Okanagan’s Best Products has come up with a creative and edible way to reduce their waste at market! Inspired by her passion for sustainability, Kathleen says all of the wooden toothpicks she went through for sampling had to go.
In the past we were going through tens of thousands of toothpics in a market season. These all would end up in the landfill because they are not reusable. While wood is definitely better than plastic in terms of sustainability and environmental impact, it still wasn’t a zero waste situation.
So Kathleen searched for a more sustainable solution and tired it all! Keeping in conjunction with her products, she wanted to make sure that what was being used as tasters was as well.
Once gluten-free products became available in standard grocery shops (though still not at wholesale stores), the decision to move to spaghetti toothpicks was easy.
Okanagan’s Best Products’ initiative has gotten great response from customers. Kathleen says it also provides a space for quick conversations about sustainability, environmental issues, clean food and clean living.
(Courtesy of Okanagan’s Best Products)
…All issues that are part of Okanagan’s Best ethos. In BC, our customers are pretty savvy. They are generally quite switched on about environmental issues because we live in the most beautiful part of the country, and we’d all like to keep it that way. Less waste, more sustainable products just makes sense to them already, so it’s an easy conversation to have!
Kathleen says another great benefit of spaghetti is that if the toothpicks are inadvertently dropped, they will biodegrade and not hard any animals who might come across them.
…And the kids love to just chew on them rather than put them in our garbage.
In addition to the spaghetti tasting spoons, Kathleen says she has been and continues to look into various ways of packaging their products for customers at market, including decomposable bags and butcher paper.
Because our products are kept iced, they are often wet and
cannot be carried in paper bags, so we have no option but to put them in plastic bags. At the moment, many customers bring their own reusable shopping bags, so we often dry the packages of sausage for and place them in their own bags. So we always ask ‘would you like a bag,’ because we do have them available but prefer not to use them. In future, we are thinking of providing reusable cooler shopping bags at cost. We are always on the lookout for ways to reduce our footprint.
Kathleen says that in the continuous search for more sustainable products and practices, she’s come across potential production methods of noted environmentally friendly products that may not be as sustainable as previously thought.
(Courtesy of Okanagan’s Best Products)
We were very surprised ourselves to learn through experience and expense about decomposable plastic bags and how, while touted as ‘environmentally friendly’, the methods used to produce them are not compatible with products that may be moist or damp in terms of immediacy of the decomposing process when wet, and the off-gassing that happens. It does make us wonder about how they are made, what chemicals are used, that they give off a scent when beginning to decompose that can actually affect the products, and just how ‘sustainable’ and ‘environmentally friendly’ they actually are.
For Kathleen and everyone at Okanagan’s Best Products, the opportunity to speak with customers about sustainability at market is always a pleasure.
We have had wonderful market experiences with people who were previously ‘undecided’ about purchasing, actually try and buy our products because our little changes like using spaghetti toothpicks really matter to them.
Anderson distilleries sort of fell backwards into zero waste. It’s just the cheapest way to do what we do.
(Courtesy of Anderson Distilleries)
We continue our Zero Waste Month with Anderson Distilleries! Wanting a more fiscal way of disposing spent grain and yeast hulls, Ian Anderson says partnering with local gardeners also allows their solid waste to be taken care of in a more environmentally friendly manner while also providing a free fertilizer alternative for gardeners.
All the community gardens we contacted jumped at the offer of free compost. We no longer need to deliver the compost to the gardens. Individual gardeners now come by the distillery with buckets and pick it up directly. In fact, it doesn’t always have a chance to finish composting before they pick it up. Gardeners will add it to their home composter’s to accelerate decomposition of things like paper and wood.
In addition to this, Anderson Distilleries does not use chemical additives in their brewing process. Although doing so would improve production output, Ian says the cost of such chemicals is greater than the potential value of additional product.
The fact that our products end up being 100% vegan, organic, and kosher is purely aside the point for us. We dont bother with certifications because they add too much of an expense for our current production volume. Our waste stream contains less alcohol per unit volume than a typical household compost pile so there is a strong argument to be made that our spent grain is also halal.
Ian says, ultimately there is no preservatives in their waste stream, which is further separated into liquid and solid.
You could use our liquid waste to water your lawn all summer. The only thing you would notice is that it smelled a little like stale beer for a day or two afterwards. Our liquid waste is disposed of by the GVRD for a small annual fee. We put our solid waste into a composter where it rapidly begins to decompose.
