Tom Henihan
Express Staff
The first Farmers Market, sponsored Smoky River Ag Society, took place on Saturday, October 27, at Diva Bookkeeping n’ Promotions on Main Street Falher.
The event, which will take place on the 4th Saturday of every month had approximately nine tables offering canned preserves, honey and a variety of other produce.
The Farmers Market is unlike a regular vendors market in that most of what is sold relates to food and those who wish to sell food at the market must have an Alberta food handling certificate.
“We are following the Alberta guidelines for a Farmers Market so at least 80 percent of our vendors must be food related,” says Smoky River Ag Society president Linda Marcoux.
“It can be jam, preserves, bakery, square pies, pickles etc. We have an Alberta Farmers Market license and in order for us to maintain our license we must be at least 80 percent food related.”
The next farmers market will be held on November 24 and to accommodate Christmas shopping, there will we also be one on December 15 .
The regularly scheduled monthly market will take place on December 29.
The market is for local vendors and local shoppers and the Ag Society is anxious for local producers to get involved.
“We are trying to get our local producers to come, because we do have a number of vendors from this area who go to High Prairie and Peace River to sell their produce,” says Marcoux. “So instead, we are inviting them to come to this area. We really want the local producers to participate and the local people to support it. We want to encourage people to shop locally.”
The Farmers Market is held at Diva Bookkeeping n’ Promotions and Falher Mini Market located at 031 Main Street, on the corner directly across the street from Club Alouette.
The store is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and will also open every fourth Saturday for the Farmers’ Market.