Now that vegetable producers are starting to come in with fresh produce and new members are attending their first Markets, I thought it would be a good idea to to keep you informed as they come in! Check back frequently as I will update this blog regularily with all the best Regina Farmers' Market has to offer, plus a few Market Manager musings of my own. This will be your opportunity to get to know vendors by name and where to find the best and freshest products. You can click here to get to the Manager's Blog or simply click the MANAGER BLOG button on the top menu. Yes, that is what I look like if you are ever trying to find me at Market. Happy Market shopping!

  

The Assistant Market Manager, Dee Kitsch, and I have been meeting to cook every Thursday with our fabulous Regina Farmers' Market foods! Dee took all of the pictures on the first two recipes, she did a wonderful, professional job. Vendors who have participated are linked in the recipe so you can find out their contact information on their vendor pages by just clicking on the names. It is easy to cook with local foods. They are packed with flavour so you don't need as much seasoning. Meats are lower in fat, don't contain hormones, antibiotics, and eat a natural diet. As the vegetables are picked in season they are at the peak of their nutritional value. To get to the Recipes click on Recipes at the Top Menu or click here. Stay tuned for more recipes. Get some local on your table this week!



 

Regina Farmers' Market was titled one of the best Farmers' Markets in Canada in 2010 on the Canadian Tourism website. Last year we made the Zoomers Magazine Top Ten Markets in Canada list. All I can say is, I must agree with both of these opinions, and I think we are always getting even better every Market! Think of all that we contribute to the activity and life of Regina by providing fresh local foods to your table. Thanks for your support!

120 Saskatoon Pies (720 slices) baked by the Regina Farmers’ Market (RFM) Vendors were sold on July 24^th, 28^th and July 31st at the 7^th Annual Saskatoon Berry Pie Festival. was the serving point to Hundreds enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere and seating by the fountain at our 2010 location, Regina City Hall. Even one of our favorite buskers, The Living Statue, got a slice of fresh Saskatoon Pie (see below).

In a continuing effort to reduce the RFM’s environmental footprint in our city, each piece of pie was served on compostable products. Even the forks are made from vegetable starches! Profits from the pie sales totaling $2188.19 were donated to the Regina Home Economics for Living Project (HELP). These much needed funds will go towards the people in their Children and Families Program; those who are at greatest risk of malnutrition in our community. Throughout the past seven years, the RFM has sold over 7,000 slices of pie and has donated approximately $13,500 to charities.

The RFM would like to thank the Market Bakers, Laurie Kitsch, Sylvia Kreutzer, Darlene Lischynski, Lorraine Nicholson, and Mila Vuckovic. We could not have the Saskatoon Berry Pie Festival without the gracious support of Fresh & Sweet and The Green Spot Cafe as they donated coffee and licensed facilities. Over 26 volunteers and 200 volunteer hours from both RFM and HELP made this year’s Saskatoon Berry Pie Festival successful.  We would also like to extend a special thank you to everyone who attended the festival to enjoy a slice and support a great cause.

The Regina Downtown Business Improvement District would also like to congratulate the Regina Farmers' Market on another successful festival and express our appreciation for their continued support to downtown and the community.

Photo:

From Left to Right:  Dee Kitsch, Saskatoon Pie Festival Chair and Assistant RFM Manager; Darlene Lischynski, baker; Lorraine Nicholson, baker; Carol Brouwers, Executive Director of Regina HELP; Ada Bennett, RFM Manager; Glenn Kitsch, RFM President and Volunteer; Laurie Kitsch, baker and Volunteer; Mila Vuckovic, baker; Allison Sweet, Owner of Fresh & Sweet. Much gratitude to those not in this picture: Tyson Kitsch, Volunteer; Nineteen Regina HELP Volunteers; Baker Sylvia Kreutzer; Gary & Sunshine Hsu, Owners of the Green Spot Café.

Click here for a pdf version of this announcement.

Here is your first look at the map of Regina Farmers' Market Members at Regina City Hall this 2010 outdoor season. We will have to temporarily relocate due construction in our 1900 Block Scarth Street location during the City Square Project. The City Square Project will give us two blocks of space when completed in 2011!

Regina Farmers' Market
Open 9:30am to 1:30pm
Wednesdays and Saturdays
At City Hall for 2010 Season!
May 1st to October 9th, 2010

Click on the map image below to see in larger format. Click here for printable PDF version.






 

Spring Greens with Raspberry Vinaigrette Recipe


Update as of June 7th, 2010:

Due to numerous interviews on Global TV, News Talk 980, News Talk 650, Savourlife Magazine, Leader Post Regina, Western Producer as well as CBC; the Saskatchewan Health Department has chosen to delay putting these Proposed Guidelines forward until they have more consultation with stakeholders. In the meantime, as a member of the Steering Committee for the Saskatchewan Farmers' Market Association (SFMA), I have been in close contact with the SFMA Chairs and the Ministry of Agriculture. They are in agreement of many of the points made in my response to the Proposed Guidelines. The SFMA has met with involved parties including Health and Agriculture, expressing their concern over the loss of important products and their desire to allow Farmgate Sales at Market, as was done for the first 15 years of all Saskatchewan Markets. There is a true concern here for small rural Markets. If their one baker or greens supplier quits they lose crucial products at Market. The Health Minister even admits that there has never been a  Health complaint filed against a Saskatchewan Market. (Western Producer). As a consumer said during a CBC interview, "Why fix something that isn't broken?". Ada Bennett, Regina Farmers' Market Manager

May 15th, 2010:

Would you like to still be able to eat a salad made from Regina Farmers' Market greens in 2011 or even a homebaked pumpkin pie? Yes? Then make your opinion of the proposed Health Guidelines known. Take a look at the proposed Health Guidelines for "Public Markets" in our province. While this document allowed for some cultural changes in the food Farmers' Market home kitchens are allowed to prepare, it limited other products that we would like to keep at the Regina Farmers' Market such as some of the greens in thie delicious salad above. Products that we believe are safe to prepare in a home kitchen. What the consumer wants from it's local Market matters! If you care about the food at Farmers' Markets, believe in the strong local foods we provide then make your own comment on these Guidelines at: 

Lisa Piller, Food Safety Consultant
Environmental Health Unit
Population Health Branch
Saskatchewan Ministry of Health
3475 Albert Street
Regina, SK   S4S 6X6


Click here to read the Regina Farmers' Market Manager Response to the Proposed Guidelines.