Due to the properties of their waste, Anderson Distilleries’ compost can be roughly compared to horse manure. Ian says their disposal method is purely academic from a business perspective and the fertilizer product is a great addition to this.
Our solid waste is mostly yeast hulls, barley gluten, and grain husks. Yeast hulls and gluten are almost pure protein. The decomposition products of this are extremely high in nitrogen. The husks from the grain add porosity and allow airflow through the composting mass. Commercial waste disposal companies charge extra to dispose of compostable material. Per kilogram, it costs roughly twice as much money to dispose of spent grain when compared to construction waste.
While saving money, Anderson Distilleries is reducing the amount of solid waste that goes into the landfill and is also helping local gardeners receive a free and valuable resource. Ian says they are currently focused on reducing the volume of liquid waste produced so stayed tuned for that!
Kale is one of those vegetables that some would like to not include in their diet but what we can all agree on is its nutritiousness.
Kale is a super food, so a great source of Vitamins A, B6, C, K, Calcium, Potassium, Copper Manganese, Iron, and fiber. The list goes on and on. We could write a book and some have.
Brian, “The Raw Guy” has created a product that takes an unconventional approach to consuming kale, enticing more people to enjoy the benefits of having a healthy snack option.
The foods that I offer at market are “Transitional Food”. Foods that have a familiar look, taste and mouth feel to the foods most of us are used to. This helps us move into a more raw plant based way of eating without feeling deprived. So these are flavours you would see in any chip out there and yes maybe a couple you wouldn’t.
Brian has taken his own raw food diet experience and desire to share this with others to create a range of uniquely flavoured kale chips, further inspired by his customers and own desire to fuse different food together.
So when I heard some talking on raw food a light went on and I’ve been following the light since then….It’s more a desire to share the power of food as a medicine.
Raw organic food leaves the nutritional profile of the food in tacked as nature intended. Brian says this means maximizing the nutritional value with the least amount of bodily energy expended and this concept is carried over into his products as well.
All this in order to maximize our health while having a yummy taste treat. There are exceptions naturally, but if you’re looking to optimize your health a diet high in raw plants is an impressive way to go.
Kale can grow almost all year in the Lower Mainland. Brian says it’s a hardy plant, not requiring perfect soil conditions or copious amounts of sunlight.
It’s one tough customer, but delivers a ton of nutrition. Go figure.
Fun Fact: Did you know a serving of kale has more Vitamin C than an orange?
If you haven’t tried one of Vicki Leszczynski’s delicious and wholesome soups, you need to stop by her booth soon! Vicki is the creator of Ela Made Me Do It soups, and she was kind enough to answer some questions for us about herself and her soups!
What was your inspiration to begin making soups? How long have you been doing it?
Instead of daycare my parents used to send me to Poland for the full six week Summer break. There I spent most of my time with my grandmother Ela learning to cook food from scratch. Soup is not just a dish, it’s a daily course in most Polish households. We walked to the local market every morning to get chicken bones for the soup of the day (except Saturdays we’d buy double because the market was closed Sundays). So, realistically, I’ve been making soups since I was 5! At 17 I went to culinary school and I’ve bounced around from cook positions, catering, event planning, waitressing and bartending. I’ve loved working in the hospitality industry but cooking simple nutritious food has always been my number one passion.
Tell us something about yourself that our customers may not know
When I’m not in the kitchen my hobbies include painting, gardening and I’m always prioritizing my other passion, traveling. I’ve brought back many recipes from my travels and I’m a real stickler for the authentic… meaning my Thai soup has about 23 ingredients.
What is your favorite part of selling at farmers markets?
The community of local vendors! I have been embraced and made to feel part of something really special.
Being able to support my family doing something I love is just a bonus.
Why is buying local important?
Supporting our local economy, supporting small business and directly supporting their families.
It was actually three ambitious female entrepreneurs who made me aspire to start Ela Made Me Do It! Lillie Greenwood owner of Betty Baguette, Maureen Baker owner of Bobali Fine Foods and Genvieve Blanchet owner of Le Meadows Pantry, the last two are fellow Farmers Market vendors you may recognize. My grandmother indirectly taught me the joy of buying something directly from the person who created it. Whether it’s Tim and Flo of Rockweld Farm selling me the bones for my soup, or any of the hard working vendors selling you and I their products at the market!
You can find Vicki and her soups at every Port Moody Winter Farmers Market during the month of January!
