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All last week, Tourism Kelowna was sharing tweets and Facebook posts in appreciation of farmers. The occasion was the September 8 through 15 Farmer Appreciation Week, a time for us to reflect on the vital work and contribution to our community that farmers undertake.
Although today is the final day of the official appreciation week, it’s essential to keep the spirit of the week alive throughout the rest of the year. There are several ways to do this in Kelowna. One of the best ways to appreciate the work and care that goes into farming is to take the time to visit a local farm that is open to the public. There are several in Kelowna, which accounts for the popular Farm to Table brochure offered by Tourism Kelowna. The brochure is available both in print and online, as well as a detailed description of the participating businesses on our Farm to Table webpage. Part of the experience is to see local farm ingredients incorporated into the beautiful dishes at local restaurants. Several restaurants participate in Tourism Kelowna’s Farm to Table program. Just check out the webpage or online brochure to find out which ones, and then show your support for local farmers by supporting the restaurants who work with them.
Another great way to connect with our local farmers is to visit the Kelowna Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at the corner of Springfield and Dilworth, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. At this time of the year you’ll find over 150 stands teaming with late summer/early fall vegetables and fruit. If you love cooking with local produce or preserving the intense flavours of summer in jars to enjoy later in the year, you’ll love a visit to our farmers’ market. Of the 125+ farmers’ markets in BC, you’ll be proud to know that Kelowna’s is one of the largest.
You can also buy produce directly from a local farm. Did you know that BC has almost 20,000 farm operations, and that 98% of them are family farms (Statistics Canada, 2011)? Just last week, our staff at Tourism Kelowna picked up 200 lbs of local pears from Gambell Farms. We spent 2 delightful evenings canning the pears and will get to enjoy the flavours in the colder months, when we can all use a little reminder of the tastes of summer.
No matter how or when you choose to mark Farmer Appreciation Week, the important thing is that you take a moment to appreciate the abundance of where we live, and the care that goes into the amazing produce we have access to. It’s in our backyard to celebrate – let’s make sure to mark the occasion.
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
