Community based farmers’ markets flourish in Edmonton area

There are currently 140 approved Alberta farmers' markets in the province and, per capita, Edmonton has more than nearly anywhere else.

Edmonton is a hot spot for community markets and their popularity is growing outside city limits to surrounding municipalities and communities.

The Alberta Farmers’ Market Association says Edmonton proper has 12 approved farmers’ markets in addition to many public markets like 124th Street Grand.

There are also 15 markets within 50 kilometres of the city — in places like Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc, St. Albert, Devon, Stony Plain and Spruce Grove.

“Edmonton has the most amount of farmers’ markets per capita,” said Steve Souto of Steve and Dan’s Fresh B.C. Fruit, a mainstay at many Edmonton-area markets.

There are currently 140 approved Alberta farmers’ markets in the province, approved by Alberta Agriculture.

Each market has to meet program standards, like being “80-20,” requiring 80 per cent of vendors to meet the “make it, bake it, grow it” locally criteria. The remaining 20 per cent of the vendors are selling products that complement the market mix.

Approved markets are sponsored by a not-for-profit community group, local chamber of commerce, municipality or agricultural society or forming their own not-for profit society.

Calgary proper has nine approved markets and five more in the surrounding areas.