Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
The first Jasper Farmers Market of the season on June 17 was a huge success, said manager Kelli Sroka.聽
Guided by directional arrows chalked on the pavement, folks strolled around the parking lot by the McCready Centre to check out an interesting variety of items.
There were baked goods, knitting, yarns, jewellery, including Indigenous jewellery and artwork, beauty products, plants, produce, meat, jams and jellies, wood-crafted items, a blacksmith booth, coffee and more.
Sroka said she wasn't sure how many vendors to expect at the first market of the season, but it turned out they are the place to be.
"We had 19 vendors, usually it's around 20,鈥� said Sroka. 鈥淪ometimes there's more, sometimes there's less. It's a flexible schedule; some vendors are there every week, some are not."
As well as locals, there are vendors from the Robson Valley, including Valemount, Dunster, McBride, Edson, Hinton, some from the Edmonton area, and Grande Cache.
And it鈥檚 not the number of vendors that determines the layout each week, Sroka said, it鈥檚 'Will we run out of room?'
She noted the BC fruit truck will be set up on July 1.
"He takes up a few spots,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ther vendors also take up more than one spot."
Space is an important factor with COVID-19 protocol too.
"We want to make sure we're running a safe market where people can shop without being crowded," Sroka emphasized.
"It's up to us to make sure the flow of traffic is done in an orderly, spacious way."
There's a waiting list for vendors already. Even with the June 17 market, Sroka said she was approached by five or six locals who want to be vendors.
To be a vendor, you pay a $10 yearly fee to join the Jasper Local Food Society, a local not-for-profit organization that manages the farmers market.
The society, which has a board that meets every month, is dedicated to growing and providing locally-grown food to the community and also manages the community garden.
"We're promoting turning lawns into gardens," Sroka said, "especially in light of COVID-19, when the food supply chain is in question, and we are in a remote area.
鈥淚t's to promote food sovereignty in our town. The more we do that, the less we have to depend on the food supply systems."
Doing that, Sroka said, "allows us to become more resilient as a community鈥�.
And the food society hosts an event each month: a movie screening, seed exchange or a workshop.
"We are seeing an increase in interest in these," Sroka said, noting that she led a permaculture workshop last winter.
The group is also looking into showcasing community members on film talking about food production and related skills.
"We're thrilled to see there's an increase in the number of people in Jasper who are moving toward self reliance," Sroka said.
"Instead of buying and consuming, they're sharing and trading goods."
Sroka said sunshine was a bonus on the 17th.
"The manager from last year said it rained ten out of 14 markets. So we're hoping for sunny weather,鈥� she said.
More volunteers are needed for the markets, which will be held on Wednesdays at the McCready Centre from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m until Sept. 16. Email [email protected].
