It is farmers market season again in both Morden and Winkler, with a couple changes in each city this year.
The Morden Farmers’ Market has new organizers with three vendors stepping up to take over from Many Hands Resource Centre, while the Winkler Farmers’ Market has a new location with its move to the Central Station Community Centre parking lot.
“Many Hands did a really good job with it in recent years, but it was too busy for them, so they decided to ask if someone else would be willing to do it,” said Lorna Epp, a Watkins rep who is now working with Kayla Wiebe of Border Hills Honey and Karen Friesen of Valleyfield Acres in organizing the Morden market.
Epp said the three of them have been involved with the market for a number of years now, so it seemed to be a good fit for them to take charge as they have a good feel for what needs to be done.
“We know what it’s like to be a vendor, so it makes sense for us to do the organizing,” she said. “We’ve been here many years and smiled at many customers … we’ve built relationships with people. It does make sense because you’re more involved and invested in it.”
Once again, the market will be involved with the food voucher program through Direct Farm Manitoba that supports people by giving them access to market goods.
“It also benefits the producers … so it’s good support for an event like this,” said Epp. “It’s to benefit the community and support our producers and growers and local people.”
And Epp noted the number of vendors will increase as the season progresses.
“It’s going to be business as usual every Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m.,” she said. The market operates at the corner of 8th St. and Stephen St. in downtown Morden.
“It’s a beautiful thing. It benefits the community, and it benefits the people, and it helps keep things local … absolutely local is important,” Epp said. “We want our community and our local people to thrive.”
Meanwhile, Matt Friesen and his wife Janelle continue to organize the Winkler market even though they are not directly involved any longer as vendors. Previously held in the curling rink parking lot, the market had to change its location this year because of the construction at the arena.
“We had one week under our belts, and it seemed to turn out pretty well,” Friesen said a few days after opening for the season on June 24. “We had a good number of vendors to start the season … there are a few who didn’t have product yet, so there will be a few more coming as the season progresses.”
Friesen said it was a good fit for them to relocate to Central Station as they have worked with the community centre the last couple of years with the food currency program as well.
“It just really seemed to make sense to move over there both for their clientele and for the market as a whole,” he said. “There’s a good number of families who have gotten on to that list through Central Station … that really just works well for the market.
“Being convenient for the customer is equally important,” he suggested, noting he likes the visibility of the location being right off Main Street.
“A lot of people mentioned that they saw that the market was happening … they hadn’t necessarily seen any advertising for it,” he said. “So it seems to be a good location for traffic and convenience.”
Friesen said they have a core group of vendors who are involved in the market every year.
“Our produce vendors it seems are mostly returning vendors. Most of them have been there a long time,” he said. “There’s a couple new ones coming as well.”
The Winkler market runs every Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m.
