Category Archives: Markets

Chocolatier extraordinaire

The Home Grow-In Cambie Market part II.

Wendy Boys of Cocolico has been around chocolate a long time.  Coming from a background as a pastry chef she ventured out on her own in 2008 and hasn’t looked back.  Her signature chocolate, Vanilla Salt Caramel with Peanut Butter Crunch, was voted by Vancouver Magazine in 2008, as one of the “101 Things to taste before you die”( as previously mentioned in our article, Home Grow-In Part I).  It was a good start for Cocolico.

By 2009 her distributor needed more product and her line expanded and is now in over 100 stores across Canada with 8 different chocolate products.  From the Blim Sunday Market to Portobello and Edible B.C. she has also kept her business in the local community.  She now operates as a co-operative owner at The Home Grow-In Cambie Market and has a beautiful display with many products on hand to purchase. 

And what interests us the most today is that she also makes her chocolates available as wedding favours.  Wendy is able to customize her 2 piece boxes and coordinate them with ribbon and stickers to match a wedding’s colour scheme. 

Cocolico will be at The Grassroots Wedding Fair on February 12 with a table full of chocolate goodies to sample and to purchase.  Pick up a box for your sweetheart and sample what can only be the most luxurious of wedding favours.

 

article by Shona

photos by sweet earth photographics

The Home Grow-In, part I

The Home Grow-In sits at 3010 Cambie Street and is a lovely new collaboration of 12 co-op vendors and owners bringing fresh seasonal produce, baked goods, gourmet chocolates, locally and sustainably raised meats and dairy and so much more to the Cambie Street corridor.  This co-operative store opened in December 2010 and brings with it a very welcoming and community based market experience.  Already over 300 personal community produce boxes are picked up weekly.

Weddings with many products sourced locally are the best way to be sustainable.  The Home Grow-In is a great location to find products produced in BC that can add a certain westcoast flavour to the celebration. 

Consumable wedding favours are the best wedding favours and jam, honey, soap and chocolates are great examples that guests will love.

Urban Sweet Honey is a Vancouver produced honey and the creation of Russel Godwin.  With beehives established from Kitsilano along the railway line out to Surrey they are a true reflection of the Lower Mainland’s community gardens and of course, local weeds.  The bees don’t care and Russell likes the idea of food produced from weeds. This honey  comes in 250 and 500 gram size at present.

Jolene’s Natural Handmade Soap.

And of course, a most delectable wedding favour is chocolate.  Wendy Boys of Cocolico is a pastry chef who creates award winning chocolates and is a part owner of The Home Grow-In.  More information on Cocolico will follow in Part II of this post.  Cocolico does create amazing wedding favours and will be on hand at The Grassroots Wedding Fair with samples and information on custom ordering.

These lovely chocolates were named by Vancouver Magazine in 2008, as one of the “101 Things to taste before you die”.

The Home Grow-In supports social enterprise groups such as Tradeworks and has a host of beautiful wood work on hand in the store.  The Book Nook brings sustainable gardening to the forefront and celebrates a local diet.

Wild Coast Edibles features Edible Landscapes, and treats from around the province from teas, cedar smudge sticks, skin care products and jewelry from the First Nations and other communities in the north. 

Cedar smudge sticks are not always easy to find.  The are a great tool to add an element of nature to a wedding ceremony or handfasting. 

The Home Grow-In will be a welcome spot to visit when the weather improves with a garden oasis out back.  With custom roasted coffee and yummy baked goods this new store will be the place to come, pick up your locally grown veggies, and relax.  It is a link to where our food comes from and a celebration of the bounty we can find in BC. 

The Market is open 7 days a week and offers a wide selection of food, books and gift products.  It is a completely different business model and I  highly recommend a visit to check it out.

written by Shona Dion

photos by sweet earth photographics

To Market to Market

With sustainability on the mind, farmers markets are a great place to find many vendors to green  your wedding.  Sourcing products from cakes, wedding favours to flowers can all be found at the markets.  The chance to meet the individual in person who will help bring your special day to life is a unique opportunity and fosters a sense of community. 

 The Vancouver Farmers Market is a staple in many Vancouver neighbourhoods and even in the dead of winter the market at Nat Bailey Stadium is bustling with vendors and customers alike. For going on 16 years the Farmers Markets have brought local farmers, bakers and crafters to our neighbourhoods.

Sweet Naturally Bakery is now a regular sight at the market.  With a focus on organic ingredients and simply amazing yumminess (wait until you try the maple oat scone), they are a welcome addition to the market fare. 

