Farmers Markets

[canucklehead]

Dude - I hear you - it borders on Renaissance Fair at times. I want the cranky Chinese farmers that snap at you if you handle the produce too much.

Have not checked out the Nat Bailey farmer's market yet - but it sounds like it may be the same cast of characters as from Trout Lake. Looking forward to summer when more local fruit makes its appearance. I saw the strawberries last week - but they looked very soft (as noted upthread).

Well - there was a vendor that was selling really beautiful baby greens - and it included pretty hardy stuff like baby kake and chard - so I was not sure as to whether I should have sauteed it or eaten like a salad. It made a really sturdy salad - I will try cooking it next time.

[Paul B]

A new farmers' market will debut this Sunday in West Vancouver at Marine and 14th. It will run from 1-6. I don't know if it will be any good, but please please come out and support it! It almost didn't happen because the same misanthropic troglodytes who complained so much about the smell of non-Caucasian foods that the council passed the justly ridiculed smell by-law said that a market in the empty lot beside their building would "ruin their lives." They predicted (I kid you not) that West Van would be overrun with rats and outsiders would defecate in their stairwells. Saner heads on the West Van council finally prevailed and the market just got the green light. So please come out, buy something, and moon the people in the building on the other side of 14th. The Ambleside neighbourhood of West Van desperately needs something like this and I need someplace besides Whole Foods to buy interesting produce.

If you do come, look for a guy in glasses who occasionally giving the finger to a condominium. That'll be me.

[maxmillan]

Last year I visited the Ladner Village Market. I know they have a lot of craft things but they had a garlic stand with the best garlic I've ever seen. Also, one young woman had the best honey I've ever tasted (and I dislike honey.) They do have the vegetables, fruits, cheese, meat, etc stands as well. Their first day is this Sunday June 12.

http://www.southdeltaleader.com/portals-co...id=440803&more=

Plus, you can go pick fresh assorted berries nearby.

[Keith Talent]

I'm coming out to enjoy a Persian feast, take my pet rat for a walk after lunch, maybe defecate in the alley then buy some organic arugala.

Seriously though, I'd be willing to support it based on Pauls post alone, I'm not one for political action, but if i can antagonize a bigot while supporting a local farm, it's a win all around.

Lets us know how it is. If it's even halfway decent I'll add it to the Talent family farm market rota.

[maxmillan]

Ahem ...

Remember the Farmer's Market?  That TOPIC thingy we should be talking about?

As in ..."I think I'm gonna go to the Farmer's Market this Saturday and buy something to grill for father's Day.  Is the lamb from Jay Springs any good?" 

Thanks.

A.

←

I have the same question about the frozen meat. Does anyone recommend any good vendors (lamb, beef, etc.) Or am I better off going to a good butcher in town?

[Keith Talent]

http://www.nomadcows.ca/

I've bought and like their stuff. Cheap too.

[canucklehead]

A new farmers' market will debut this Sunday in West Vancouver at Marine and 14th.  It will run from 1-6.  I don't know if it will be any good, but please please come out and support it!  It almost didn't happen because the same misanthropic troglodytes who complained so much about the smell of non-Caucasian foods that the council passed the justly ridiculed smell by-law said that a market in the empty lot beside their building would "ruin their lives."  They predicted (I kid you not) that West Van would be overrun with rats and outsiders would defecate in their stairwells.  Saner heads on the West Van council finally prevailed and the market just got the green light.  So please come out, buy something, and moon the people in the building on the other side of 14th.  The Ambleside neighbourhood of West Van desperately needs something like this and I need someplace besides Whole Foods to buy interesting produce. 

If you do come, look for a guy in glasses who occasionally giving the finger to a condominium.  That'll be me.

←

Paul - I'll be there since is close to where I live (I am constantly asked to produce ID in WV to prove this). You will recognize me because I will be the large Asian man wearing flip flops, combat shorts, with frosted hair - carrying a ghetto blaster with canto-pop; going around asking the locals - "is this the night market?"

