New West Farmers Market

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We’re Hiring!

April 24, 2024 By Emily Gaudette

The New West Farmers Market is hiring!


Sprout Club Coordinator

Have an interest in working with kids, sustainability and the environment? Look no further! We are hiring a Contract Sprout Club Coordinator to develop, plan and implement 9 weekly activities geared to kids aged 5 – 12 at our weekly Thursday Market!

Sprout Club Job Application

POSITION TYPE: Temporary part-time (30 hours per week for 9 weeks) from June 30th, 2025 until Aug 29th, 2025. Minimum Wage – $17.85/hour.

PURPOSE
Reporting to the Market Manager, the primary purpose of the Sprout Club Coordinator is to plan, execute, and collect data regarding our children’s summer program, the Sprout Club (SC), provide administrative support for the New Westminster Farmers’ Market (NWFM) and the Market Manager, as well as attend the market each week (to the best of their ability) to ensure its smooth operation. Our Sprout Club program provides weekly crafts and activities geared to kids ages 5-12, with focus on nature, environment, and sustainability.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Sprout Club 

  • Develop, plan, and implement 9 weekly activities for our Sprout Club program
  • Potentially collaborate with outside guest artists or instructors for activities
  • Create and manage a budget for SC 
  • Manage and assist with fulfilling supply needs for SC
  • Assist with the creation of promotional material for SC (social media and print)
  • Organize activities similar to the SC if NWFM is invited to participate in other events or festivals
  • Collect and manage data from SC (number of participants, feedback surveys, etc)
  • Manage SC table/tent at market, provide supplies for activity, demonstrate and assist participants with the activity, and answer questions.
  • Train volunteers assisting the SC booth in how to carry out the activity of the day.
  • Write a report detailing your feedback about how each activity went and general observations from the summer to help inform the following season.

General Administration

  • Assist with implementing satisfaction surveys and soliciting feedback from the community/vendors
  • Assist with data collection and organization
  • Assist with execution of coupon program
  • Assist with managing market money and cash logs
  • Provide weekly timesheet with hours worked

Market Days 

  • Attend weekly markets (approximately 12:15 to 8:15 pm)
  • Assist with the timely and safe set-up and take-down of all market materials (including tents, tent weights, etc.)
  • Support vendors with timely and safe set-up and take-down of their stalls
  • Support community groups and entertainers as needed
  • Respond to public, vendor, and volunteer inquiries and concerns in a positive manner, directing them to the Market Manager or Assistant Manager as needed
  • Provide information to shoppers and vendors on food advocacy, market operations, and membership, directing to the Market Manager or Assistant Manager as needed
  • Process membership fees, market-money and swag purchases
  • Manage data tracking for vendor sales, customer numbers etc.
  • Assist with Nutrition Coupon Program as needed, including but not limited to assisting with picking up and counting coupons from vendors

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Must provide Vulnerable Persons Criminal Record Check
  • Ability to work outside in all weather conditions
  • Access to computer and reliable internet
  • Available for entire duration of the contract
  • Available to come to our office in New Westminster, as needed and work from home for some scheduled work hours as deemed ideal by all parties
  • Ability to lift up to 25lbs
  • Time management skills and ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and work with minimal supervision
  • Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing
  • Ability to utilize, adapt and embrace technologies, including Google Suite, Canva, web and social media platforms, and other database/software required by the role
  • Experience and/or an interest in the local food movement, food security, and community, an asset
  • Familiarity with New Westminster, an asset

OTHER COMMENTS

  • Other duties may be assigned as needed to help ensure the efficient operation of the New West Farmers Market.
  • There may be a need to attend community festivals and events which may require work and travel outside of the regular position hours.

How to Apply: 

Please forward a cover letter and resume, describing how your background and experiences meet the above criteria to manager@newwestfarmers.ca by June 22nd.

Please Note: This is a Canada Summer Jobs Grant position. 

Candidates must be between 15-30 years of age; a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident or a refugee with protection conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; and is legally entitled to work in British Columbia.

We have expressed intent to hire someone who is from an underrepresented group or has additional barriers to the labour market such as a recent immigrant or refugee youth, youth with no previous employment history, Indigenous youth, Youth with disabilities, visible minorities and LGBTQ2 youth.

The successful candidate may be required to submit a criminal record check.

We thank all applicants, however, only those shortlisted for interviews will be contacted. 

Filed Under: Blog

Season Opener Block Party

March 17, 2023 By Emily Gaudette

  We are just 2 weeks away from our Season Opener Block Party! 

 

We are so excited to kick off this season in style! Join us on March 30th in Tipperary Park from 3-7pm.

  • Free cookies from Homemade By Harris for the first 100 guests!
  • 3:30- Opening remarks from Stacey Ferguson from QayQayt First Nation and City Councillor Tasha Henderson
  • 4:00 and 5:00- Tot and Mini Music Classes with Music Box
  • 4:00-6:00- Face Painting and balloons from Michelle’s Cheeky Face Painting
  • Live music from Sue Breton
  • A human statue!
  • Lawn games and a craft table
  • Member Appreciation Day deals!
  • Food Trucks- Bread and Cheese and Crema Ice Cream and Desserts (find them on Queens Ave)
  • Enter our Instagram contest by tagging @newwestfarmers in your Market Haul pics for your chance to win $20 in Market Money!

