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Kikis Kitchen – Serving up all the Soups

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Meet Michelle and Kathryn of Kiki’s Kitchen!

Q: How long have you been in the soup business?
A: We began at home in January of 2015 and started the commercial kitchen in January of 2016.

Q: What’s your future plans?
A: We want to offer home delivery service and expand to more farmers’ markets that are located further afield. Also moving into a brick and mortar store in 2017.

Q: Where is the kitchen located?
A: In North Vancouver in the Northshore Auto Mall.

Q: What’s your favourite soup?
A: Michele’s favourite is the roasted corn and potato. chowder (sorry – it’s offered during the summer only!)
Kathryn’s is the lentil.

Q: What excites you about your business?
A: We buy directly from farmers or from discovery organics. We’ve had the opportunity to meet and support female farmers. We also get to pick some of our own stuff to make the soups!

Q: Do you have a company mascot
A: Dogs! We have two ridgebacks and a Scout [RCFM note – Scout is a dog, not a breed!]. All soup is dog approved!

Check out their instagram for some great foodie-porn pics as well as some Scout and ridgeback photos!

They also have a website and you can follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Ossome Acres is pretty awesome

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Meet Noella and Aaron! They are the farmers behind Ossome Acres located in the Fraser Valley, between Abbotsford and Agassiz.

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Q: How long have you been farming?

A: Since 2010. It’s a family farm and we decided to try to make it work. Aaron was previously a welder and together we would make bread to sell at farmers markets.

Q: What’s your favourite to grow?

Noella: Nothing is my favourite to grow, but kale is my favourite to eat. I put it in a smoothie every morning.

Aaron: I like to grow kale. It’s low maintenance, it’s healthy, and you plant it once and it keeps coming.

Q: Do you have a farm mascot?

A: Llamas, cows, dogs, cats, chickens, and roosters! We have lots of animals on the farm.

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Walnuts!

 

 

Q: How can we learn more about your farm and keep in touch?

A: We have a newsletter and Facebook page and you can check us out on Pinterest for some awesome recipe ideas.

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Get your squash on

Check out their website at ossomeacres.com and say hi to Aaron and Noella at the next market!

 

An Important Notice About our January 7th Market

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The Board of Directors for the Royal City Farmers Market has made the difficult decision to cancel the market scheduled for this coming Saturday, January 7.

When we moved our winter market to an outdoor location, we were quite prepared for the usual west coast winter weather we experience. Rain and light snow are not a huge concern for us. We have rain pants and are prepared to wear them. However, we’ve seen a great deal of snowfall accumulate in our community, probably more so than in neighbouring communities. Some parts of New West have received more than 30 cm of snow in the last few weeks, and very little has melted away. It is very icy.

Environment Canada has predicted that snow will begin falling Thursday night and continue off and on until Sunday. Belmont Street is not an arterial road, or even a main road, and as such will quite understandably not be a priority to be cleared by the City of New Westminster the morning of the market. We completely understand. RCFM lacks the resources to clear it safely ourselves; ice requires a different approach than simply shovelling and our crew, while dedicated, is small and about 99% volunteer.

We understand it is frustrating when events you are looking forward to get cancelled, and believe us, cancelling one of our few winter dates is the very last choice we wanted to make. The safety of our staff, volunteers, vendors, and customers is of the utmost importance to us, however, and we believe our best course of action is to cancel this market. This is the very first market we have had to cancel in nearly ten years.

We are hopeful that Mother Nature will send some warmer temperatures our way and that we will be back to singing in the rain at our next market on January 21.

We want to take this opportunity to thank our supporters and we can’t wait to see you on Belmont Street again.

Sincerely,

Jen Arbo
President
RCFM 

info@newwestfarmers.ca

Saturday November 19th Market Day! 11am to 3pm

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steel&oak

Grab your umbrella and join us for a joint rendition of “Rain, Rain go away!” this Saturday at the Winter market on Belmont from 11am to 3pm.

Rain isn’t guaranteed, but we do promise to have delicious treats, seasonable local foods, and stocking stuffers for you early Christmas shoppers. Grab your reusable bag and come fill it with fresh local produce, pastries, breads. Grab a jar of jam to spread on that baguette! Stock up on some local craft beer, dessert, or popcorn! We have a bit of everything to suit your rainy day desires!

Be sure to visit the vendors situated in our big Marquee Tent sponsored by the wonderful folks of the Uptown Business Association. You’ll find many of your favourite vendors under the tent as well as some new faces.

Driving to the market? FREE PARKING is available at Westminster Centre, directly across the street from Belmont Street. If you are taking transit the #106 bus stops at 5th avenue and 6th street. Coming from the Quay? Take River Market’s brand new FREE DUC shuttle from the Quay straight to our location.

Join us on Belmont Street for lunch! Enjoy a nice coffee and relax on one of the UpTown Parklet adirondack chairs!

A list of our vendors for November 19th can be found below. Please check out Facebook Page or Twitter for any last minute cancellations or updates.

What’s happening at the Market?

