Written by Krupa Gadhwana

It goes without saying that Canada’s weather is frequently most associated with snow, and while the first day of winter this year is December 21, 2022, wintery weather typically begins much earlier in Canada. In British Columbia, snow showers are anticipated to begin in the north during the first week of November, with flakes migrating inland as the month progresses and temperatures fall. The arrival of winter changes many things and one of them
is Kamloops local farmer market.

Farmers participate in a variety of activities to guarantee the health of their crops and a high harvest from the land. Except if you are farming just for your family’s sustenance, it is not the end goal. The ultimate purpose of growing crops is often to market and distribute them to consumers all over the world so the farmer can profit. As a middleman between farmers and their clients, large businesses have wormed their way into the agricultural sector.
Because of this, these big businesses now receive a considerable portion of their earnings from farming. To cut out the middlemen, farmers must thus understand how and where to market their goods. And this problem is solved by introducing a local farmer market, where local producers can directly connect to the customer.

The Kamloops Farmer’s Market has served as a venue for bringing together local producers and customers for more than 40 years. It is also a place to share your love of food and community. Everything from bread and pastry to fresh produce and fruit to artisanal hand-made goods and gifts. It runs every Wednesday and Saturday from April to October at the 400 block of Victoria Street and 200 block of St. Paul street respectively. And now Farmer’s Market is going indoors due to winter. And runs every Saturday until February at 471 Okanagan Way. The initial market was conducted in 1978, with backing from the City Council and the School Board. A second location for the Wednesday market was added in the 1980s, initially at the old Leland Hotel at 3rd Avenue and Victoria Street, where the TD Canada Trust building currently stands. The Kamloops Farmers’ Market aims to create a welcoming environment for everybody. At the entrance to the grounds of Stuart Wood Elementary School, they erected information and compliments kiosks on Saturday. Market patrons can congregate here, learn more about the industry and its offerings, or simply unwind. In addition to farmers who desire to become vendors, the Market accepts home producers. The market also has an area for local artisans, small companies run from homes, and unique music and other activities.

Going indoors set certain limitations, while interviewing farmers we got to know that shifting indoors is a tough challenge. I got a chance to interview Janelle Norman who is the owner of west end tiny farm, and her specialty is microgreens, which are like baby plants that people use while making salads, soups, and wraps. She has been very thankful to the community for arranging something which benefits local farmers. The community is very supportive of local producers. Due to winters, they have shifted indoors and provided heated fields for farmers. As you can see in this picture, it is a spacious place and has more than 25 tables/ stalls where farmers can put their farm produce and sell it.

But this place is in Okanagan way, Kamloops and it is not a publicly accessible area as mobility can be tricky in winter. So, students who rely on public transportation find it hard to reach there. so, farmers as well as people who want to buy local food are facing losses.


Moreover, I learned that in the winter season farmers who grow their crops in contained spaces do not get affected but the farmers who produce wineries or vegetables are the ones who cannot use their farms to produce during this season. The coldest months of the year are often when most farms in the nation prepare for the next season. Winter is the ideal time for farmers to clear out their barns, which formerly housed the mature calves that are now grazing in the meadows. To make life simpler and cleaner for the spring calves, farmers clean the barns throughout the cooler months. So, the number of stalls in indoor Local Markets gets less due to no produce crop and those who sell their crops are either grown in nursery/green or contained space or who have saved their food/ crops in barns.

Despite the limitation, the people who regularly buy from the local market always find a way to make it to Okanagan. But according to farmers, it would be better if in the upcoming year the community makes the location more accessible, for the benefit of Farmers as well as people who love to buy Local food.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cf9mHSVM1U5/?hl=en

Instagram story of Kamloops Farmers market account