Farmers markets crop up all over Greater Victoria area
It's 30 degrees out, and Brock Windsor is leaning over a piece of Swiss chard, explaining its origin. The farm where it's from, he said, is owned by a nice lady and her daughter.
"When food has a location, a name and a face behind it, all of a sudden, your food has a story," said Windsor, spokesman for the Island Chefs' Collaborative Market.
Warm weather means the return of farmers' market season, as vendors once again line the streets with fresh produce picked, pulled and plucked from local farms. This year, there are more than 20 different markets operating in the region.
Their popularity is easy to understand, Windsor said. "The first time I had a carrot that had just been dug up, I understood what the fuss was about."
Lee Fuge, who runs the FoodRoots pocket markets -- a network of small-scale markets throughout the region -- said that the importance of farmers' markets extends beyond taste or preference.
She believes that supporting local farmers is vital for food security and sustainability. "We've had a lot of scares in the last few years because of various food products from far-away places," she said.
Supporting local farmers minimizes this risk, she said. "If you're a local farmer selling to your neighbour, you're not going to sell anything to injure anyone in the community."
Others, however, warn against reading too much into the growing number of farmers' markets.
"The markets are just splitting off," said Bob Mitchell, president of the Island Farmers Alliance.
There used to be fewer markets, but those markets were large, he said. Now, he argued, there are more markets, but most of them are small. Plus, he added, many of the new markets are filled with craft vendors, rather than farm vendors.
Regardless, popularity of the markets remains strong.
"I was at a market a few years ago and there was a small lineup," Windsor said. "Then last year, there were 60 people lined up before the market was even open," he continued.
"Finally, they had to set a limit on how many items people could buy because little old ladies were bumping each other out of the line," he laughed.
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