 

Entertainment

 

Farm Fresh Produce

  • Ripple Creek Organics –swiss chard, kale, beets, kennebec potatoes, zucchini, fresh garlic, leeks, cucumber, baby lettuce mix, eggplant, arugula, specialty mix, cherry tomatoes. (Certified Organic)
  • Ossome Acres -Winter squash, Kale, kalettes, Brussel sprouts, Micro greens, Spinach, Salad mix, lettuce, Herbs, Hand milled soap, Walnuts, Christmas wraiths
  • Bose & Sons Family Farm –Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Potatoes
  • Country Village Market -Frozen berries, greens, pakoras
  • Nutrigreens – microgreens, potatoes, zucchini, cucumber
  • Your Wildest Foods – foraged mushrooms, dried teas and fresh mushrooms
  • Sweet Earth Organics – carrots, greens, turnips

Beef, Eggs, Poultry and Seafood

  • Rockweld Farm – BC SPCA Certified frozen chicken and chicken products including eggs, dog and cat food
  • Wild West Coast Seafoods –  flash frozen fillets of Rock Sole, Petrale Sole, Rockfish, Ling Cod, Pacific Cod, Sablefish, Chinook/Spring Salmon, Coho Salmon, Sidestripe Shrimp, Halibut, Albacore Tuna Loin.
  • Wheelhouse Seafoods – seafood pasta and crab cakes, frozen salmon and spot prawns
  • Local Beef & Eggs – purslane, onions, chives, rhubarb, eggs, kale

Artisan Breads

  • A Bread Affair – breads, baguettes, ciabattas, rolls, scones (Certified Organic)

Gluten Free Breads & Baking

  • Delish Gluten Free – bread, scones, muffins, brownies and cookies
  • Marie’s Guilt Free Baking – bread, cookies, pizza dough and snacks

Bakery

  • Sweet Thea Cakes – tarts, pies, cookies and cakes
  • Simply Scones – traditional English style scones
  • Sable Shortbread – tasty yummy specialty shortbread
  • Half Pint Pies – frozen mini pies to take home and bake
  • Samaya Delights – turmeric muffins, baklava
  • Baguette & Co. – breads, loaves, pastries, croissants, danishes, turn-overs

Snacks

Food Trucks & Eat On Site

  • Cheeses Crust – Grilled Cheeses!
  • Wheelhouse Seafoods – salmon burgers
  • Country Village Market – yummy pakoras & samosas

Prepared Foods (Pantry Staples)

  • Jam Shack Preservery – savoury spreads and jams
  • Old Country Pierogi –frozen pierogies (gluten free and vegan options available)
  • Muy Rico – salsas, mayonaise, mole sauces, tortilla chips and corn tortillas
  • Livi & K – Raw Granola clusters packed full of flavours
  • Sidney’s Smokehouse – locally made jerky
  • BobAli – tasty dips and hummus spreads
  • Anne’s Gallery -jams, chutneys and preserves and Spiced Peach Jam!
  • Real Meals – prepared frozen foods for healthy meals at home
  • Roasters Hot Sauce – hot sauces of various flavours
  • Lilise Applesauce – delicious gourmet applesauces
  • Jam ‘n Music – award winning jams

Jewelry & Artisan Crafts

  • New World Felting -beautifully made felted scarves & hats
  • Quality Oak Accents – hand crafted cutting boards by Louie
  • Anne’s Gallery – 

Health, Beauty & Services

  • Purely Clean – an all natural way to clean your home

Wine, Beer & Spirits

  • Dragon Mist Distillery – locally made vodka and gin
  • Steel & Oak – local craft beer

 

Special Thanks to our Music Stage Sponsor Roland Kaulfuss:

rolandkaulfuss logo

RFP: Graphic Designer / Brand Strategist

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RFP: Graphic Design / Brand Strategist

The Royal City Farmers Market (RCFM) is a mid-sized, well-established farmers market in New Westminster, B.C. that operates outdoors year-round. RCFM will be entering its tenth year of operation in 2017. It is a member of the B.C. Association of Farmers Markets and registered as a B.C. non-profit society. RCFM has an active board of directors, as well as operational staff and a number of dedicated volunteers.

We seek a qualified company or individual to provide brand strategy and graphic design services.


Project Scope:  

  • Develop refreshed organizational logo and associated brand icons, typefaces, style guide, letterhead, and colour palette.
  • Develop campaign specific materials including a wordmark, brochure design, magnet, graphic materials for promotional video, templated weekly newsletter ad, graphic materials for web landing page, and lamp post banner design.  
  • Other materials as suggested or supplied to complement the new branding.

Note: content for all materials will be produced by the committee. Content writing is not required.

You will be working with a board-designated small committee, with a single lead person.

Budget:

The maximum budget for this project is $3,000 inclusive of taxes and expenses.

Timeline:

This work will take place from the end of November 2016 to end of April 2017 with the refreshed logo in place before the end of March and the campaign materials to be launched for our summer market season starting in May.

To apply:

Submit a proposal or cover letter with resume to info@newwestfarmers.ca that outlines: fees, proposed deliverables, and qualifications. Please also include a link to your online portfolio or samples of your work. Preference will be given to candidates who have experience working with non-profit boards and are New Westminster-based.

Deadline: November 15, 2016  

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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.