CRESTON, B.C. – Food is the common ground for a diverse population of retirees, low income earners and former urban residents who live in this town in southeastern British Columbia.
The Creston Valley Food Action Coalition tries to connect them.
The non-profit group was formed in 2007 to promote the production of locally grown food. Its website lists 15reasons peopleshould support its activities, and Jen Comer of the coalition said the community has responded.
One of the coalition’s first projects organized volunteers to collect unharvested fruit in the region’s many orchards. The produce is redistributed at food banks, with some going to the pickers and owners if they want it.
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“That was a really easy way to start addressing some of the actually serious needs in our community and getting people healthy and nutritious food,” said Comer.
She said thousands of pounds of cherries are discarded annually in the local landfill because they are flawed or because growers find it uneconomical to harvest them. Dumped fruit from Washington state often drives prices so low that the cherries aren’t worth picking, Comer said.
As manager of the Creston Valley Farmers’ Market, Comer said she has found the coalition’s Farm Fresh Guide useful and promotional. It is updated regularly and lists all local producers in the area.
The market has proved popular, she said.
“There’s an interesting mix. There’s a lot of retirement people moving to Creston. Creston has typically been a retirement community, so a lot of people are moving in who are starting market gardens as their second career in life.
“Then we’ve got a lot of younger people who are moving here who have said, ‘that’s it, I’ve had enough of working in the city. I want to raise my kids in a healthy rural environment.’ ”
A farmers’ market has operated for years in Creston, but the coalition took it over in January 2010 and developed a three-year business plan.
“We blew our business plan out of the water and exceeded all expectations,” said Comer. “We were hoping for 20 vendors and we’re heading upward of 40. Everything that we had planned for a three-year business plan came through in one season.”
As a result, a mid-week market is planned downtown during June, July and August, and plans are afoot to find a permanent location instead of the three venues the market now uses at different times of the year. A year-round market may eventually be developed.
Comer said produce is the priority when it comes to booking booths, in keeping with the area’s strengths and the coalition’s goals.
She said the market has been successful because of community involvement and timing.
