Feeling a little like a mole leaving a hole with all this sunshine? Blink Blink Blink! We are too! RCFM wants to welcome you to spring and invites you to join us Saturday March 20th from 10am to 2pm  at Holy Trinity Cathedral for our fourth Winter Market, which we’ve themed “the Spring Fling”.

Join us for an incredible lineup of the vendors you have grown to love, with three new vendors this month and a special appearance by summer’s favourite snack, Creperie La Boheme. We are expecting more than 30 vendors featuring crafts, snacks, foods, and produce, as well as meat, eggs, and dairy.

Musical guests are local funk jazz band Redrick Sultan and for the kids we’ll be assisting them to create a stage-long wall mural, sponsored by hyperlocal weblog Tenth to the Fraser.

Holy Trinity Cathedral is located at 514 Carnarvon Street in New Westminster. It is a short walk from Columbia Skytrain Station. Free parking is available in the downtown Waterfront Parkade,courtesy of the City of New Westminster,  a short trip from the Church.

Here’s a complete list of the expected line up of vendors.

We hope to see you there!

I resolve to eat better this year – how about you? Too many over-processed and over-packaged goodies went across my plate this holiday season. I need to concentrate on eating locally, eating fresh, and eating things made with care and love. What better place to find that than at the RCFM Winter Market? Join us January 9th  - featuring a cookbook swap! Details.

We’ve just released the winter market vendor lineup. You can find out all about it here, as well as the kids’ activities and music we have planned for our first ever winter market. See you Saturday!

The Royal City Farmers Market has finalized the dates of our 2009/2010 Winter Market season. Markets will be held monthly from December to April in the hall at Holy Trinity Cathedral, from 10am to 2pm. Each market will have a unique theme, with a related activity and/or children’s craft.

• December 12th: Winter Holiday
• January 9th: New Year Resolutions, featuring a cookbook swap
• February 20th: I Love the Market (in honour of Valentine’s Day)
• March 20th: Spring Fling
• April 17th: Garden Market

RCFM Winter Markets will feature locally produced meat, fresh winter produce (such as beets, cabbage, chard, onions, and potatoes) as well as prepared foods (jams, pickles, pies, dips and sauces), hot food, artisans and crafters, live music and other entertainment, children’s activities, community booths and more.

Want to get involved? New vendors & volunteers for the winter season are most welcome!

• Volunteer opportunities
• Apply to be a vendor or set up a community table
• Join the RCFM Association
• Write a guest post or submit a photo for our website
• Contact us to make a donation

While the regular summer market season has come to an end, the Royal City Farmers Market Association is proud to announce that New Westminster locavores won’t have to wait until next June for their farmers market fix. This December, RCFM will launch a new monthly Winter Market in New Westminster.

The Winter Market will be a monthly event on selected Saturdays from December to April in the hall at Holy Trinity Cathedral, and will feature locally produced meat, fresh winter produce (such as beets, cabbage, chard, onions, and potatoes) as well as prepared foods (jams, pickles, pies, dips and sauces), hot food, artisans and crafters, live music and other entertainment, children’s activities, community booths and more.

As market regulars know, RCFM has been asking for feedback from customers and vendors on overall market performance, as well as gauging demand for a winter market. The online and in-person survey showed overwhelming support for a winter market, from both customers and vendors.

It was no small feat to choose a location. It had to be central, affordable, accessible by car and public transit, provide both indoor and outdoor space for vendors, wheelchair accessible, power & water access, and large enough to accommodate a healthy crowd of vendors and customers. The hall at Holy Trinity Cathedral more than meets all our requirements.

It was a great summer season for our New Westminster Farmers Market: strong attendance, happy vendors, and some of the best rates of participation in the B.C. Farmers Market Association Nutrition Coupon Program. We are confident our new Winter Market will continue in the same tradition.

Watch for full details soon on market dates, vendors and entertainment.

Want to get involved?

• Volunteer opportunities
• Apply to be a vendor or set up a community table
• Join the RCFM Association
• Write a guest post or submit a photo for our website
• Contact us to make a donation

The Winter Market will be held once a month on a Saturday between December 2009 and April 2010 at the Holy Trinity Cathedral Hall, 514 Carnarvon St., New Westminster.

