The Yellowhead Community Services and Clearwater Farmers’ Market Harvest Faire is taking place on Saturday, Sept. 14, during the Clearwater Farmers Market 9 a.m. and going until noon at the Dutch Lake Community Centre field.
“There will be a number of great events running during the same weekend in the valley as our Harvest Faire this year including the Disc Golf tournament called ‘Harvest Huck’ at the Clearwater Ski Hill taking place all weekend," said Food Security Program coordinator and Literacy Outreach coordinator, Joanna Hurst. "During our Harvest Faire there will be three contests; an Apple Pie Bake Off, the Best "Beauty and the Beast" Gardening Competition and new this year, the Local Foodie Scavenger Hunt. We will also have live music, an Arts Alive display and a variety of family centred activities throughout the morning. There will be prizes for the contests and a petting farm sponsored by the local 4-H club as well."
Hurst said people can pick up their paper copies of the contest rules and scavenger hunt list at the Dutch Lake Community Centre or on site at the Clearwater Farmers’ Market info tent.
"It’s going to be a lot of fun," she added.
Hurst also wants to remind residents in the valley about the Yellowhead Community Services (YCS) Gleaning Program.
“Volunteers pick unwanted fruit or garden produce – the harvest is shared between the pickers and program," she explained. "Program produce is re-directed to various food programming ie: Community Food Table at the farmers Market, Food Bank, host workshops, or processed and preserved."
The program reduces food waste, reduces nuisance wildlife, redirects more food back into the local food system, feeds vulnerable families and provide food literacy opportunities, she noted.
"We are working within our Food Hub Network to develop a gleaning program in Barriere as well.”
YCS is a non-profit, registered charity. As a contracted agency, committing energy and resources to delivering a wide variety of mostly free programs and services to those residing in the North Thompson Valley - from McLure to Blue River. The non-profit provides integrated supports and services to individuals of all ages through several different community locations, including offices and program centres in Clearwater and Barriere.
Anyone wanting find out more information about the upcoming Harvest Faire, YCS Gleaning Program, food security, Farmers’ Markets year round, is encouraged to contact Hurst at 250-674-1472 or email: joanna.h@yellowheadcs.ca and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clearwaterfarmersmarket
You can also visit the YCS website at: www.yellowheadcs.ca
