Winter POP Club – Week 5

December 1 – Week 5: This week our POP kids will be participating in the mystery box challenge! They will try and figure out which vegetable is hidden inside by only using their hands. Then they will go out into the market and find out which vendor sells the mystery vegetable!

2-Bite Club: Beets

Discover the Power of Produce and join the POP Club this Sunday!

Yesterday kids did a worksheet on financial literacy where they went out into the market and learnt how much the produce they love costs and how many of their tokens they need to make purchases. If you haven’t yet registered, come down to the POP tent this Sunday and join the club! We’ll be doing fun activities for the kids every week 🙂

So, how does the POP Club work?

Well, the POP Club is a farmers market-based kids program. Each week children (ages 5-12 years old) will participate in fun and educational activities that will teach them about fruits and vegetables, local food systems and healthy food preparation. After that, they will be trying the 2-Bite of the week which will be a fruit or vegetable that’s in season and can be found at the market. As they try the 2-Bite we will share with them interesting facts about what they are eating. Once they finish the activity and try the 2-Bite, children receive a $3 market token that can be used towards any fruit or vegetable of their choice. They can either use their token right then or save them for bigger purchases. This teaches kids how to make healthier food choices and how to manage their money.

There is no cost to participate and the program runs every Sunday rain or shine!

Hope to see you this Sunday!

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

Winter POP Club – Week 4

November 24 – Week 4: This week our POP kids will be learning about financial literacy. They will learn how to manage their money (aka market tokens) by going out into the market and learning how much it will cost to be able to get the produce that they want. They will learn how much things cost and how to save up to make bigger purchases at the market.

2-Bite Club: Carrots

Discover the Power of Produce and join the POP Club this Sunday!

Last weekend, kids got hands on with a cooking demo on how to make a delicious and healthy kale salad! Bringing children into the kitchen helps to get them more excited about what they eat and teaches them valuable skills. The recipe we used was well received by the children and if you want to know what it was, you can check it out here: Kale Yeah! The Health Benefits of Kale. If you haven’t yet registered, come down to the POP tent this Sunday and join the club! We’ll be doing fun activities for the kids every week 🙂

So, how does the POP Club work?

Well, the POP Club is a farmers market-based kids program. Each week children (ages 5-12 years old) will participate in fun and educational activities that will teach them about fruits and vegetables, local food systems and healthy food preparation. After that, they will be trying the 2-Bite of the week which will be a fruit or vegetable that’s in season and can be found at the market. As they try the 2-Bite we will share with them interesting facts about what they are eating. Once they finish the activity and try the 2-Bite, children receive a $3 market token that can be used towards any fruit or vegetable of their choice. They can either use their token right then or save them for bigger purchases. This teaches kids how to make healthier food choices and how to manage their money.

There is no cost to participate and the program runs every Sunday rain or shine!

Hope to see you this Sunday!

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
  • ÂĽ cup diced red onion

Dressing Ingredients:

  • ÂĽ 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
  • ÂĽ 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

Winter POP Club – Week 3

Discover the Power of Produce and join the POP Club this Sunday!

Last week, kids were taught about the different hats that farmers wear. They learnt that farmers not only grow delicious produce for us, but also take on many different roles in order to their farms running smoothly. This week, we’re changing things up with a cooking demo! If you haven’t yet registered, come down to the POP tent this Sunday and join the club!

So, how does the POP Club work?

Well, the POP Club is a farmers market-based kids program. Each week children (ages 5-12 years old) will participate in fun and educational activities that will teach them about fruits and vegetables, local food systems and healthy food preparation. After that, they will be trying the 2-Bite of the week which will be a fruit or vegetable that’s in season and can be found at the market. As they try the 2-Bite we will share with them interesting facts about what they are eating. Once they finish the activity and try the 2-Bite, children receive a $3 market token that can be used towards any fruit or vegetable of their choice. They can either use their token right then or save them for bigger purchases. This teaches kids how to make healthier food choices and how to manage their money.

There is no cost to participate and the program runs every Sunday rain or shine!

November 17 – Week 3: This week our POP kids will be making their own salad! We’ll take the ingredients found at the market and together create a simple, delicious kale salad. Kids will learn the value of cooking their own food and using healthy, fresh ingredients to do so!

2-Bite Club: Kale

Hope to see you this Sunday!

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

Winter POP Club – Week 2

Discover the Power of Produce and join the POP Club this Sunday!

We just kicked off the Winter Farmers Market yesterday and had a great turn out! Thank you to all the kids that came down and registered for the program this season. If you haven’t yet registered, make sure you come by the POP tent and get started!

So, how does the POP Club work?

