Trout Lake Farmer's Market

Beautiful sunny day, lovely lake and there's a farmer's market offering organic, handmade and local produce and other goods - have to remember to bring cash and my tote bag cuz it feels like a shopping kind of day!  The Trout Lake Farmer's Market is run by the Vancouver Farmer's Market organization and with a peep through their website, I'm super excited that so many vendors will be there but since it's a nice Saturday morning, there's tons of people here too!

Here's a looky-loo and very brief summary of what the Piglets saw!  There's more available but there's only so many pictures a blog post can have!

There is no parking at the market itself and surrounding streets are closed off except for local traffic - there's plenty of parking just a couple blocks away but you can always take public transportation (the skytrain is nearby), walk or bike in.  There's a bike valet by donation as well!

Live in a townhouse like I do with no garden to tend to??  I always have the problem of having too much garbage and the guilt of throwing away organic (egg shells, peelings from fruits and vegetables, etc) items into the bin since I have no garden to use them in.  Well, fret no more because you can bring your compost here!  Food Scraps Drop Spot takes all your compostable items from tea bags, old bread, soiled paper towels all the way to bones and fruits and veggies.  You'd be surprised how little garbage you'll have after you start composting... 

Now that you've dropped off some compost, let's see what we can pick up!  Lots of produce, herbs and plants available...

 Baked goods, artisanal products and other savory items are on the menu...

There's also prepared and hot food available for those looking for a meal whilst shopping...

Good ole Earnest Ice Cream...  I think I'm going to make it a tradition to have an ice cream sandwich everytime I go to a Farmer's Market.  I had the cardamom flavor at the Thornton Park FM so Mr. Piglet decided on the chocolate.  It's good, I don't think as good as cardamom, but still very good.  Love that cookie sandwich!

Vij's Railway Express - one of Vancouver's newest food carts and it's making tsunamis around the city with numerous mentions in newspapers, magazines, online sites and word of mouth buzz.  Usually they're downtown for lunch but they sometimes frequent the FM as well and these Piglets are definitely going to partake!

Some entertainment to go with your meal?

After a day of walking around the market, strolling around the lake and eating all that we could, the Piglets are coming away with a few gems:

I can't wait to show you what I can do with these veggies!!

Hello, my name is Ms. Piglet and I am a farmer's market addict.  I can't wait to go the next one!  Check out the Vancouver Farmer's Market's website to see what's around you and you can also google your area for other markets out there.  Happy shopping and bon appetite!

Pros:

• Beautiful local and organic produce
• Delicious food for purchase
• Compost drop spot
• Close to public transportation
• Free parking in surrounding areas

Cons:

• Cash only (market tokens are available from the VFM tent but it's a $2 surcharge)
• Crowded - was pushed by a lady claiming "I NEED to get through" - well the rest of us do too lady...
• Go early or you might miss out on some good stuff sold out early - flats of raspberries and baskets of stawberries were gone within a couple hours
• Limited hours - only 9 to 2!