Seriously though- I hope that they have decent stuff - I love WF's but would also like altnernative. But - please I hope that it is mostly food orientated - I will personally set fire to any stand selling lamps made from drift wood or clocks with orcas painted on the faces. And if there any wind chimes... you will see me on the cover of the Province with the headline "RAMPAGE"

[Keith Talent]

Play into their stereotypes Canuck, write Prada and Louis Vuitton with a Sharpie marker on some plastic Safeway bags. Set up a booth. Profit.

[barolo]

The first West End Farmers' Market was today and, despite the light rain, it was off to a good start. Lots of produce, bread, chocolate etc and only a few craft vendors.

I did my best to spread my dollars around - raspberries, strawberries, cherries (already!), Bad Girl chocolate, fig bread, white chocolate and apricot biscotti, arugula, fava beans, english peas, lettuce, radishes, fromage frais from Little Qualicum Cheese Works and a latte from the coffee van. Picked up the newspapers on the way home, sliced the strawberries and tested the cherries already.

Tonight I'll put the peas in a risotto and slightly mash the cooked fava beans, top them with a thin slice of pecorino and a little drizzle of olive oil.

Even though I really don't need any more food, I think I'll check out the West Van market tomorrow, just to give them my support.

[Daddy-A]

We were at Trout Lake this morning. Okanagan cherries made their first appearance! Maybe a bit early, but these ones are nice and sweet. Raspberries were also looking better as were the strawberries. Prices were down a little from a couple weeks back.

Big purchase today was a bone-in leg o' lamb from Jay Springs Lamb. Really nice folk ... very knowledgeable about their product ... and how to cook it. I asked them if they'd do up some lamb ribs for my smoker. 2 weeks notice, no problem. In the meantime, they gave me some spare ribs to try. Braising? The roast is to be smoked for Father's Day.

BCinBC insipred my to visit the Mushroom People and pick up an assortment for a risotto to go with tomorrow's lamb.

The kids added some frommage frais (Herbie) and some cheese curds from Little Qualicum Cheeseworks to the bag as well.

Still can't wait for the tomatoes!

A.

[Keith Talent]

So are Little Qualicum Cheeseworks magical? How do they pull of the two places at one time deal? Barolo, the places you mention by name are also at Trout Lake, do they have two crews working separate markets?

[barolo]

So are Little Qualicum Cheeseworks magical? How do they pull of the two places at one time deal? Barolo, the places you mention by name are also at Trout Lake, do they have two crews working separate markets?

←

I think Little Qualicum is a large enough business to operate at more than one market. Bad Girl alternates between Trout Lake and West End. I think she said she'd be at West End three Saturdays out of four a month.

Lots of vendors alternate between markets. The vendor schedule is posted on the website here.

[Daddy-A]

So are Little Qualicum Cheeseworks magical? How do they pull of the two places at one time deal? Barolo, the places you mention by name are also at Trout Lake, do they have two crews working separate markets?

←

I think Little Qualicum is a large enough business to operate at more than one market. Bad Girl alternates between Trout Lake and West End. I think she said she'd be at West End three Saturdays out of four a month.

I know dammit! I'll have to get my Bad Girl fix on Wednesdays now at Nat Bailey. Not nearly as much fun as sharing a couple Bad Girls with my wife at Trout Lake!

Re: Little Qualicum ... at Trout Lake I spoken with at least four different people at Cheeseworks, so I'd assume they split the team between the different markets. Cheeseworks Brie is excellent as well ... mmmm cheese.

A.

[Vancouver Lee]

I know dammit!  I'll have to get my Bad Girl fix on Wednesdays now at Nat Bailey.  Not nearly as much fun as sharing a couple Bad Girls with my wife at Trout Lake!

←

um........oh, never mind.

[Paul B]

A new farmers' market will debut this Sunday in West Vancouver at Marine and 14th.  It will run from 1-6.  I don't know if it will be any good, but please please come out and support it!  It almost didn't happen because the same misanthropic troglodytes who complained so much about the smell of non-Caucasian foods that the council passed the justly ridiculed smell by-law said that a market in the empty lot beside their building would "ruin their lives."  They predicted (I kid you not) that West Van would be overrun with rats and outsiders would defecate in their stairwells.  Saner heads on the West Van council finally prevailed and the market just got the green light.  So please come out, buy something, and moon the people in the building on the other side of 14th.  The Ambleside neighbourhood of West Van desperately needs something like this and I need someplace besides Whole Foods to buy interesting produce. 

