ASHMONT - Aiming to offer the community a place to gather, have a coffee, visit with neighbours - and also purchase locally grown and made goods - a newly established approved farmer's market will be starting in Ashmont.
On May 18, organizers will be hosting the first market, complete with a ribbon cutting, cake and other celebrations at 10 a.m. Typically, the market will take place on the fourth Saturday of every month, says Sharon MacDonald, the market manager, but for the first event, she wanted to take advantage of the long weekend and hopefully draw in an even larger crowd.
The markets will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The market is being sponsored by the Ashmont Ag Society and those involved are hoping to draw various entrepreneurs to the market, offering locals another avenue to sell their goods.
Being an approved farmer's market in Alberta means certain criteria must be met, and the majority of vendors will be selling hand-made or homegrown goods. There will be no sale of used items at the market.
Approved farmers' markets in Alberta follow the “Make It, Bake It, Grow It” philosophy.
Organizers are expecting over 30 vendors for the May 18 opening of the market. Vendors will be selling items such as sewing, baking, hand painted cards, garden produce, and more, offering a variety of items for shoppers to choose from.
MacDonald says she is still actively look for more vendors to join the market.
“The more the merrier," she says.
As a vendor herself, MacDonald will be selling what she describes as "homestead" type items, including garden produce, freeze dried goods, and sourdough baking.
Overall, MacDonald would like the market to keep a "focus on agriculture stuff and garden produce, and baking.”
While she expects the market will draw in vendors from the immediate area, she is also open to vendors from beyond the Ashmont area joining.
“We’re just going to go with the flow, and hopefully we get a good public response to it," says MacDonald, who has been spreading the word about the new market as she attends other markets in the area.
MacDonald encourages people to “Come out and have a coffee, and sit down and chat with your neighbour."
Vendors interested in joining the market can email: [email protected]
