By Eraina Hooyer
Staff Reporter
The Ponoka Farmer’s Market will be recognizing their 32nd year of bringing fresh foods and other goods to the community. The celebration will take place at the Ponoka Culture and Recreation Centre on Aug. 13.
The market has been dedicated to providing the public with fresh produce unique crafts and more, each Wednesday in the curling rink at the arena.
Managers of the Farmer’s Market Donna Merrill and Nettie Winslow are looking forward to the celebration and appreciate the market’s presence in the community.
The 32nd anniversary celebration will include free cake and coffee and will also have a barbecue to help raise money for the acute care bed fund.
“We choose a different cause every year and this year we decided to raise money for this fund,” said Merrill. “There is a need for it in the hospitals.”
In the past the Farmer’s Market anniversary celebrations have raised money for organizations and causes including the Ponoka Wheelchair Van Transport Society and Big Brother/Big Sisters.
The Farmer’s Market has around 55 tables weekly that feature a variety of items and foods such as clothing, canned goods, hats, hand towels, jewelry, furs, meats, soaps, toys and more.
Merrill is one of the vendors and has fun setting up her table of baked goods and meeting everyone who stops by the market.
“I really enjoy coming here because of the vendors and the people,” said Merrill. “That is one of the main reasons why I am here, it becomes like a family.”
The market also offers fresh coffee and tables and chairs to sit and socialize.
“It’s a great meeting place for people to come for their coffee and refreshments to relax and have fun,” said Winslow.
Winslow and Merrill have been managers for 20 years and involved with the market for more years than that and both believe that they wouldn’t have been able to do it without people backing them up.
“We have so much support from the directors and our families to help us do this,” said Winslow. “We can’t run the market without their support.”
This year’s Farmer’s Market season started out with difficulty but is now picking up due to the selection and availability of fresh fruits and vegetables. Winslow says that the ups and downs of the market are to be expected.
“We were very slow starting this year but it’s beginning to pick up,” she said. “It’s a vicious cycle, if we don’t have the public then the vendors don’t come and if we don’t have the vendors the people don’t come.”
Merrill invites everyone to come out to celebrate the 32nd year of the Ponoka Farmer’s Market and encourages all to stop by the arena on Wednesdays and check out what is there.
“There is something for everyone,” she said. “And now is a great time to start Christmas shopping.”
The Ponoka Farmer’s Market is open every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from May to September.