LITTLE CURRENT—The NEMI Farmers’ Market is the only remaining Island summer market that can officially use the farmers’ market appellation. The strictures behind becoming a verified “Farmers’ Market” are set by Farmers’ Market Ontario and must be adhered to if the community-driven event is to be identified as such.
A ‘Verified Local Farmers’ Market’ is defined by Farmers’ Market Ontario as “a producers-only, community-driven (not private) multi-vendor farmers’ market featuring only the actual farmers, growers and producers of the products they sell. No reselling is permitted.”
This message was driven home during a farmers’ market organizing meeting held at the NEMI Rec Centre in Little Current on the evening of May 15.
Co-organizers Leila Kiviaho and Ray Bernstein explained the ins and outs of maintaining the farmers’ market label.
The NEMI Farmers’ Market is one of the most successful markets on the Island, boasting 46 paid memberships last year, according to Ms. Kiviaho. “Not everyone showed up every Saturday,” said Ms. Kiviaho. “We usually have about 24 or 25 vendors on any given Saturday,” said Mr. Bernstein “It was a busy market last year.”
The market is open every Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm, beginning June 8 through to October 12 (Thanksgiving Weekend).
One of the key benefits of being an official farmers’ market is that the community group shelters under the insurance policy of Farmers’ Market Ontario. Over the course of a season, that can amount to some serious savings. Although individual insurances required at other venues that are not “official” are not hugely expensive, they can add up.
Membership in the NEMI Farmers’ market costs a base $35, plus $5 for each Saturday the vendor attends the market to sell (first and last weeks are free with membership). That entitles the vendor to a 10’X10’ table and tent, which the vendor must supply themselves. Larger space requirements will result in larger daily fees.
During the meeting, it was noted that the NEMI Farmers Market had a healthy bank balance and it was decided that the organization would make two donations of $1,500, one to Manitoulin Centennial Manor and the other to Manitoulin Family Resources Food Bank.
Better signage was also brought up at the meeting, and two local vendors volunteered to create three sandwich board style signs for placement at locations at the entrances to Little Current.
