so we can provide a convenient, delicious healthy beverage that they will love.

Why is supporting local important to you?

Local economies are the back bone of our communities. Supporting local makers means helping grow grassroots businesses of our neighbours and friends and seeing success and financial stability loop right back into our home networks. We’re grateful and honored for an opportunity to help support our community through good health and good business.

On The Wild Side With: PoCo Soap Co.

(Courtesy of Poco Soap Co.)

“Simple, real, honest,” is the mantra of Poco Soap Co. Building on 16 years of casual soap making and discovering a more simple lifestyle, owner Shea Hogan says he continuously looks for ways to make deeper connections with his local community.

Soap is a real, tangible product that when made well is good for you and ultimately good for our planet, by not using any artificial ingredients no harmful toxins are produced which eventually end up in our environment.

(Courtesy of Poco Soap Co.)

Deliberately avoiding what might be considered typical branding for a soap company, Shea has chosen both a unique and relevant being to help represent his business.

I wanted to find a way to showcase my community through my logo, and bears are an ever present, important part of Port Coquitlam. This bear was inspired by a local bear that made headlines a few years ago.

In addition to being inspired to create for the local economy, Shea says he firmly stays away from the use of plastics, using biodegradable and compostable materials instead.

My soap labels are made of sugarcane waste fiber and are fully biodegradable and compostable. And my lip balm tubes are made from paperboard.

(Courtesy of Poco Soap Co.)

While Poco Soap and Co. may have a slight natural masculine bend as Shea has creative control over his products, he feels good soap is for everyone and benefits all genders.

I don’t specifically make my soaps for men, but as I am a man the brand may have a naturally more masculine bend to it that perhaps more men can relate to, which could be a good thing as men in general are a little standoffish when it comes to natural soaps. So hopefully I can help break down some gender stereotypes, and help raise awareness that natural soaps are okay for men to use too!

(Courtesy of Poco Soap Co.)

With its current success, Poco Soap Co. is expanding! Shea plans to bring his products into wholesale and online selling spaces, as well as opening his workshop for retail possibilities.

I am continuing to develop new products, such as natural lip balms, and will be expanding my soap line.

Vendor Spotlight: Bali Bites

Where do you prepare your sauces? What is your production process like?

Our sauces are prepared in our home kitchen. Making this sauce does take time and a lot of man power…thank goodness for my 3 sons helping out! We follow the same traditional preparation steps that our grandmothers have done, with a slight tweak in the use of modern equipment. We definitely make our sauce with lots and lots of love and tears…tears of joy when the production is finished!

What are some unusual uses for peanut sauce that some people may not know about?

Baking is one use that surprises our customers, but we encourage them to be creative and try adding the sauce to recipes that call for peanut butter. We just love the feedback from them! One customer uses our sauce to blend in her smoothies instead of protein powder. Another uniqueness of our sauce is that it can be eaten wet or dry. One of my sons scoops some right out of the bag and crumbles it over his granola, cereal, or rice while another sprinkles it over his chocolate ice cream, or dips his strawberries into. Sounds like pregnancy indulgences, but don’t knock it till you try it! I used it for a salmon poke dish just recently, it was another successful creation of mind blowing taste

What are your favorite types of food to cook at home?

Indonesian, Chinese and pretty much everything. I love cooking globally.

What do you like most about selling at farmers markets?

The interaction with customers have been phenomenal! Besides introducing a new product, it also gives us a chance to share stories and educate the public about our Indonesian culture. It has been wonderful to share our product, and we hope it enhances the markets and provides a variety of products in each community.

Why is supporting local important to you?

Talented and hard working individuals who tirelessly provide for the community, as much as they provide for their families, should be supported for their livelihood. Markets bring a community closer, while encouraging and educating the public to choose healthier alternatives and appreciate each vendor’s speciality that you usually can’t find commercially. As well, supporting local is good for our local economy, and to keeps growth inside a community.

