Edible Vancouver Island May/June 2023

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The History and Growth of Farmers’ Markets in Parksville Qualicum Beach

Bumping into friends both old and new, dancing to live music, filling your shopping basket with colourful local produce, and sinking your teeth into a freshly baked cinnamon bun–these are the beautiful experiences that happen at farmers’ markets in the Parksville Qualicum Beach region. These markets are built on long histories and have become beloved pillars of the community.

The Qualicum Beach Farmers’ Market began in 1997 at the Old Train Station, and Maria Chand of Blue Heron Organic Farm was there from the very beginning. She sold potatoes there a couple times that first year, and became a full-time vendor the next, selling various produce–including a whole lot of garlic. She was one of about 20 initial vendors, and she has watched the market flourish and change over the years. There was a little pushback initially from some of the small businesses in town who were concerned about the market taking their customers as it grew. But as the market grew, so too did the societal push to support local food producers–and thus the encouragement of the community and other small businesses. After just three years, the market had grown to a point where it needed a larger space, so the town agreed to close Fir Street on Saturday mornings to accommodate it. In 2007, it accepted its first craft and artisan members, growing its vendor number to 55. But when the street required construction, the market and the town underwent negotiations to find a permanent location, and in 2009, the market landed in its current location on Veterans Way. That same year, a trial winter market was held in the community hall, and a few years later the market became a year-round experience. Chand sold at the market right up until last year, and she credits the market with encouraging and supporting local food sustainability. “If we can provide

small farmers a venue where they can make a decent living, they’re going to be around for a long time.” Terry Smith also sold products at the market for many years, and he did so because of how much he loved the customers. In fact, it’s kind of the whole reason he was a vendor at the market for so long. For ten years, beginning at the market’s birth, Terry’s Kitchen sold jams, jellies, pickles, beets, bread rolls, brownies, date squares, cookies and more at the market. He started the business solely so he could sell at the market– he was actually already retired when he began production. “It started out of boredom,” he laughs. Then it took off, and his initial three-foot card table and umbrella grew to three eight foot tables and two tents. But for Smith, it was never about the money. “I was there for a good time,” he emphasizes. The friendly atmosphere, live music and customer engagement–that’s what it was all about for him. He loved getting customer feedback and taking their suggestions, which is how he ended up making so many different kinds of products. “People would ask, ‘can you make this?’ and I’d say, ‘oh sure, I’ll have that for you next week.’” In fact, he loved being a part of the market so much that although he left the market for a few years to “retire” again, he found himself selling his products there once again for an additional three years. And Smith says, much of its recent

12 MAY/JUN 2023 EDIBLE VANCOUVER ISLAND