Ruby, mouthwatering apples, scrumptious bread and jam tasters and other Quebec fruits and vegetables that tease the palate were on display at the downtown campus Friday, as part of a farmer’s market which concluded the first session of ASFA’s Green Week.
“I believe it’s important to have these events and have them frequently to raise awareness of what is happening around us,” Chad Walcott said, ASFA’s vice-president of external affairs and sustainability, referring to the sustainability and environment themed week of events.
Walcott said it was his first time participating in Green Week, and though there were bumps along the way, he was happy with the overall attendance and the reception of the events that took place. The point of the local farmers market, he said, is to encourage students to take a closer look at what is happening on campus and in their community.
“If we don’t (support) Quebec we will have less and less farms,” said Louis-Charles Faille, an employee of Ferme des Petits Cailloux, which participated in the market.
Faille withstood the cold and stood behind his stand to sell his apples to Concordia students. He said he enjoyed going to these events ever since he got to talk to the consumers and got out of the fields for the day. Faille said that although the products were more expensive than what you could buy at a common supermarket, it was only because they had to ensure they were producing quality fruits that were more environmentally friendly.
Nadine, an employee of Les confitures de Jeannette who did not give her last name, agreed with Faille’s statement on the quality of these products, adding that the food tastes better than what is available in grocery stores.
She also noted that the benefit also reaches beyond the agricultural, noting that buying local “helps move the Quebec economy,” as the consumers are making a contribution to their community in helping local farmers and artisans in Quebec to survive. She said that when students buy food grown in Quebec they encourage the local economy and are making an environmentally friendly choice.
Nadine also emphasized the social aspect of these markets saying: “Local Markets are also a place to encounter other people.” She explained that by talking to consumers and offering food samples to the buyer, these local vendors increase the overall positive experience of the markets.
“In the past people used to go to churches to meet,” Nadine said. “Now they go to local market.”