20. Artisan Markets (Skeena Valley)

Organization Information

Organization Name

Artisan Farmers' Markets

Mission and Vision of Organization

Vision: To celebrate BC farmers, food and handmade items in vibrant, welcoming, community-connected markets.

Mission: To connect consumers with local farmers, small food producers and artisanal makers in order to support the community’s financial, social and environmental objectives.

Guiding Principles + Values

To support local farmers and small business people who grow, make or bake their product in BC by creating strong sales channels To expand the variety and quality of local produce and products for consumers, especially small scale agricultural and specialty farm products To educate the buying public on how their food and other essential products are produced and used, including locally grown options, nutrition awareness, seasonal eating and the historical roots of farming in our community

Contact Information

• Primary Contact Person(s): Tara Immell
• Email: tara [at] immell.com
• Phone: 604-357-4796
• Address: North Vancouver
• Website: www.artisanmarkets.ca

Preferred Method of Contact

• Best method(s) to contact: Email
• Best day(s) to contact: Anytime via email
• Best time(s) to contact: Mornings, Afternoons

Preferred Platform(s) for Remote Collaboration

• Zoom

Project Description

Context: What challenge or issue does the project aim to address?

Collective marketing is when growers work together to sell their combined crops. Farmers in Metro Vancouver who work together to share resources and collectively market fruits and vegetables are able to reach a larger number of customers and split marketing costs. At a farmers' market, collective marketing results in more than one farm's products being sold out of one space. For on-going Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription boxes, collective marketing means customers receiving a CSA share of produce grown at more than one farm. Working together requires advance coordination and cooperation by local farmers. This project will investigate what farmers in a peri-urban area (like Pemberton) need to do to work together to bring their locally grown produce to customers in Metro Vancouver - without every farmer needing to make the 4 hour return trip along the Sea-to-Sky Highway.

Main Project Activities and Deliverables

• Research review of existing collective marketing efforts in Metro Vancouver and in the Skeena Valley
• A survey of farmers - with a focus on the Skeena Valley

Will the project work for the students be online, in person, or a combination?

• Students can choose online only or a combination of online and in person

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• MS Word and MS Excel/Google Sheets proficiency, including Tables & Charts
• Eagerness to learn more about local economic, community and environmental impact of farmers’ markets – especially relating to farmers

Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?

• None

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

• No

Preferred Days of Week and Hours

• Flexible

Related Community Service Opportunities for Students

• Farmers' market volunteering

Required Reading

Project/Partner Orientation Materials

Students should review these materials prior to the first partner meeting:

• Page through examples of collective marketing from around the world: https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/Documents/Collective-Marketing---Selling-vegetables-profitably!.pdf
• Vittersø, G. and M. Jervell, A. 2011. Direct Markets as Multiple Consumption Spaces: The Case of Two Norwegian Collective Marketing Initiatives . The International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food. 18, 1 (Jan. 2011), 54-69. DOI:http://www.ijsaf.org/index.php/ijsaf/article/view/258
• Sarkar, S., Mishra, D., & Ghadei, K. (2014). Collective Marketing– A Hope for the Farmers. Indian Journal of Crop Ecology, 2(2).

Additional Project/Partner Orientation Materials

The following will be provided at the first community partner meeting:

• A guide to farmers' market locations province-wide: https://bcfarmersmarkettrail.com/