Don’t miss out on this awesome event. Come welcome back all your favourite vendors and discover new ones too!

Our market will run every Thursday until November 2nd.

Can’t wait to see you all again soon!

Filed Under: Blog, NWFM News

2023 Season Vendor Update

January 12, 2023 By Lily Nichol

As we start to get ready for our 2023 season, we wanted to draw your attention to a few vendor updates.

Anne’s Kitchen/Anne’s Gallery

We are excited to announce that much loved Anne will be joining us again this season for a few dates. Anne and her husband, Michael, have been a mainstay at our market and have kept New Westminster supplied with jams, pickles, and gorgeous sweaters since we opened nearly 15 years ago. At the end of our regular season last year, Anne let us know that she was ready to retire her business. However, this was a false alarm! Anne has let us know that her winter break gave her the rest she needed and she has had so many people reach out to her to express their sadness that she has decided she is not quite ready to retire after all. Though we are just starting to get organized for our 2023 season, she has let us know that she intends to come back for a few dates. Keep an eye out!

 

Plantbase

We are very sad to share that beloved long-time vendor, Plantbase, are slowly closing their business. They’ve contributed so much to our market and community and been with us for many years. We are excited to see what the future holds for this talented team but they will be so missed at NWFM. Please make sure you reach out to them to let them know how much you love and appreciate David and his team, and buy their products to help them wind down!

Please watch this video to learn more about the closing of Plantbase and look here to see how you can support this wonderful business as they wrap up.

We reached out to David Isbister, co-owner of Plantbase, and he had a few words for New West:

It has been such joy to come to know you all over the years. New West Farmer’s Markets were my first farmers markets and remain so special to me because of the beautiful setting, the diverse communities we get to serve in some small but impactful ways, and really just all the special folks (and their non human companions) who pass through. I have truly enjoyed every minute so much. I am sure you will see me pop up some way or another in the future 😉 – so keep checking up on what I get up to and say hello any darn time. Let’s make sure it’s not goodbye!

Please support local producers, enjoy existence wherever it’s possible, and offer compassion to humans and animals. 🙂 I’ll see you all soon..or is it …tune?

David

What’soup

What’soup, owned by past chef of El Santo, Bella Almeida, is sadly closing their doors. You can see Bella’s post here about the closing of her business. Her last market will be Port Moody on January 15th (this Sunday) so make sure you go and stock up on her delicious creations. We are extremely sad to be losing Bella and her soups, but look forward to what the future has in store for this talented chef.

We reached out to Bella and she had a few words for New West:

Dear friends,

There is no easy way to say this but I am closing What’Soup. I have no words to say how much I appreciate every single one of you for all your support throughout those 2 intense, challenging and wonderful years. Being at the markets was not only a great experience as a business owner but it also gave me the chance to connect with amazing people and learn a lot from them. Closing was a very hard decision to make but the right one for this moment. I hope that you all could feel the passion and caring in every soup you tried because that’s how they were always made. Thank you, NWFM, for being such an amazing community! Hope you all have an amazing 2023 and keep supporting local! 🙂
With love, Bella Almeida.


Applications for the 2023 market will be released soon. We are excited for another season of fresh local food, but Plantbase and What’soup will be so missed. We are incredibly saddened by this loss. We hope you take the time to connect with the vendors you love and stock up on your soups and vegan foods. Make sure to continue to support local and come visit Anne! 

 

We will see you in Tipperary Park beginning March 30th, 3-7pm.

Filed Under: Blog, NWFM News

3rd Annual Holiday Market

December 5, 2022 By Emily Gaudette

We’ve missed you since our regular season ended but we’ve been hard at work planning for our 3rd Annual Holiday Market!!! 

We’re excited to bring you over 90 local vendors this year including many of your usual favourites as well as a bunch of new faces! 

We’ll have 8 great food trucks for you, live music, a special performance by the Music Box, and our Sprout Club tent will have crafts and activities for kids. This market is pet friendly so bring your fur babies along too (on a leash please) 

Rain, snow, or shine- this market will be an excellent chance to shop local this Holiday season.  Whether you’re shopping for last minute gifts or looking for fresh ingredients for your Holiday Dinner, we have it all!

We will be outside New West City Hall December 10+11, from 10am-4pm
Entrance is by a recommended $5 minimum donation to be split with the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

 

Can’t wait to see you there!!! 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, NWFM News

Silent Auction!

September 28, 2022 By Emily Gaudette

Don’t miss our upcoming silent auction taking place this weekend October 1st and 2nd. 

This is our annual silent auction to raise money for our free kids program, SPROUT CLUB! This popular program wouldn’t be possible without the help of community members like you. THANK YOU!

Bid on 10 amazing prize packs full of items from local businesses and some of your favourite market vendors. 
Bidding goes live Saturday at 9am and will close Sunday at 8pm.

You can preview the auction here https://www.32auctions.com/nwfmsprout2022 or check out our social media to get a sneak peek of all the amazing goods to be won! 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, NWFM News

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Land Acknowledgement

Our market is grateful to operate on the unceded land of the Qayqayt, Kwikwetlem, and other Halkomelem speaking Peoples. We acknowledge that colonialism has made invisible their histories and connections to the land. We acknowledge the incredible gift this land is to our market and BC Agriculture. We commit to the ongoing work of decolonization and allyship.

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