Farmers' Markets in the Greater Edmonton Area Tuesday Wednesday

							Farmers' Markets in the Greater Edmonton Area
They’ll BE your seven-day market…You can totally fill yer boots! There’s a market pretty much every
day of the week: I’m highlighting my favourites here:

Tuesday:
Beverly Towne Farmers' Market, 40 St & 118 Ave 4-8pm May 15-Sept 25
Smaller, lovely, in a park, great sense of community; Beverly used to be separate from Edmonton (a
coal-mining town) and it still has its own little vibe going on. Lola used to happily sell here before she
got knocked up.

Wednesday:
Callingwood Farmers’ Market 69 Ave & 178 St. 12-5pm May 9-Oct 2
www.callingwoodmarketplace.com
A smaller version on Wednesdays, booms on Sundays. Some great vendors including my fave Peas
on Earth (organic produce).

Sherwood Park Farmers' Market Festival Place/Salisbury Greenhouse
5pm-8:30pm May 16-Dec 19
Another one of Lola’s old haunts, before, well, you know. She could be found between Sandy’s
Country Kitchen (baking, mmmmm mmmm) and Menno’s Sausage (delish!!! I mean, as long as
you’re into meat).

Thursday:
Fort Saskatchewan Farmers' Market CN Station parking lot 4-6pm Jul 5-Sep 6
Short but INTENSE! It’s worth the trip if you just want a bit of adventure—it’s about 15 minutes NE of
Edmonton. I love this farmers’ market. The location is lovely—right on the edge of a park and if you’re
lucky you get to see the flock of sheep that keep Fort Sask’s grass mowed in the summer. Lola used
to vie with expert honeyman, funnyman Karl Hanneman for honey supremacy here. Now in his late
eighties, Karl still makes it when he’s feeling up for it. (Karl, by the way, paints little cartoons on his
bee boxes!)

Millwoods Farmers' Market 28th Ave and Millwoods Rd 5-8pm May 31-Sept 27
I’ve never sold at this FM but it’s a great one. Probably about 60 vendors; slightly larger than Beverly
but not quite as large as Sherwood Park. Erdmann’s from my area sell there so I like to support them
when I happen to go! Doef’s are there too (hothouse cukes and peppers) and many other familiar
faces.


Friday:
Okay, I think on Friday, your only choice is Morinville Farmers’ Market from 12-6pm, June 8-Sept 28.
It’s a much smaller FM; you’d prob’ly want to combine it with a visit to someone you know in
Morinville, if you know anyone.,,,,

Saturday:
Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market Old Bus Barn, 10310-83 Ave 8am-3pm
www.osfm.ca/
Closed the Saturday between Christmas and New Year’s.
                                                                                                             1
It’s the FM that everyone knows and loves so I won’t say anything more about it!

City Market on 104th between Jasper and 103rd Ave, May 17-Oct 5, 9am-3pm
www.city-market.ca
The FM that everyone is soon to know and love so I won’t say anything more about it! EXCEPT that
it is a continuation of the old time, long-running, public market that began in downtown Edmonton in
the early part of the last century. Some of the vendors (Kuhlmann’s and Riverbend come to mind)
have been continuous vendors for 30-40+ years.

St. Albert Farmers’ Market St. Anne and St. Thomas Streets June 14-Sept 27
They bill it as the largest outdoor farmers’ market in Western Canada. It’s FUN but it can also be a
little hairy, trying to park, trying to find your way through the masses of people. This year their starting
a great park and ride program from St. Albert Place so that eases a bit of the pressure. What can I
say? St. Albert Farmers’ Market is one of a kind. You’ll find Lola’s honey there, but not Lola—her
wonderful friends Phil and Gail Marston sell it for her!

Sunday:
Callingwood Farmers' Market 69 Ave & 178 St. 10am-3pm
See Wednesday!




Five Additional Thoughts about Farmers’ Markets!
1) There are more farmers’ markets in Edmonton—two that come to mind are Westmount and
Capilano which both take place inside malls. The great thing about that is they ARE year-round
markets. The bad thing about that is they aren’t that big, because, well, not that many people want to
go into a mall to buy fresh produce. Many farmers’ markets have struggled to stay open year-round—
produce supply, available/affordable space, and an adequate customer base have all been a
challenge. If any of you brilliant people have any ideas about how to tackle this situation, I’d love to
hear them.

2) There are way more farmers’ markets throughout the province! Go to sunnygirl.ca or to the Alberta
Farmers’ Market Association’s website albertamarkets.ca to check them out. Some of my favourites
include Bentley, Lakedell, Alberta Beach, and in Calgary—Hillhurst Sunnyside, Grassroots
Northlands (the only farmers’ market in Alberta with an outright environmental mandate), and the
Calgary Farmers Markets (which is currently setting a whole new bar for the success of farmers’
markets in this province).

3) Many small towns have them—they may just have 10 tables. They may not be worth driving a
gazillion miles to see but if you happen to be going through on market day, check them out. They give
you a really cool little window into the community and some of them have unique vendors that don’t
sell anywhere else.

4) Farmers’ markets are one of the few places that you may get to interface with anyone from a
Hutterite colony. Maybe that’s a weird point to make but I’ve really enjoyed getting to know a couple
of families and I would never have been able to meet them otherwise. At most farmers’ markets, the
nearest colony often sells produce, deer skin gloves, handmade brooms, and BEAUTIFUL goose
down comforters.

                                                                                                           2
5) Finally, Alberta Farmers’ Markets do go through an approval process. They must be run by a not-
for-profit group. They must provide overall 80% Alberta made, baked, or grown product (some
farmers’ markets strive for 100%). Farmers’ markets have a special caveat in the Health Act which
allows people to sell select foods that have been prepared in the home (i.e., not in an inspected
facility) which, actually, is what enables me to sell honey there (I do not have a registered
honeyhouse). The sign of an Alberta Approved Farmers’ Market is Sunny Girl, a blonde chick in
overalls, holding a hoe, barefoot, and no….




                                                                                                     3