A past president of the South Cariboo Farmers Market (SCFM) is planning the grand opening of an indoor farmers market that will run year-round in 100 Mile House.
Tina Johnson has been vending art at the Crafter’s Market at 205 Birch Ave. since she had to leave the SCFM for medical reasons.
The art helped with stress relief and healing, Johnson told the Free Press, but she was still farming, too.
When she had some extra potatoes and beef in the fall, she decided to vend them alongside her art.
“I had ground beef because we raise beef and so I thought well, I’m just going to start selling it when I’m in here because the Crafter’s Market is like a farmers market,” she said.
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Johnson’s beef sold well and she was inspired to start a Family Farm Collective at the back of the indoor market.
“We’re open now four hours a week, so I thought it would be a good opportunity for some of my friends who also have meat products and vegetables and stuff to give a year-round opportunity,” she said.
So far she has secured the participation of farmers who mostly do not vend at the SCFM, however, one new vendor of cleaning products and microgreens is planning to sell at both markets this year.
Farmers who have committed to the collective include Cariboo Wild Honey, Bradley Creek Garlic Farm, XH Buffalo Ranch and others who Johnson said haven’t had the opportunity to vend at SCFM because they have off-farm jobs that keep them busy on Fridays.
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“I’m trying to give that opportunity to anybody who has products who just can’t make it to the farmers market, to give them a venue,” she said. “This opens up a huge opportunity for them.
“They basically bring me the product and I sell it for them, so they don’t have to be sitting here.”
Johnson is also expecting eggs and cheese from a farmer in Quesnel, and hopes to add a birch syrup producer from Quesnel or Barriere to the collective.
The Lac la Hache Produce Farm will start supplying her with fresh produce on the May long weekend until Thanksgiving, she said.
Once she gets the cooler fixed there will be a grand opening.
“As soon as the cooler is going then we can start making some plans,” she said, adding that her goal is to have the grand opening the week after the long weekend.
Johnson added that she is not trying to take anything away from the SCFM.
“That’s a great thing that’s going on,” she said. “It’s just a lot of customers can’t make it on Friday morning, so I’m trying to give an opportunity for them to be able to pick it up here.
“It’s just another opportunity for people to buy local.”
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