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The Royal City Farmers Market Board publishes its monthly meeting minutes online, to better empower and inform RCFM members and supporters. RCFM board meetings are open for members to attend. Upcoming meetings are listed in the RCFM online calendar. Please note: the public version of meeting minutes will not include detailed notes on finances, employee relations or in camera discussions out of respect for individuals’ privacy.

In Attendance: Jen Arbo, John Ashdown, Andrew Murray (Chair), Marjorie Staal, Jane Wark (Recorder)

• Motion to accept agenda made by John, seconded by Marjorie. Passed.
• Motion to accept minutes from meeting of August 22, 2009 Board Meeting made by John, seconded by Andrew. Passed.

President’s Report:

• Grants – Andrew has been working on the application for grant from the City and it is nearly complete. Due to City by Wednesday September 30, 2009. Andrew and Marjorie created a budget for application.
• BC Farmers Market Association Meeting – Andrew attended in Surrey in several weeks ago, where challenges and ideas to success of markets were discussed. At that meeting Andrew brought up the issue of land being removed from ALR, and suggested that BCFM take on position on this issue. Board discussion around importance of ALR to farmers and markets, and also around issue of farmers markets getting involved in politics. Andrew will put his thoughts into writing and bring it to the next BCFM AGM in January for discussion.

Operations Manager Report:

• Final Two Markets of Season – Jen continues to get phone calls from new Vendors wishing to attend the final two markets of the season. We have three new vendors booked for the last week. Musicians and Korki the Clown also attending. Korki has offered to attend for free and busk; Jen has suggested that due to the popularity of Corky with visitors, we pay her anyway, which was agreed.
• Surveys – We have 200 customer and 25 vendor surveys completed. Results very positive. Several requests to open market later, i.e., till 8:00 pm.
• Cups for water – Jen has ordered cups made from corn from Bio-cup company.
• Queensborough Fall Fair – Jen attended. Our table was next to New West Environmental Partners. Good response, although our table was inside the building and weather was beautiful, so people tended to stay outside.
• Coupon Program – Jen reports it is running well, with minimal administrative work necessary. Redemption rate down slightly in September, likely due to school being back and parents not able to attend. We seem to be getting more tickets redeemed in last half of month.

New Business:

• First Aid and Lost Child Policy – Agreed that this is important however there is not enough time to organize for final two markets. Plan is to get these items organized for opening of next season’s market.
• Jen Arbo’s contract – Jen explained that there are tasks that need doing in the off season, such as marketing the market, first aid and lost child policy, and others. Jen proposed to the Board that she remain employed during the off season for 5 – 10 hours a week. Jen left the room for Board to discuss proposal. The Board discussed and felt that Jen has done a wonderful job of running the market, and that indeed there is additional work that needs to be completed in the off season.
• Motion: “To retain Jen Arbo’s services beyond October 8, 2009 for up to 10 hours a week, with additional hours by Board approval.” made by Marjorie. Seconded by John. Passed.
• Winter Market – Jen gave update on what Will has been working on. Looking for venue with possibilities including Grace Hall, St. Barnabas church, Olivet church and others. Marjorie will make some contacts regarding location. Peter Julian has offered to look into the Armories. Discussion over size (how many vendors will fit, including some outside tables), location (want to be near where our customers live, and want visibility) and vendor access (stairs, parking, etc.). Jen will look at how many vendors will fit at various venues and take these factors into consideration when choosing a location. Jen and Will looked at Saturday dates which would not conflict with Vancouver nor Port Moody markets. Andrew suggested limiting it to one Saturday a month as a trial for this year and Board agreed this is reasonable. Also, need to determine if a Winter Market is financially viable, given that we expect 10 – 15 vendors. Marjorie noted that we currently have a very good reputation as a market and we want to keep it up, therefore we need to ensure that if we do a Winter Market, we do it well, and have it enough vendors and a good location.

Meeting adjourned.

Next meeting is October 28th.