Everyone knows that at the end of a busy work week, it’s difficult to stop off at the grocery store to pick up some fresh food for a healthy dinner, so that’s why the market is coming to commuters.
YYC Growers, in partnership with the City of Calgary and Calgary Transit, will be running a special farmers market every Friday this season.
The idea came from a similar project in Toronto that saw farmers sell fresh produce to the millions of riders that use the TTC every day.
Kye Kocher, urban farmer and general manager of YYC Growers, says when he heard of the success in Toronto, he forwarded the news to the City of Calgary. Officials came back to him with their idea, which turned into the setup at the Somerset-Bridlewood LRT station.
“They were offering pop-up markets at whichever CTrain station we wanted,” he says. “We chose this one because it’s close to our warehouse, there are bigger riderships because there is more commuter traffic that comes in here and I think it is a fairly underserved market in terms of a farmers market and fresh fruit produce.”
The market will feature produce from YYC Growers’ 20 members who specialize in all sorts of products from radishes and greens to root vegetables and greenhouse-grown items.
“Everyone really has their niche and it allows every business to flourish among that 20 member group.”
Kocher says the group’s satellite market will also offer its Harvest Box, a subscription service that helps support local farmers by selling pre-determined crops to customers on a regular basis throughout the season.
“That money goes to the farm for an eight-week or sixteen-week commitment and allows them to ensure some stability with their farm product.”
Many Calgarians think the pop-up farmers market is a great idea.
“I think it’s pretty cool. He’s trying to sell his product and if you have a moment here on the road, I think it’s pretty good,” said Gerard Woodroffe.
Andreas Doary says that he will likely visit Kocher’s stand every week or so throughout the season and says this could be just the start of something great in Calgary.
“There should be a way to grow a bit of food on every street corner, essentially. Either inside or outside. This is awesome; less carbon footprint and I’m willing to pay a little bit extra if I can get fresh stuff.”
Jessica Carleton says the location is perfect.
“They are going to get really good business here because tons of people take the LRT. They park and they just take the train.”
For now, YYC Growers will only be operating the single stand at the Somerset-Bridlewood LRT every Friday from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., starting June 22.
They’re scheduled to run until the end of September, but Kocher feels there will be enough demand to keep it open right until the end of the harvest season.
“If things go well, and I expect them to, we’ll extend it to the end of October.”
YYC Growers is set up at four other farmers markets in Calgary and area including one in Millarville, at the Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Association, Deerfoot City and in Bridgeland.
For more information on the organization, including details about their other services such as the Harvest Box, you can go to the YYC Growers website.
(With files from Kevin Fleming)