Well, the POP Club is a farmers market-based kids program. Each week children (ages 5-12 years old) will participate in fun and educational activities that will teach them about fruits and vegetables, local food systems and healthy food preparation. After that, they will be trying the 2-Bite of the week which will be a fruit or vegetable that’s in season and can be found at the market. As they try the 2-Bite we will share with them interesting facts about what they are eating. Once they finish the activity and try the 2-Bite, children receive a $3 market token that can be used towards any fruit or vegetable of their choice. They can either use their token right then or save them for bigger purchases. This teaches kids how to make healthier food choices and how to manage their money.

There is no cost to participate and the program runs every Sunday rain or shine!

November 10 – Week 2: This week our POP kids will be participating in an activity that teaches about the different hats farmers wear. Children will learn about the different jobs that farmers do on the farm. Not only do they grow delicious, fresh produce for us, but they also take on roles such as being a veterinarian, mechanic, scientist and more! This Sunday kids will learn a farmers work doesn’t end just because the harvest season is over.

2-Bite Club: Bell Peppers

Hope to see you this Sunday!

Why You Should Start Seed Saving

Let’s begin by defining what seed saving actually is. Well, its exactly how it sounds. Seed saving is when you save the seeds from fruits and vegetables that you grow in your garden. You can also save seeds while on your nature walks from things such as wildflowers or acorns. Each plant has a different method of having its seeds saved, so it is worth it to look into what type of seed you have and the methods needed. To learn more about seeds saving of different varieties, you can check out our previous blog post here: Seed Saving

A cool fact about seed saving it that it is one of the earliest practices of agriculture. It has been around for over 10,000 years! Seed saving allowed our ancestors to settle in one location and have their basic needs met through growing their own resources. These resources included food, fuel, forest, fiber and flowers.

Why seed save?

There are many benefits to seed saving. The first being that you save money! Instead of buying packets of seeds every season, you can harvest the seeds from the plants that you have already grown, save them and plant them again come gardening season. By saving seeds, you can eventually build up enough stock to rotate what you grow in your garden every year.

Seed saving also teaches you about the life cycle of a plant. One of the first steps in the cycle is the sprout emerging from the seed, then turning into a plant and ending with developing its own seeds. When we seed save we are ensuring there is no waste and continue the same cycle of the plant over and over. What this does is help maintain certain types of plants and keep them alive for many generations. It also helps to save us from using GMO seeds!

How to seed save?

Its actually quite simple to seed save. Once the fruit or vegetable becomes ripe, you remove the seeds from the pulp and allow them to dry completely. Once dried, place them in a container such as a mason jar or even an envelope. You can store them for up to 5 years! Of course, each plant type has different ways of saving its seed, so it’s good to do your research on what type of plant you want to seed save.

Time to get the kids involved.

This is a great way to teach children about where their food comes from and how they too can easily grow their own food. Kids love to get their hands dirty! So, having them help with harvesting the seeds from your garden and be fun and educational! Like I mentioned above, it also teaches children about the life cycle of a plant. It can be a never-ending cycle if you’re willing to put the work in!

Come join us this Sunday at the Port Moody Market so the POP kids can learn more about seeds! We will be taking a magnifying glass and getting up close with the seeds as we learn how to identify the differences!

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

Getting To Know: Ela Made Me Do It!

What is your inspiration to create your products? How did that passion turn into a business?

My grandmother, Ela. It’s hard to put into words the endless streams of food that came out of her kitchen. Anytime that I spent in her home in Poland was in her kitchen. Nothing made me happier than to help her cook. Close second was helping in her vegetable garden where she grew so much of the ingredients she cooked with, or joining her as she visited local farms for eggs, milk and meat. She opened a big wide food-shaped door in my heart that can never be closed! More specifically, she made chicken stock daily to go into her soups. Every day, no exceptions, there was soup on the table. So naturally, my passion for soups was born!

Why is creating small batched soups important as opposed to a larger production?

For one, my suppliers are so small scale that I couldn’t cook on a massive scale even if I wanted to! When foods become mass produced, short cuts begin. It’s the small things like roasting vegetables, caramelizing onions and freshly toasting and grinding my spices that make all the difference. There is nothing more satisfying for me than the smiles on my customers faces when they taste my food, that is what I live for and why I take my time cooking my products.

What local producers do you work with to create your products?

Using meats from suppliers that treat their livestock with respect was one of the most important goals for my business. As a customer of the Coquitlam market it only made sense to use Tim and Flo’s chicken (Rockweld Farm) for my soups, broth and pot pies as it’s what I was already using in my home! There are now 3 other wonderful farmers who provide me with the meat and bones I need to create my products: Redl’s grass fed beef in my pot pies, Stony Mountain’s heritage pork bones in my ramen bone broth, and Forstbauer’s grass fed beef bones in my beef bone broth.

Why is sourcing local ingredients important for you?

