The farmers market ended the season on a chilly note but that didn’t stop the crowds from getting out to pick up some local fresh goods.
Saturday’s temperatures hovered around -1 degree Celsius and snow blanketed the market, but sales held strong for the final day of the 35th year of the market.
“Some of the vendors were saying it has been at least 10 years since they’ve seen snow at the market,” Agatha Grochowski, farmers market manager, said. “But a lot of people came out and it felt like just a regular fall one.”
The market season was encumbered with a slow economy and street construction but many of the 250 vendors say the season was a successful one.
“I do hear a lot that some vendors are down but we are up,” Katrina Jamieson of Phil’s Fudge Factory said. “Business just keeps growing and growing and it doesn’t matter with the economy.”
Bill Garriock, president of Garlic’s Purity Plus Inc. said that sales were a bit slower due to the economy and possibly due to the restricted parking access caused by the St. Anne Promenade construction. Some vendors were moved away from their regular stall on the roadway and into the parking lot, which limited the space for customer parking.
Grochowski said the temporary layout was a little challenging but she battled the parking issues with incentives to encourage people to bike or take the free park and ride from St. Albert Centre. Overall Grochowski said the construction didn’t impact the market as much as expected.
Next year the market will benefit from the temporary construction hindrance by stretching the vendors down the road and into the new St. Anne Promenade.
Along with a new layout, Grochowski is looking forward to continuing the new partnership the market has with the food bank.
The market was able to add a charitable twist this year by donating all excess food at the end of the day to the food bank. After a day at the market, many vendors would toss out food that would expire before their chance to sell it. This year, the market reduced waste by donating all of the surplus fresh produce to the food bank.
“The food bank gets fresh food and they don’t often have access to such fresh grown food,” Grochowski said.
There is no final report yet on the amount of grub donated, but the most recent numbers show the market has given 2,000 pounds of food to the food bank.
Despite some lagging sales, vendors say the popularity of farmers markets are growing and they predict business to continue to grow next season.
“A lot of people that are looking for things that are home grown and locally produced and handmade,” said Nancy Mandaher of Be Natural Soaps.
Mandaher, who wrapped up her third year at the market, plans to return next year and has already put in her application for both the winter market inside city hall and next year’s outdoor market.
“I like coming here,” Mandaher said. “It’s a very busy market and the people are nice.”
The winter market will be inside St. Albert Place the four Saturdays before Christmas starting Nov. 26.
The 2017 outdoor market will kick off mid-June.
