Have you hugged your favourite farmer lately?
With celebrations for Farmers Appreciation Week, Sept. 12 to 18, ramping up the B.C. Association of Farmers’ Markets is inviting West Shore residents and all British Columbians to put pen to paper and submit their original poems highlighting local farmers.
To mark the occasion, the Goldstream Farmers Market is hosting a special contest where market attendees can vote on their favourite vendor display. Voters will be entered into a special draw and the winner – along with the winning vendor – will receive a gift certificate to spend at the market.
But if you can’t wait until Sept. 12 to begin celebrating local farmers, there’s still plenty of time to work on the perfect prose for the poetry contest. Writers of all levels are encouraged to submit a farm-themed poem to the fourth annual Ode to a Farmer poetry contest by midnight on Sept. 18.
The grand prize is a $150 gift certificate to spend at the B.C. farmers market of your choice. Regional winners will also be awarded a $50 certificate. Go to fluidsurveys.com/s/fawpoetry2016 for details on submitting an entry.
“Last year we received a record 120 submissions of farm and food-inspired poems and we are hoping to exceed that again this year,” said the B.C. association’s communications manager Georgia Stanley in a release. “We encourage everyone to take a few minutes to consider the immense skill, time and dedication that goes into growing that fresh food we all value. It’s challenging work and worth celebrating everyone involved.”
The association is a not-for-profit organization that represents 135 farmers markets across the province.
Find out more about the organization and locate nearby markets by visiting bcfarmersmarket.org.
On the West Shore, the Goldstream Farmers Market continues to run Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Langford. The last market of the season will be held on Oct. 15. Visit goldstreamfarmersmarket.ca for more information.
katie@goldstreamgazette.com