Tag Archives: Seedy Saturday

Winter Farmer’s Market in Kamloops: Photo Essay

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Here is Andy Balogh founder and president of Visions Farmers Market Society. He runs Dandy Meats which produces certified organic beef, pork and chicken.

Time: 10:00am to 2:30pm
When: Five Saturdays from November 17 to December 15, 2012
Where: Sahali Centre Mall

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Are you looking for some Kamloops honey for a sweet Christmas gift?

Kamloops now has a Winter Farmer’s Market. If you are a vendor and would like to join the market please contact Visions Farmers Market Society and Andy Balogh at 250.577.3810 for more information. Their guidelines for vendors are: “You make it. You bake it. You grow it.”

Here are just a few images of the first winter market at Sahahi Centre Mall. I hope to see you there next Saturday.

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Here is Sun Rivers Organics with their wonderful heritage potatoes, squash, and garlic. They have a large variety of heirloom squash.

If you are wondering what is so special about heirloom varieties, please read Harvest Bounty: Seed Saving. Ask Ed or Daniela Basile of Sun Rivers Organics about why seed saving is so important. Be prepared for next year’s Seedy Saturday by saving all your own seed.

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Paula and Mendel Rubinson of Silver Springs Organic have a large selection of winter storage vegetables. They still have cabbages for making sauerkraut?or kim chi.

If you have never made fermented foods before but would like to give it a try, please see Harvest Bounty and Traditional Fermentation: Photo Essay.

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Here is Erik?s Sausage and Meats. As you can see there are samples so you can try each type of sausage before purchasing.

If you have ever wanted to try making your own sausages, please see Fresh Homemade Sausage. After making your own sausages you really appreciate the effort that goes into sausage making.

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If your larder is full for the winter, maybe you are interested in herbal cosmetics and healing creams. Riversong Agriharmonics has an assortment of soaps, bath bombs, creams and cosmetics.

Small batch herbal apothecary products can make wonderful Christmas gifts. Usually, these products are produced with care from the highest quality materials, but always ask questions. If you are on a budget and would like to make your own homemade cosmetics and cleaners please see Healthy Household: Staying Clean Safely.

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There are many other producers at the Winter Farmer's Market. If you are looking for unique Christmas gifts, you will find an assortment of herbal apothecary products, handcrafted artisan woolen items, decorated sugar cookies, and award winning Precious Preserves.

Kamloops Seedy Saturday

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Seedy Saturdayis a local event to exchange seeds and enjoy free gardening seminars. Bring your saved seeds or leftover packaged seeds. If you do not have any seeds, don?t worry. There are plenty available for everyone!

Date: Saturday, February 26, 2011
Where: Sahali Centre Mall, ?945 Columbia Street West?, Kamloops, BC
?Time: 11:00am to 2:00pm
Contact: Leslie Welch: plants444(a)gmail.com
Cost: Free, but a donation to the Kamloops Food Bank is greatly appreciated?.

Schedule of Free Gardening Seminars:
11:10am – 11:55am
Dr Penny Powers is a market gardener and will explain preserving foods with a root cellar.
11:15am – 12:00pm
Afke Zonderland is a raw food chef for Food Alive and will explain the process of dehydrating.
12:10pm – 12:35pm
Ann Sutherland is a horticulturalist and will explain storage methods without a root cellar.
12:15pm – 1:00pm
David Wides is a sustainable agricultural specialist with Sorrento Farm and will discuss Heirloom seeds.
12:35pm-1:00pm
Kendra Bessinger is a vermiculturist and will explain worm composting. Here is a link to a Kamloops business for people interested in vericulture called All Things Organic.
1:10pm – 2:00pm
Anne Grube will explain the process of canning your produce for home storage.
1:15pm – 2:00pm
Dr Joanne Harness will explain the science behind composting and biosolids.

Updated February 23, 2011: Here is another good reason to save local seeds and grow your own food. If you haven’t heard, on January 27, 2011 the US Government has allowed Monsanto to release their GM alfalfa. Please read Scientists warn of link between dangerous new pathogen and Monsanto?s Roundup and note the letter from Dr Don Huber to Secretary Tom Vilsack of the USDA. Please note some of the possible dangers of this GM perennial being released in North America. Here is an interview with Dr Don Huber called Scientist warns of dire consequences with widespread use of glyphosate. Here is an article explaining why organic and pastured based foods will become contaminated with Monsanto’s genetically modified organisms. Please read GM alfalfa will be everywhere.
According to a paper by Geertson Seed Farms, one of the biggest potential problems is that GM alfalfa will cross pollinate with wild alfalfa, which will become the dominant weed variety because it has the Roundup Ready herbicide tolerant trait. Weedy GM alfalfa will in turn become a source of pollen and seed that will contaminate conventional and organic alfalfa fields.

Updated February 26, 2011: I hope you had a chance to get to Seedy Saturday. There was a LOT of people! If you couldn’t make it, the organizers said that videos of all the seminars will be available at some point on the Salhali Mall website.