Local tastes better, it’s more nutritious (long journeys on the back of a truck can degrade nutritional values of foods) and it helps stimulate our local economy! My soup flavors are definitely dictated by what is in season! When you use products that are not shipped from far away and artificially ripened you don’t need to add nearly as much salt, sugar or fats to make up for lack of flavor.

Where do you hope to see your business in the near future?

I would like to see us continuing to work with small businesses, be it new farmers and producers, or small cafes and independent grocers!

On The Wild Side With: Divine East

1. How did your trips to India inspire you to create your own malas and now silver and gemstone pieces? How did this passion move towards creating a business?

Divine East was founded after a sisters’ trip to India in 2015. Surrounded by gemstones and mala beads, we studied with a Guru in the foothills of the Himalayas the healing properties of gemstones, meditation with mala beads and the power of mantras and intention-setting. Upon our return home, we found friends and family had an increasing interest and curiosity in the malas we were wearing and meditating with. Sharing our passion for mala beads and meditation, we saw an opportunity to impact on a larger scale. Recognizing the potential we had to inspire others, we knew starting Divine East was along our Dharmic path.

2. How have you developed your relationships with locals in India? How do you source and ensure the quality of your materials?

We met the man we currently source our materials from after strolling into his shop in Rishikesh; he was recommended to us from a friend we met there. We instantly had a connection with him, beyond a business relationship, and knew we had just developed a life-long friendship. He spent hours with us going through the healing energy of each piece, and was patient with us while we chose our first malas. We stayed in touch with him after leaving India, and once the idea of creating Divine East began to churn, we trusted the quality of his gemstones and materials. He sources his gemstones from a gemstone factory in Jaipur; we were lucky enough to return to India in 2016 and 2017, and actually visit the factory where the raw gemstones are hand cut, polished and faceted. It was an incredible experience and really authenticated the high quality gemstones we use, as well as the ethical production of them.

3. What inspires your collections? Does life at home inspire you or just your time in India?

Inspiration comes from so many facets of our lives, often when we aren’t searching for it. Many design ideas and concepts have come to us in meditations and visualizations. Others have been born out of what intention we are seeking more of in our personal lives; it could be abundance, grounding, positivity, protection, the list goes on. We also love hearing feedback from our community about what they are wanting more of in their life.

4. What are the most important qualities in your pieces? What do you want customers to feel or know when they are wearing your pieces?

Each mala necklace has 108 beads with 1 guru bead. Malas allow the user or wearer to keep count of their mantra recitation, repeating a mantra 108 times. There are many sacred meanings for the number 108; it is said that in order to manifest an intention, it must be said at least 100 times repeatedly (the extra 8 leave room for error). Each gemstone has a different metaphysical healing property; if you are drawn to a certain gemstone, it often holds an intention you are subconsciously asking yourself to work on, pay more attention to or bring into your life. The color of a gemstone is also associated with the chakras, one of the 7 energy centers in the body. Black or red gemstones are associated with the root chakra; this is your first chakra, your foundation, safety and security. Explore more about gemstones and chakras here.

5. Can you describe your relationship with your Divine Ambassadors? Why are these relationships important or valuable?

This year, we really wanted to focus on the power of community. There are so many amazing wellness leaders in Vancouver and California that impact their communities in a positive way. The intention behind Divine Ambassadors was to connect with those who have directly inspired the two of us, to share our story and how they have influenced our journey. These leaders are influencers in their own community, they inspire those around them and connect with them authentically and whole-heartedly. They have a passion for sharing their learnings and the curiosity and desire to always be a student. We have done many collaborations with our Divine Ambassadors to share one another’s stories, elevator our brands and make a positive impact in our communities. We have done collaborative events, made custom pieces for their retreats or yoga teacher trainings and continuously shared their stories with our community. When we uplift one another, we all shine.

6. Where are you hoping to take Divine East in the near future? What relationships are you wanting to build on or create? How do you want to evolve your collections?

Thats a great question, and one we are continuously asking ourselves. Divine East absolutely deserves more time that we currently give it, as we both have full-time careers that we love. Divine East is a passion project and our greatest desire is to inspire and educate others to recognize the power of their mind, of setting intentions, of meditation and of silence. We will always be community facing, thats one of the things that lights us up the most. Connecting with someone at an event or farmers market, sharing one another’s stories (often over laughs or tears) is the purest and most authentic form of connection, and having someone leave the interaction with a piece that will support them in being better in some way is the most rewarding gift.

7. What are some things your customers may not know about you both or company?

We continue to travel to both India and Bali each year to maintain the relationships we have built with our suppliers. Two years ago, we went back to India for one of their weddings. Friendships flourished into business relationships, but authentic connection is at the heart of that and as such, at the heart of Divine East. While we are a Vancouver-based company, one of the sisters (Danelle) has lived in the USA for the past 10 years, so she is also connecting with our community down South!