Sarah Pruys Yellowknife Farmers Market manager told True North FM that the non-profit organization has good things in store for its thirteenth season, beginning today when the market opens at about 5 pm in the Somba K’e Civic Plaza!
The market plays a critical role in creating a sustainable, mindful food system and fostering an economically, ecologically, culturally and socially sustainable community, explained Pruys.
“The YKFM inspires and nurtures a healthy community by building a local, sustainable and Northern food economy in a vibrant, diverse and inclusive marketplace,” Pruys emphasized.
The market is scheduled to take place every Tuesday from 5:15pm to 7:15pm until September 16, except for July 1, when the City of Yellowknife will be hosting Canada Day activities at the site.
“We start at 5:15 p.m., just to give everyone who kind of works a regular and 9-to-5 office jobs time to kind of get down there and get in line for the food,” said Pruys.
With gorgeous views of Frame Lake and the warm mild summer weather, it’s a sweet way to spend a Tuesday summer evening in Yellowknife.
“It’s nice to have a few minutes to walk around and decide what you want to have for supper.”
This year, the market boasts a vast and diverse group of vendors.
“We have over 50 vendors this year who are going to be selling all sorts of things,” said Pruys, who explained that the market will kick off with seedlings and planting goods for gardeners and growers.
Vendors are going to be offering handmade arts, crafts, health products and produce as well, especially in the coming weeks, said Pruys.
There will also be food vendors offering Cuisines from around the world.
“This is really exciting to continue to see that expand and grow every year,” exclaimed Pruys.
“We also have our Music at the Market program, which is going to be running for the first 10 weeks of the summer. So, we’ll have free live music at the amphitheatre area in the park, from 5: 30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (every Tuesday evening). Grace Clark, a local Yellowknife musician, is going to be our first performer,” said Pruys and added that local artists will be performing throughout the season as well.
A schedule of the performances can be found on the Yellowknife Farmer’s Market website.
Pruys explained the market is bringing back its progressive and popular Waste Reduction program which saw 85 per cent of the total market waste was composted.
“All of our vendors are asked to use compostable dinnerware, so that’s everything from your straws, to your plates, to your napkins, to your forks or Chopsticks. So everything that you might eat at the market,” explained Pruys.
High school volunteers help direct people to the correct bins to toss their dinnerware and then the market collects all of the compost.
The Harvesters Table will be back, hosting a space where local gardeners and growers sell their excess produce. Gardeners and growers can donate their produce or sell it in person.
“If you’re not ready to be a full-time vendor yourself but you do have some you know, extra zucchinis or kale or something this summer or even at this time of year some seedlings, you can sell that through the Harvesters table,” said Pruys who explained the market retains a small percentage of sales, about 10 per cent. In exchange, the market runs any goods submitted by Harvest Table vendors so they don’t actually have to be there at the market the whole time.
With the money raised, the market uses that towards initiatives related to education, health, community outreach, food security and economic development.
The market also features a community table program where local non-profits can set up a table for free to promote their cause.
“They can’t sell anything, but they can sign up volunteers, they can do some community outreach. We’ve had the Literacy Council in the past giving away books, we’ve had organizations like Folk On The Rocks signing up volunteers for their Festival,” explained Pruys.
“Tomorrow on June 3rd. We’ll have the Students Against Distracted Driving, Verbo NWT, Ecology North, the Territorial Food Association and the Climate Running Mind Project,” said Pruys.
The Farmer’s Market website also features an interactive market map.
“So you can select the date that you’re interested in attending the market and it will populate with who all of the vendors are and where they’ll be at the market,” said Pruys who pointed out it helps visitors prepare ahead of time.
There’s also a section with vendor bios and photos where people can learn more about the vendors, artisans at the market and their work.
The market has an application on the site that remains open throughout the summer, but Pruys said its unlikely spots will be open until August or September.
Vendors are required to sell handmade items and this is likely what attracts so many people to the market each year.
Access to local goods and handmade goods is something that is attracting a growing crowd of people, noted Pruys.
“Just judging by the number of vendors we have who have applied this year and who want to vend for the whole season, that number is definitely higher than previous years. So there’s definitely more of an appetite to sell local Foods and to be a part of the market where you are exposed to so many different patrons,” explained Pruys.