The delectable items they have on hand for those chilly Saturday mornings are only half of their business.  They are also amazing wedding cake creators and I have seen these lovely creations first hand. 

Frances and Dickson are committed to creating products that are not only beautiful in their presentation and taste, but that are sustainably made with locally sourced ingredients.  This past year has seen them at the Baker’s Market to The Grassroots Wedding Fair, EP!C and now to the Farmers Market.  We will also see them again in three weeks at The Grassroots Wedding Fair where Frances assures me they will have lots of samples on hand to taste!

One of my favourite tie-ins to weddings from the Farmers Market is the treats available for wedding favours.  Consumable wedding favours are the most eco-friendly and appreciated gifts to give guests.  Many couples make their own jams, bundle their own flower seeds, baked sweet treats, but not everyone is so talented or has the time.  This is when the market is ripe with ideas.  From preserves, honeys and handmade soaps, wedding favours can be found at the market that will make your guests appreciate taking a piece of the local community with them.

Sunshine Coast Natural Care Co. provides soaps for wedding favours and are expanding this year to include personalized lip balms.

Shona Dion

photos by sweet earth photographics

Something new, something borrowed…. something repurposed.

Weddings can create a lot of waste.  Decor accents are one area where it may be hard to keep your footprint low.  Couples want the ceremony to be lovingly decorated and the reception hall to look magical. Wedding and bridesmaid dresses are most likely a one time wear and even though it is nostalgia that has us hold onto these items what if there was a way to share your wedding day features with others? 

Craigslist is a great way to repurpose wedding items and for those couples on their way to marriage, it is a great resource to find coveted dresses, accents and more.

Couples looking to find wedding accent treasures have a new way to go about finding gently used items.  Couples already married have a new venue to sell wedding items to upcoming brides and grooms.  A new market, a wedding swap meet begins next month at Heritage Hall in Vancouver. 

Bridal Swap  is a new venture conjured up by Dream Group Productions, a lower mainland based wedding and event company who saw the need to help new brides and grooms find all their wedding needs in one place. Not only is their idea economical it is also a great way to keep your wedding footprint low.

Geneve McNally best explains their reasoning:

“Bridal Swap came about after spending several summers watching our clients purchase and make rather than rent candy/centre piece vases and candle holders (thank you IKEA), overlays, chair covers, etc.  They justified it by saying that it was the same (if not sometimes cheaper) to buy something rather than rent it and most “planned” to sell these items on Craig’s List or other after the fact.  The reality is most brides post wedding do not have the time or energy to go to the trouble of selling these items and they end up often being “temporarily” stored away it their garages and eventually being tossed out or donated (the latter not being so bad).  So, we thought why not create a tangible forum for past brides to unload these coveted items which in turn would benefit not only current bride’s pocket books, but help in reducing the carbon footprint of future brides who may be planning to do just the same thing in purchasing rather than renting vases.  The last reason for creating the event was to have some fun!  We foresee a wonderful energy filled day with lots of bustling brides exchanging goods and possibly even wedding tips!”

Bridal Swap takes place February 20th from 10:30 -4pm at Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street in Vancouver.  Past brides can find more information about hosting a table from their website and new brides can shop at one location for their wedding needs.

Portobello West

This month and last we have had a promotional table at Portobello West in order to get the word out about The Grassroots Wedding Fair.  We were able to feature  a number of our exhibitors to give people a taste of what they can expect at the green wedding fair.  It is such a pleasure to engage those curious enough to pause and find out more about our event.

Those engaged or those who hoped to be engaged soon (there were many) made a b-line for our table.  The gorgeous dress by Patty Nayel of Pure Magnolia and the exquisite cake made by Sweet Naturally Bakery brought them over.

I was surprised though how many married couples also stopped to chat.  My greatest joy was hearing the feedback that others gave once they learned about our event.  “Wish you were around when I got married”, “About time someone started a green wedding fair”,  and simply, “What a lovely idea”.  They listened to me chat about the commitment our vendors have made to the environment and how easy it is to have a green wedding.  Many were intrigued how even a few decisions can lower the impact that a wedding has on the environment and how much more rewarding a marriage ceremony can be.  All agreed on one thing . . . that weddings are about more than just a big show on one particular day.

Christina of Spark created the beautiful bridal jewelry on display.

Ginger and peppermint candy cane macaroons were on hand from Buttercup Cake Design.

Modern and unique wedding invitations from Something Green Weddings.

