The Yellowknife Farmers Market is making its second call for purveyors of goods and produce, with the aim of doubling its vendor list, says the market's president.
The farmers' market is working to broaden the variety of available produce to provide a diversity of local goods, said Caroline Lafontaine, president of the Yellowknife Farmers Market.
“We're opening a second call to have more produce vendors because our focus is to become at some point in the future a farmers' market with a lot more produce,” she said.
Interested vendors go through a selection process to sell their products for four, eight or 16 weeks. The second call for vendors closes April 29.
“The more we produce locally the more we can sustain ourselves,” said Lafontaine. “Eating locally is also healthier for ourselves and for our environment.”
There is also a “harvesters table” which is open to people growing produce in their gardens who aren't necessarily full time vendors, said Lafontaine. Last year those harvesters brought in 35 types of produce.
They include root vegetables, potatoes, carrots and greens that grow well in territory, she said, while some vendors are also able to grow raspberries and strawberries.
“It would be nice to double our produce and if we had 100 vendors that would give us a variety of vendors throughout the season,” said Lafontaine.
The current round of applications yielded about 50 vendors, who will sell their products between June 5 and Sept. 18 at Somba K'e Civic Plaza.
“We really want people to come and enjoy the market this year and discover all the different initiatives that are going to be in place. There should be a few new surprises,” said Lafontaine.