This Saturday coming up is the 5th in the month of August which means there are no mobile markets. We’ll be at our usual locations on September 5th! In the meantime, here is more information about the markets. Please take the time to give it a read!

Is this a farmers’ market?
Not quite. The mobile produce markets look like farmers’ market in appearance but that’s where the similarities end. Our markets are not meant to make a profit; we run a cost-neutral program. The purpose of the markets is to make food more accessible for those who can’t regularly purchase affordable food. The cost of living in Vancouver is high and we know that it can be difficult for low-income families, seniors, newcomers to Canada, and other folks to afford nutrient-rich food all the time. That’s why the markets were established!

Where do you get the food?
Every week, market staff pick up fresh produce from a distributor and our local farm partner, Fresh Roots. While we try to provide as much local and organic produce as possible, it is important to us that community members are able to afford the produce. Sometimes the food is conventional to keep costs lower. Local and organic food is more expensive (because hard-working farmers need a living wage too!) and that reflects in our prices.

What is the Cedar Cottage Food Network?
The Cedar Cottage Food Network is a non-profit organization with a mandate to increase access to affordable, healthy food as well as to provide education around all levels of the food systems from seed to table. The organization’s programs operate mainly in the Kensington-Cedar Cottage neighbourhood, hence our name. Besides the markets, we run cooking workshops, gardening workshops, educational community events, grocery store tours, and more! We are generously supported by the City of Vancouver, Vancouver Coastal Health, and Decoda Literacy (Raise-a-Reader).

How can I contribute?
Volunteers are always a huge help to us, at the market and in other programs. If you come to the markets regularly and feel that you are in a position to pay a little more for the produce you’re purchasing, we would appreciate the donation. Money we make at the markets helps the program run for those in the community who really need it.

Thank you so much to all of our market customers – see you in September!