Foodisima joins us for our next event with gourmet vegetarian catering.

I also want to thank Carlie from Portobello West for the opportunity to share our great green wedding event with lucky shoppers these past two months.

photos by sweet earth photographics who also had beautiful handmade, handbound portfolios on display.

Shona Dion

Yummy wedding favours

 

 Wedding favours come in all shapes and styles, yet many lack any lasting or even immediate meaning.  Why not give a truly unique gift to your guests that allows them to sample local, organic, home grown goodness?

Preserved BC Sunshine, a company devoted to bringing local flavours to your table, is the perfect answer to a wedding favour dilemna.  Find them at your local Farmer’s Market and online.  They make wonderful gift sets or give one beautiful jar for each guest and tantalize their tastebuds.  You can choose from a great selection of flavours and even design your own labels.  Karin Brauch works with her bridal couples to make her products stand out at your wedding and can guarantee your guests will enjoy a little sampling of B.C.

Farmer’s Market this weekend!!

Information email from My Markets News

 Winter Farmers Market on Saturday January 16 2010 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

 WISE Hall, 1882 Adanac Street at Victoria Drive

 At the Market

 Happy New Years Everyone! Welcome back to the Winter Farmers Market. We are off and running with another exciting line up of vendors including, Gelderman Farms, The Flour Peddler, and Kootenay Alpine Cheese Company. It is raffle day! Don’t forget to purchase a raffle ticket, for your chance to win an incredible prize. As well, The Chicken and Egg Dance is taking place on February 13th! Tickets are for sale at the bar, all profits go to support Farm Folk, City Folk. Having trouble organizing your days? Purchase a calendar for only $10 at the merchandise table! We look forward to seeing you all there!

Buskers:
am Empty
pm Jimmy Jackman

 The following vendors will be present*:

Vendors Product List
A Bread Affair hand crafted organic artisan breads
Anna’s Blumen Design cut flower bouquets, plants, tomato seedlings
Anne’s Preserves jams, jellies, marmalades, pickled beets, rhubarb & ginger chutney, zucchini relish
Bean Boy several flavours of homous
Bean Buggy coffee, tea and espresso beverages prepared on-site
Blackberry Hill baked goods, preserves, syrups, vinegars, dog biscuits
Blue Sky Shiatsu chair shiatsu massage
Branchin Out wood turnings, bowls, vases, etc.
Con Amore Kitchen pasta, pesto, dips
Creperie La Boheme hot crepes prepared on-site – sweet and savoury varieties made with local and seasonal fruit and vegetables
Dundarave Olive Company olives, olive oils, whole grain breads, savoury baguettes, olive pound cakes, spice rubs
Empire Valley Beef beef and beef jerky
Estevan Tuna tuna
Forstbauer Natural Food Farm certified organic: eggs, vegetables and fruit including (but not limited to) artichokes, beans, beets, carrots, zucchini, squash – many varieties, corn, peppers, potatoes, blueberries, blackberries, plums, strawberries, raspberries, frozen beef, blueberry syrup and jam, flax products, dill pickles
Gelderman Farm locally grown pork – all cuts, plus larger quantities by order
Goat’s Pride Dairy organic goat milk cheeses: feta, caprabella, capramonte, chevrotina, chevre, blue capri, blue caprina, yogurt, tomme de chevre, eggs
Golden West Farms organic apples, cherries, peaches and pears, organic cherries, tomatoes, peppers
Goldwing frozen ostrich, chicken, turkey and beef, ostrich jerky and pepperoni, ostrich eggs, ostrich oil, oil soap, feather dusters and leather
Granola King almond & nut butters, nut & seed mixes, granola
Great Day Bokashi indoor composting system
Hannah Brook Farm mint, sage, lemonbalm, watercress, tomatoes, beets, turnips, kale, broccoli, garlic, onion, salad – 60 cultivated greens, mustard
Harvey’s Orchards a large variety of tree fruit including apricots, apples, plums, pears, peaches, cherries, quince, nectarines. Also ground crops such as garlic, onions, squash, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and more!
Hazelmere Valley Organic Beanery roasted organic coffee beans
Helmer’s Organic Farm Famous & Pemberton Potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, peas, beans, lettuce, eggplants, cabbage
Inner Alchemy tea blends
Iron Maiden Seafoods frozen at sea, hook-n-line caught, Queen Charlotte Islands salmon, tuna, shrimp, cod, octopus, squid, roe, fresh frozen & smoked vacuum packs, canned and travel pouches
Jane’s Honey Bees honey and beeswax candles, pollen, lip balm, soap, honey with nuts and spiced honey
Kalley Kandy honey almond nougat
Klippers Organic Acres certified organic vegetables and fruit including but not limited to: tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, celery, herbs, melons, grapes, cherries, peaches, apricots, apples, plums and figs, salad greens, eggs, apple juice, jams, dried fruit
Kootenay Alpine Cheese cow’s milk cheese
Langley Organic Growers a large variety of organically grown greens, ground crop vegetables, herbs, garlic, shallots, eggs, strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb, currants, corn, cut flowers, edible flowers
Leonine Kombucha kombucha
Little Qualicum Cheeseworks 10 varieties of cow’s milk cheese, fromage frais, cheese curds, free-run chicken eggs if available
Momma Nellie’s Goodies salsa
Poplar Grove Arbour hazelnuts – whole, shelled and unshelled and ground
Richmond Specialty Mushrooms white button, oyster, portabella, crimini and shitake mushrooms
Rise Artisan Bakery breads, buns, foccacia, biscotti, cookies, fruit tarts, marmalade, cakes
Royal Herbs creams, lotions, balms, tinctures, soaps, candles, aromatherapy items
Shalefield Gardens garlic, greens, kohlrabi, celeriac root, beets, kale, collards, witloof also known as begian endive, shoots, sprouts, organically grown winter squash, frozen blueberries and organically grown frozen raspberries
Summer Hand Bags handmade bags and purses
Sweet Grass Grill bannock, bison smokies, heated apples, veggie dogs
T & J Bison Ranch raw dog food and treats
Tarragon Foods pickles and relish
The Flour Peddler community based fresh ground flour
Vegan Mania Bakery vegan cookies, bars, baklava, biscuits
Vienna Treasures fruit strudel, cookies, bundt cakes, coffee cakes and more in the Austrian style.
Wild Products Network fresh and dried, wild-crafted stinging nettles, edible wild fungi, wild sea vegetables, edible wild berries, poplar buds, Labrador leaves