Gillespie’s mantra is LOCAL AWESOME BOOZE! They handcraft their artisan spirits and cocktail accompaniments using BC grains and fruits in their distillery in Squamish. At market you can buy their vodka, gin, lemoncello, and Boozewitch shrubs. ‘What are shrubs?’ you might be wondering. Well, we had the same question! Kelly from Gillespie’s was kind enough to give us more information about shrubs and about her family business.
What is a Shrub?
Shrub is another name for a sipping vinegar or drinking vinegar. We like to call it a flavour enhancer. It is a way of preserving fruit used since the colonial era. Ours are bright and lively as they don’t have the cooking step and are made with our signature long ferment apple cider vinegar. They can be used in soda water (great for soda stream lovers), in cocktails, and a myriad of culinary purposes. Reduce sugar and enhance flavour!
Why do you participate in markets? Why are they important for you and the public?
Markets are a fantastic way for us to reach our clients directly. When you see our products on the shelves at shops, we don’t get the opportunity to jump out of the bottle and tell you a bit about us, why we do what we do and how to use our products. Local is the new exotic. Buying locally is such an amazing experience. And keeps our dollars in our community. I like to think that every dollar is a vote for what you believe in and if supporting local families, makers, bakers and growers is important to you, then the market is the single best way to make that happen.
What are some of the things customers may not know about you or your business?
We are literally a family business made up of myself (Kelly) and my partner in life (John). He makes it and I sell it. John was born in Saskatchewan but grew up in Scotland. He is the handiest person I know. He was trained as a mechanic and all of our equipment was custom built by him, having been repurposed from other food industries. That man works really hard and often long into the night. Add to that our almost 2 year old son, life and business is pretty intense when you’ve got to get up and be at a market early squirrelly!
We won the Squamish Green Business award for our green efforts and our spirits are award winning and appreciated by industry professionals and the public alike.
In addition to being an award winning cocktail maker, teacher and drink consultant, I am also a yoga teacher and an actress so keep your eyes peeled for me on the tube!
Why is buying local important?
Buying local changes the world. from an environmental stand point, to your health, to the world economy, to the health and wealth of your community. The more we can localize and support innovators and people who want to bring their beauty, talents and gifts to the world, the better we will all be. It takes great courage to build a product, apply for markets and show up with your banner up and put your stuff in front of people. Tremendous vulnerability and courage. Encouraging those people changes the very fabric of where we live. Never mind those farmers – Did you eat today? Thank a farmer!
As a new business it is a great way to get feedback on my products. You also learn to many things from other vendors who have been in the same position.
As many have come to realize this season, the Coquitlam Farmers Market is known not only for its produce, but its great prepared food and the products coming from Jerk Store are no exception!
Jerk Store offers a unique blend of flavours with their handcrafted artisan jerky, from French Onion Soup to Chimichurri! Made with 100% all natural ingredients owner Khal and his team go from slicing the beef, marinating it overnight, to packaging all in Port Moody.
We use premium B.C. Beef that is free of hormones and antibiotics.
And a surprise to many?
That we make tofu jerky! People seem to automatically associate us with meat products and several have been pleasantly surprised when they discover we have non-meat options.
The number one question Khal asks himself while creating his product is, “is this something I would want to eat?” He says the first step for those who are hesitant on buying locally produced food is to simply trying the product.
Discover what food is supposed to taste like. The mass produced food system is unsustainable and making people and the planet sick.
Khal says farmers market help raise awareness of how to produce real food in addition to supporting the local economy and community.
It is only going to grow as more people open their eyes and realize that supporting local is a more sustainable and healthy way of living.
Rockweld Farm is all about fresh, local and natural foods! Owners and operators Tim and Flo Rempel raise small flocks of 600 to 1,500 chickens across one and a half acres on their Abbotsford farm.
Our chicken and eggs are Certified Organic fed, BCSPCA Certified, and raised without any medication.
The Rempels have been apart of farmers markets for many years and love being able to bring their products closer to many consumers homes’.
We attend farmers markets to get more of our product out to the
consumer and not have to wholesale – no middle person! Farmers market people are great and loyal customers.
In addition to chicken and eggs that Rockweld is known for, you can also find 100% chicken sausages; raw and smoked, gluten free and sodium nitrite free.
…And all of our sausage casings are made from seaweed and they taste great!
Rockweld Farm stemmed from the Rempels desire to grow better tasting, humanely raised chicken and eggs.
We can provide our customers fresh, local, good food. All of our
products direct to the consumer, at our farm store in Abbotsford and at farmers markets.