If you do come, look for a guy in glasses who occasionally giving the finger to a condominium.  That'll be me.

←

Paul - I'll be there since is close to where I live (I am constantly asked to produce ID in WV to prove this). You will recognize me because I will be the large Asian man wearing flip flops, combat shorts, with frosted hair - carrying a ghetto blaster with canto-pop; going around asking the locals - "is this the night market?"

Seriously though- I hope that they have decent stuff - I love WF's but would also like altnernative. But - please I hope that it is mostly food orientated - I will personally set fire to any stand selling lamps made from drift wood or clocks with orcas painted on the faces. And if there any wind chimes... you will see me on the cover of the Province with the headline "RAMPAGE"

←

Lee -- Well, sorry I missed you but then I'm also sorry about the market. What a waste of time! A couple of booths selling crappy crafts, someone selling herbs, and someone hawking so-so bread. What the heck? Well, it was only announced at the beginning of the week so maybe vendors don't know about it yet. Will check in next week but if it doesn't start involving some farmers I may have to start my own rampage.

[dillybravo]

Well, since no one's mentioned it yet, I have to pimp the Granville Island Truck Market a bit, which is Thursdays "all day" in theory; but many vendors pack up by as early as 10 AM when they sell out. I'd recommend going around 8:30 or 9. Not sure if any produce vendors have shown up yet this year; as of two weeks ago no.

Contrary to what one might expect, this is my favorite market in the city and has some vendors that don't seem to appear at the other markets. I am usually not so down with the pricer-than-usual and also not-as-good-looking-as-usual produce at Granville Island, but this market is tops in quality and low in price.

The artichoke, pattypan squash and kale lady from Nat Bailey makes dual appearances and she always has great products. She actually has a name for her stall but I forget what it is. Easily distinguished by the multiple varieties of artichokes.

Also stellar is the dude (and dude-ette?) with ~10 varieties of potatoes; the potatoes are great, but more importantly, excellent and awesome cherry tomatoes once that time of year shows up. By far the best tomatoes I have found in the Lower Mainland. Also great patty pans and other produce.

There is a scraggily old German (?) guy with good nuts, grapes and other misc. stuff that changes weekly, he sells from a converted truck.

I suggest you keep an eye out as well for the basil man who always has a lineup for his extremely flavourful basil. Identifiable both by the line and by the huge bags full of basil. Also zucchini, broccoli rabe and a few other odds and ends that he takes a great deal of pride in (all very delicious, and at extremely low prices).

Finally, there is the tall, lanky fruit purveyor who usually sells also-awesome apple chips inside from time to time. Not sure if the lady selling them inside right now is related, I haven't tasted them yet. Towards the end of the summer he'll have peaches, nectarines and plums, all of which are picked when ripe. Usually they end up a little bruised and even over-ripe for my taste, but these are the only truly ripe stonefruit I have ever found a seller willing to take the risk in transporting. This guy is my hero.

The rest of the sellers I can mostly do without.

Now to wait for them all to start showing up...maybe this Thursday!

[canucklehead]

Paul B - I went to the West Van market today and I have to agree with you that it was a sad affair. I bought one of those maple syrup things on a stick - just to support somebody. Did not want the baby clothes or the cd's of guitar music ("Starry Starry Night" must be the most common market music ever). You could see WV Council's fingerprints all over the enterprise - it stunk of compromise. I will continue to check it out during the summer - support what I can just to encourage it. Thank goodness for the First Nations band that owns the land under Park Royal - without them - we would not even have the Whole Foods.

DillyBravo - where on Granville Island is the truck market? Sounds like thing that I am really craving - a farmer's market with a high ratio of produce.

[Chef Metcalf]

Paul B - I went to the West Van market today and I have to agree with you that it was a sad affair. I bought one of those maple syrup things on a stick - just to support somebody.  Did not want the baby clothes or the cd's of guitar music ("Starry Starry Night" must be the most common market music ever).  You could see WV Council's fingerprints all over the enterprise - it stunk of compromise.  I will continue to check it out during the summer - support what I can just to encourage it.  Thank goodness for the First Nations band that owns the land under Park Royal - without them - we would not even have the Whole Foods.