Please be aware that the product list contains some products which are seasonal and may not be available at all times.

A seasonal availability chart can be viewed at www.getlocalbc.org/files/Seasonal%20Chart.pdf.

 If you have friends whom you think would be interested in receiving a free reminder email about their Farmers Market, copy www.mymarketsnews.com and email it to a friend along with a short explanatory note.

 To unsubscribe please email removemeplease@mymarketsnews.com and type “Remove” in the Subject Line.

To contact My Markets News please email admin@mymarketsnews.com.

More information about the Vancouver Farmers Markets is available at www.eatlocal.org or by calling 604-879-3276.

* This list of vendors was current at the time this email was sent. Vancouver Farmers Markets and My Markets News

apologize in advance for any inconvenience caused by late vendor cancellations.

Farmer’s Market Christmas Fair

This is an event I look forward to all year.  I have been attending this market for over 10 years.  They have moved to the Croatian Cultural Centre and I can’t wait to see how well they fit in the new space.

Details:

Saturday, December 12th

10-6pm

Croatian Cultural Centre, 3250 Commercial Drive

From their website:

The 14th Annual Vancouver Farmers Market Holiday Market is this Saturday Dec 12th at the Croatian Cultural Centre. With over 90 artisanal vendors to shop with, the Holiday Market provides the perfect oppourtunity to find that special gift item for the community-minded, eco-conscious loved one on your list. Whether it’s stunning handmade jewellery, lux textiles, gorgeous wooden objects or fine ceramics, this market hosts a selection of BC’s finest craft. For those foodies in your life and for your holiday entertaining needs, there are plenty of gourmet food products on offer: wild-crafted preserves, organic breads and cheeses, fine herbal teas, dried fruit and nuts, even 100-mile hand-milled flour! This year features artisanal demos from some of our market vendors, plus holiday music from local musicians. There will be hot food on site and a fabulous gift raffle! The Holiday Market runs 10am – 6pm @ the Croatian Cultural Centre, 3250 Commercial Drive.

The winter markets are almost here!! woohoo

I love nothing better than attending the slew of markets that hit Vancouver leading up to Christmas.  I do all my Christmas shopping without going near the mall.  It is something I am quite proud of, actually.

One of my favourites is the Farmer’s Market.  I get to see all those familiar faces from the summer and support my local community.  I have rituals and,  for certain people in my life, a traditional purchased item or two that always ends up in the stocking on Christmas morning.  I am very grateful for these events that help breakup the dark days.

winter_market_09poster