Vendor Spotlight: Canoe Cola

Our vendor spotlight today is Canoe Cola – one of the few (perhaps only) craft soda breweries in the lower mainland, and the only soda vendor we have at the Coquitlam Farmers Market.

You don’t see a lot of craft soda breweries anywhere. What made you start one? 

We were traveling Europe where a lot of countries have their own national drink brands. We thought it was about time Canada got one too! We love pop but generally find it way too sweet, so we combined the two ideas. Could we make soda locally at a micro-scale?

Would people want to drink a less sweet soda? We tested our ideas and formulations at the markets this summer and the initial feedback has been encouraging. We look forward bringing out new flavours like Ginger Beer and Root beer next summer!

Favorite flavor of soda to brew / enjoy, and why? 

On a hot day we love our Canoe Fizzy Lemonade. It’s tart, refreshing and not too sweet. It’s also a great mixer, if you’re adventurous, try mixing it with Sons of Vancouver’s Chili vodka for a drink with a kick!

What makes Canoe Cola special? 

The taste! You’re not just drinking a sugar bomb when you have one of our beverages. We focused on creating drinks that tasted real and flavourful. Most people don’t know what cola is made of. Ours is a combination of citrus fruits and brown spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Many customers have told us it reminds them of the taste of cola gummy candies!

What do you enjoy the most about selling at farmers markets? 

We love meeting our customers and getting real time feedback about their preferences and where we could improve. We decided on our next two flavours; Ginger Beer and Root Beer because of repeated requests from the community!

Why is growing local important to you? 

Buying local typically means that your food/drink is fresher, and didn’t travel a long journey to get to you- so it’s better for you and the environment. It also means you’re choosing to support local jobs and keep the money in our community.

 

 

Be sure to stop by Canoe Cola at our September 1st and 8th farmers markets! Their cool, tasty and healthier sodas make for an excellent late summer treat.

 

Vendor Spotlight: Kizzy’s Macarons + Long Table Dinner!

For today’s vendor spotlight, we have Kira from Kizzy’s Macarons. She is also contributing to the dessert for this year’s long table dinner!

Macarons are a fairly niche product – what made you start making them in particular?

I tried my first macaron back in 2013 at Thierry’s in downtown Vancouver with my sister. I immediately fell in love and even though I was not a baker by any means, I somehow thought I would give making macarons a try. Countless trial and error and creating a recipe that worked for me, and 6 months later ( & a few thousand dollars of equipment and ingredients) I had finally mastered a somewhat successful batch on macarons. From there is just snow-balled, I started to do orders for friends and then added markets into the mix. Then with the help of my Dad we turned an old building on our farm into a commercial kitchen bakeshop, setting specific open hours where I usually always have macarons for purchase and where I can bake countless macarons for orders, markets and wholesale.

What differentiates your macarons from store-bought ones?

When I was first trying out different macarons from various pastry shops and locations, I noticed certain things I liked and didn’t like about each of the different macarons I tried. For me, I was never a fan of super sweet things and didn’t like the way some macarons just mainly consisted of sugar and once bitten into simply dissolved in my mouth. I carried this through into my own recipe, cutting down on the icing sugar in the recipe and using more almond flour instead. It definitely makes for a trickier macaron to bake, but the results are so much more satisfying! I always bake fresh for my markets and orders, this enables the macarons to last longer and if kept refrigerated they can last up to (if not longer ) than 7 days!

We noticed that you have started bringing produce to farmers markets in addition to your usual macarons. What prompted this change?

Not only do I have a little bake shop but we are also located on 7 acres. I grew up half of my life in a tiny little village, in the countryside of England. I have always been a country girl and love my animals and farm life. I met my better half Winston (Son of Fe- Never say die nursery) at the Farmers markets and now we are making use of the land we live on, to grow unique produce for the markets and customers. Its definitely hard work running two businesses, but everyone needs to eat, and the amount of support for local farmers and agriculture is outstanding and so rewarding.