DillyBravo - where on Granville Island is the truck market?  Sounds like thing that I am really craving - a farmer's market with a high ratio of produce.

←

Yup...pretty sad.

I was told that because it was father's day, the produce people did there usual morning markets and then took off for the day.

I hope that's true and they have more than two produce people next week.

Today only strawberries and mushrooms.

cm

[Mooshmouse]

Today only strawberries and mushrooms.

←

Now, if they were the right kind of mushrooms...

[barolo]

Well, since no one's mentioned it yet, I have to pimp the Granville Island Truck Market a bit, which is Thursdays "all day" in theory; but many vendors pack up by as early as 10 AM when they sell out. I'd recommend going around 8:30 or 9. Not sure if any produce vendors have shown up yet this year; as of two weeks ago no.

←

I agree this is a good market, it just doesn't work for me because I have to go to work on Thursdays.

[annanstee]

Canucklehead,

It is on the east side of the market building, in the parking lot in front of the Arts Club Theatre.

[dillybravo]

Yeah, the timing of the truck market does suck for those with the 9-5. Although some vendors might be there earlier/later. From my experience they are usually grateful and surprised to have knowledgable customers; I'm sure you can get them to save you something of whatever's good if you partake regularly, thus get to know them.

And canucklehead...so far this year the ratio seems 100% in favour of flowers and tomato plants. One stand with honey and beeswax. So you might want to wait a few more weeks.

If I get down there this Thursday I'll report back!

[mtigges]

Hmm, I upgraded my membership so that I could post on this thread. So, post #1, here goes.

I am a vendor at Farmers Markets. I won't self-promote, except to say that I do not sell produce, nor do I sell what has been termed "crappy crafts." At least I would hope not. My wife is a soap maker, and I am a potter. We make our products by hand, we do not purchase anything buy raw materials. We vend (is that a verb?) one weekend a month, at Lonsdale Quay on Saturday, and the ill-discussed Ambleside on Sunday.

I am posting particularly regarding the Ambleside market. The market as far as I understand was not a sure thing before last Thursday. The locals were scared we would defecate in their stairwells. I heard that rumour before, but I am not sure it's true. Regardless, they were not sure they wanted us. So, Lyn, the lady who organizes these events for the Artisanal Market Soceity asked many of the Lonsdale vendors to fill a spot. And we did. My guess it was just too late for produce vendors. They need to have much higher lead time. Please give the market another chance. There will be produce venders there (I am a foodie too, so I love the produce venders).

For the record on Sunday at Ambleside there was a cherry and walnut stand (the cherries were amazing, my wife and I ate a pound each), Janes Bees was there selling the first batch of honey (blueberry blossoms) of the year. A strawberry guy showed up late and sold out in about an hour and a half (we ate about a pound of those too, as good as the cherries), and the mushroom guy was amazing. The Oysters he had were beautiful. Just white ones though. He said he screwed up his pink culture. We had a big discussion about propogating fungii in sterile technique, since I enjoy making beer myself, I keep a "ranch" of yeasts for the beer. Anyways, I'm rambling now.

Please give Ambleside another try. It will be every Sunday from 1 until 6. And if you see a cute Chinese girl selling soap, and a less attractive guy hanging around her selling some pottery, come and say hi.

That is all, thank you.

Mark.

Off to post on the Kolachy thread.

[Daddy-A]

Welcome Mark. Thanks for the inside scoop!

I was thinking the same thing re: the West Vancouver market ... all the locals having fits when the see vendors in hemp pants and sandles. I'm amazed the thing got off the ground. After all, I mean, .... all those SMELLS!

A.

[barolo]

Yeah, the timing of the truck market does suck for those with the 9-5. Although some vendors might be there earlier/later. From my experience they are usually grateful and surprised to have knowledgable customers; I'm sure you can get them to save you something of whatever's good if you partake regularly, thus get to know them.

←

Thanks that's a useful suggestion. I do take the occasional Thursday off during the summer just so I can go the truck market, but maybe I should make more of an effort to get there regularly.