OCTOBER 2018 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


33 Partners announced for farmers’ market trail


Kootenays is the first region showcased by RONDA PAYNE


TRAIL – Columbia Basin Trust and Kootenay Rockies Tourism are the first regional partners the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets (BCAFM) has added to the BC Farmers’ Market Trail. The innovative website offers information on the association’s 145-plus member markets throughout BC, but the regional funding allows for a special focus on those in the Kootenays. The overall BC Farmers’ Market


Trail website launched in late summer with the regional focus coming online in early September. The trail is modelled on the BC Ale Trail. It emphasizes just one region currently while also ensuring all member markets (and their regions) are noted. O’Hara credits this initial year of work for creating what she calls a formula for moving into 2019 and promoting other regions if funding comes through. “If we can get adequate funding, we would like to expand in 2019 to Northern BC, including the Cariboo, Chilcotin and also Vancouver and the Gulf Islands and the Sunshine Coast,” she notes. While most markets are open into October, the


regional aspect of the site launched as the season was winding down. Miche Warwick, of Happy Hills Farm in Rossland


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markets to encourage social media activity along with some hands-on social media training. The regional funds also allowed BCAFM to have photography of each market (and some farmers) in the region, ads for the markets and a tourism-oriented PR firm to promote markets in the region. These activities will not reoccur unless Kootenay Rockies and Columbia Basin funding is secured again next year. “A lot of those small-scale ag


producers, their key sales channel is farmers’ markets in the region, so it really matters,” O’Hara says. “That’s where those farmers make an income.”


The cooperative approach to


marketing a region and its markets is anticipated to build greater interest and traffic in the region. “I think the absolute most key


Miche Warwick of Happy Hills Farm greets a farmers’ market patron. SUBMITTED PHOTO


hopes the regional focus continues into 2019’s busy season. “It sort of started at the end of the year,” she says.


“It could be really nice to have our featured region continue into the spring and summer. Then it’s like the whole year is highlighted.” As other regions are funded, those areas would also be highlighted on the site. In tandem with the launch of the trail website, the


BCAFM has also created a specific Kootenay Rockies and Columbia Basin brochure with regional funding, and has provided an honourarium to individuals at


point for this is that this trail is really focusing on highlighting the farmers in their region and going in-depth about the farmers,” Warwick says. “It’s building a deeper relationship between us as farmers and our communities, our customers.”


She sees the site as highlighting farmers markets


in the region and positioning them as the best place to shop for locally grown and produced food. “It’s like this big complete picture,” she notes.


“Right now, we’re highlighting the Kootenay region, but that trail is connected to another trail and another trail and that makes up the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets. The [BCAFM] really nailed this marketing campaign as far as I’m concerned. I think it’s really going to appeal to people travelling next year.”


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