By Kathy Mak
The historic fishing village of Steveston is one of Richmond’s well-known attractions, drawing a significant number of day-trippers to explore its charming shops, cafes, restaurants, bakeries, Fisherman’s Wharf, and two National Historic Sites. And on certain Sundays between May to October, visitors who are enamored with outdoor markets can also enjoy the quaint Steveston Farmers & Artisan Market.
Now in its ninth year, the Steveston Farmers & Artisans Market is a thriving local marketplace with a diverse sampling of artisans, growers and producers from all over the Lower Mainland. Relative to other farmers markets in Metro Vancouver, it’s not the farm fresh produce that is the biggest draw here; but instead, visitors will step into an array of kiosks to find a good balance of handmade edible treats, handcrafted beverages, homespun pottery, and everything in between. Perhaps of interest to intrepid market goers, there are several vegetable stalls operated by a unique sharing farm program.
With plenty on offer at the Steveston Farmers & Artisans Market, here’s a handpicked sampling to pique your interest!
The Farmers & Artisans Market is located in the parking lot of the Steveston Community Centre, a short 5 minute walk from all the top attractions at Steveston’s waterfront.
The Sharing Farm in Richmond, run by volunteers, grows fruits and vegetables year-round to support neighbours in need, such as the Richmond Food Bank, Community Meals and other community groups.
Discover a range of in-season, local and fresh produce from Richmond and the Fraser Valley. For example, garlic scapes (the stems and flower buds of the garlic plant) are harvested in the early summer to help the garlic mature. With their mild garlicky flavour and sweetness, they are popular in salads, pesto, vinaigrettes, and much more.
Seasonal farm fresh summer berries are one of the highlights of the market.
Maan Farms, in Abbotsford, is a leading provider of local produce. Their farm is a main attraction for visitors offering family activities, a country market and kitchen, corn maze, and berry u-picking. The farm is also an estate winery that crafts red grape wines as well as fruit table wines and fruit dessert wines.
Located in Abbotsford, Campbell’s Gold is a honey farm and meadery producing honey and honey wine. Their bees collect honey from flowers in the Fraser Valley and other parts of B.C.
Mead is a honey wine and perhaps the first alcoholic drink ever produced, made by fermenting honey in water. Campbell’s Gold is one of a handful of meaderies in British Columbia. In addition to producing mead, Campbell’s Gold also produces other honey wine varieties including Melomel, Pyment and Metheglin.
Singletree Winery is one of the newest wineries in the Fraser Valley, based in Mt. Lehman, Abbotsford. Their wines are mainly produced from grapes grown at their Abbotsford vineyards. Wines varieties include: Siegerrbe, Sauvignon Blanc, Rose, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Late Harvest, Kerner, Chardonnay and several blended wines.
Be Right Back (BRB) is a small batch brewery and eatery in Richmond. Sample or pick up their beers at the Market or visit the brewery for a tour and tasting.
Simply Delish Soup and Salad offers a line of easy-to-make artisan soups, salads, pilaffs and even breakfast cereals made from a combination of healthy beans, lentils, rice, quinoa, dried fruit, nuts, veggies, spices, etc. Available at select stores and farmers markets in Metro Vancouver, or at their own shop in the Fort Langley.
Take time to sample food products and connect with the local folks that produce them.
The open-air Farmers & Artisans Market also features a myriad of local artists, from potters to jewellery makers.
Steveston was once one of the most vital fishing ports in the world. Before or after visiting the Farmers & Artisans Market, be sure to explore Steveston’s unique heritage sites: Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site was once the largest working cannery in B.C., and the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site, an important BC maritime landmark.
Seafood dominates the Steveston waterfront and is the perfect place to enjoy some food, particularly fish and chips!
Main Image: The Riverside Farm and the Golden Choy are proud graduates of the Richmond Farm School, which is designed for urban-focused agriculture. These students grow their own produce on “incubator” farmland, with half an acre each, for three years.
Steveston Farmers & Artisans Market
Steveston Community Centre parking lot
4111 Moncton Street, Richmond
Open from 10:00am to 3:00pm (rain or shine)
Visit on Sundays on the remaining dates in 2016 market season:
- July 17, 31
- August 7, 28
- September 4, 18
- October 2, 16
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