REGINA, Sask. — Regina Farmers’ Market vendors are heading into a crucial final stretch of the outdoor season, with an abundance of produce coming off the fields following harvest delays caused by heavy September rain.
The last outdoor Regina Farmers’ Market of the season is Oct. 10.
The next two weeks will be critical for both the market and vendors to sell produce after harvest was delayed by heavy rain during the first several weeks of September.
Holly Laird, executive director of the Regina Farmers’ Market, encourages everyone to get out and support local farmers while they have such an abundance of produce.
"You can really taste the difference in those fresh products that are available now, so it's very important — this stretch and this time of year during harvest," said Laird.
One Regina Farmers’ Market vendor, Jordan Haaland, who owns Valley Roots Market Garden, said the coming weeks are vital for sales as crops are coming off the field at a rapid pace.
"Because there's so much of it, I like to move things at a really reasonable price — and just lots of it — because, I tell people, when I come back to the garden, there's just going to be more waiting for me," said Haaland.
Haaland said one product in particular he would like to get a jump on is his sweet corn.
"I kind of planted with the hope that the El Niño fall would work out to our benefit in southern Saskatchewan, and so far it has … it just didn't do much for the sweet corn," said Haaland.
Haaland plans to take advantage of the warm weather over the next two weeks, with a goal of getting every cob of sweet corn off the field and into the market.
Laird pointed out that some vendors "continue to sell even once it's snowing, and we do have other vendors who grow indoors, or hydroponically, and still bring in fresh greens, tomatoes, herbs and things all through the winter, so that's a really big season for those folks … it's their time to shine."
