Local food and artisan products are rising in popularity. The Quesnel Farmers’ Market is showing those signs of growth.
The spring-fall incarnation of the market (there is also a three-session indoor market that recently concluded) saw an increase in popularity, this year.
“We had a 10-15 per cent increase in customers this year,” said Paul Zeegers, president of the Quesnel Farmers’ Market (QFM). With all of the challenges within the economy, he said that was a major victory in the association’s eyes.
There was also an increase in the number of vendors, which added diversification and volume to the wares for sale.
The rule with all farmers’ markets of the province is, each item has to be grown, baked, or made by the hands of the people selling them.
“For the last year, there have been new farmers come to the markets. The producers change over the years. And some really expanded. We now have two organically certified vendors at the market,” Zeegers said. “We have seven to eight vegetable producers at the market, now. These, along with some of the food processors who have jams and jellies and all that stuff, they account for 55-60 per cent of the market’s expenditures. We started to track vendor sales about seven years ago, just so we knew what people were spending their money on.”
The pandemic was restrictive for every endeavour, and even though it was outside, that applied to the farmers’ market as well. The lockdowns and social distancing needs are now over, but some of the lessons learned during that period are still being applied today at the QFM.
There used to be no rules about people wandering the grounds, prior to opening, for example, but now customers have to line up outside the main entrance until opening bell at 8:30 a.m. The vendors find this necessary to get set up without people randomly approaching them about early sales, which can greatly impact their readiness for the first hours of the weekly market.
Zeegers said there is information from vendors indicating a small initial rush at opening, each week, as certain items are coveted due to their freshness or supply and demand pressure.
The main overall rush is between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Then there is another mini-rush at the end as people either arrive at the last minute to make sure they get their priority items but couldn’t make it earlier, or they come deliberately at the end in hopes of deals from vendors blowing out their wares at discounted prices.
The number of vendors fluctuates each year, but currently hovers in between 60-70 booth-holders. Some only come a few times a year, while about 25 come almost each week. Few are there every single Saturday without fail. It varies depending on the time of year, because that affects the growing season, harvest season, processing season, and other elements of offering consumer items on that Do It Yourself basis.
There is always room for more venders, so far, at the ample QFM grounds. so the association encourages anyone interested in selling those DIY goods to reach out, even on a moment’s notice, during the main market season, to possibly set up a sales spot.
Zeegers said the Quesnel community is also home to a coupon program through which the provincial Ministry of Agriculture subsidizes food purchases for those in financial difficulty. People can use these vouchers to purchase food-only items at the QFM.
“One thing we’ve been lacking at the market are food trucks. We would like to have that, ready-to-eat food right on site. It’s an open option. We would welcome people with food trucks,” said Zeegers.
He also encouraged anyone who grows, bakes or makes to get involved in the QFM association. This was his last year as president, saying “it’s time for new people,” and he believes the veteran experience and fresh spirit within the group will lead to positive next steps.
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