Our first pocket market in August was a resounding success. Several seniors arrived early, patiently awaiting the fresh fruit and veggie market opening. Meanwhile we were scrambling to get everything set up, priced and artistically displayed. We had a beautiful array of fruit and veggies laid out on two big tables. There were golden plums and apples in baskets, bouquets of beets with their tops still on, chard bunches, lettuce mix, baby carrots, fennel bulbs, cukes, onions, squash, tomatoes in all sizes, purple radishes! and some fresh herbs. We were going steady for the first hour or so. Our customers bought small amounts, but we had a lot of customers! We sold about three quarters of the produce. The South Granville Seniors Centre, our host, happily accepted the leftovers; they would use them in their lunch program that feeds 25 to 30 people each day.
It was such fun to exchange recipes and cooking tips with the seniors. They were all anxious to know when the next market was. South Granville used to be dotted with little green grocers, bakeries and butchers, but no more. Now there are high-end hair dressers and clothing stores. There is one grocery outlet, an upscale urban market that may have 40 different kinds of virgin olive oil, but does not cater to low-income seniors.
And so, we are doing the second market in the same place. And we will be buying from the same local farmers again: Kitsilano Farms and Southlands Farms. We also just heard that we got the United Way “Solutions for Seniors” funding we applied for; that means we, the Westside Food Security Collaborative, can do more markets and at a variety of locations in 2010.
If you are in the neighbourhood, please come by and support our market this Friday. All are welcome!
Pocket Market: Fresh Fruits and Veggies For Sale
Presented by the Westside Food Security Collaborative
South Granville Seniors Centre
1420 West 12th Ave @ Hemlock
Friday, Sept. 18, 10am to 12 noon
604.732.0812 for more info.