What do you enjoy the most about selling at farmers markets?

The wonderful smiles, conversations and relationships with customers and vendors you build is incredible. I can be so tired at 8 am on a Sunday morning after pulling 16 hours days and once the market opens and the market atmosphere is thriving, it is one of the best feelings in the world.

Why is growing local important to you?

There is nothing better we can do for our planet than to grow our own produce in the area we live in. Providing locally grown food to the people in our towns and cities brings communities together, educates everyone and makes for a healthier lifestyle. The support for local farmers and businesses is so important in the world we live in today and it creates such a big impact on the world around us.

Why is it important to you to be a part of the Long Table Dinner?

I first attended the long table dinner in 2018 and was amazed by the event. It is a great night out and it’s wonderful to support such a good cause like the POP club. I had the pleasure of donating a macaron tower last year, and it made me smile so much seeing my macarons being enjoyed by all the attendees. It’s a great way to bring together local chefs, great dishes and produce, to showcase everything the tri-cities and the lower mainland  has to offer .

You have recently started bringing vegetables to the market in addition to your signature macarons. How did you get into farming, and how long has the process taken from the beginning to now?

Although we were growing last year, this year we started bringing our produce to market and it has been an incredible eye-opener. It’s wonderful to see not only returning customers for my macarons but how the majority of customers who come to the markets are there to support local farmers and produce. With Winston’s knowledge and our hard work we have really pulled it together, and to see our gardens flourishing is such an incredible feeling. It has definitely been the longest days I have ever done, not only baking between 2-500 macarons a day then followed by heading outside and maintaining the gardens, harvesting for markets and staying on top of every crop. Every bit of money we have made from the sales of our produce has gone back into the farm. From huge loads of manure, to seed orders and to finally having a walk in cooler, the farm is thriving. We are already planning and prepping for next year, we are even looking into making our first big purchase! A tractor! We cant wait to end the season with a bang and start getting geared up for the next year ahead, with even more utilised land for vegetables, branching out into fruits, huge flower gardens, edible flowers, oh and maybe even a few more animals! (But don’t tell Winston). 🙂

 

 

 

Find Kizzy’s Macarons on our August 25th and September 8th marketsto relieve your sweet tooth, and possibly compensate with some healthy produce on the side! You can also find Kizzy’s artistry at our upcoming Long Table Dinner. Tickets are sold out, but we do have a waitlist. Purchase either on-site at the farmers market or our website!

Vendor Spotlight: Beckmann Berry Farms

What is the history behind Beckmann Berry Farms? What’s your story?

Beckmann Berry Farms are the most famous farms in the Fraser Valley region For huge and juicy berries. We have been serving our customers for more than 30 years. We have freshwater streams running underneath the roots of the Blueberries, which allows

abundant water supply for the plants. Moreover, this helps in making our berries very juicy and tasty. Our berries are not sprayed.

Favorite berry to grow / enjoy, and why?

Chandler blueberries are our favorite berry to grow and enjoy. Chandlers are generally very huge berries (about the size of toonie). Very demanding variety at the markets. Not the least, this variety is mostly enjoyed by the pickers and the customers.

What differentiates Beckmann berries from all of the others?

Beckmann Berries are non-sprayed and the sweetest berries in the region. None of the farms nearby have such a big size and tasty berries. People far away from Merit and UBC order around 200-300 lbs. from us. Every customer is satisfied from us and we have had the same customers for the past 30 years.

What do you enjoy the most about selling at farmers markets?

The most enjoyable is to see our customers coming back and forth to us since years and years and with happy smiles. Additionally, we enjoy fulfilling our customers expectations from us.

Why is growing local important to you?

Canada is our mother country and it is our pleasure to serve our nation. Growing and selling local helps us to expand our business in the region around us. This also helps us to satisfy our neighborhood.

 

 

Beckmann Berry Farms will be selling their tasty berries at the Coquitlam Farmers Market every market in August. Don’t hesitate to stop by for some blueberries!