Houston Farmers Market season coming to an end

The Houston Farmers Market is closing its season on Sept. 24, coinciding with the Houston Community Garden. The market first opened in June, and ran every Friday from noon to 5 p.m. in the Steelhead Park located near the Houston visitors centre and just off of Hwy. 16.

According to the market manager, Emma Larson, it’s been quite a season for the market.

”This year has been exceptionally successful with both vendors and customers. The most vendors present on one day was 19 and the lowest amount has not dropped below 10,” she said. “A prize draw was hosted on Aug. 20 which 11 vendors donated products, there has occasionally been live musicians at the market, and 15 new vendors have registered this year.”

A big part of the summer season for the market was the nutritional coupon program, which is financed by a provincial grant and is administered by Houston Link to Leaning. The program is province wide, and the goal is for community partner organizations to provide coupons to lower-income families, pregnant women and seniors. Larson told Houston Today they handed out 40 sheets of coupons this summer, distributed to registered people each week at the market.

“There has been over 2,700 coupons redeemed at the Houston Farmers Market meaning that so far $8,100 has been spent at the produce, eggs, and meat vendors,” she said.

Last year, $11,487 worth of coupons were spent at the market, however, Larson believes that with over a week to go until the season ends, that mark can potentially be surpassed.

“These final weeks are when the majority of the coupons get used, as many meat coupons are saved up to be able to purchase larger quantities and there is more produced to be purchased this late in the season.”