Church hosts indoor ‘farmers’ market’

BY BRIAN HAMILTON

If you find yourself searching for fresh wholesome food, look no further than St. George’s Church in Ste. Anne de Bellevue. Every other Saturday the church hosts a farmers’ market to help support farmers during the winter months.

When the summer months come to an end, many farmers lose markets in which to sell their goods. Typically, farmers will wait until the spring for business to pick up, but with the effort of Ste. Anne resident Elizabeth Abbott, farmers now have one more venue to sell their products.

Abbott is one of the people responsible for getting the farmers market started. “Over the winter they need somewhere to sell things,” said Abbott. “I wanted to support them in some way.”

Due to her efforts, farmers from McGill University’s MacDonald Campus and as far away as Ontario, can continue selling their goods year-round.

William Golding comes in from Rigaud to sell honey, cheese and wax candles. He has been with the market for six years and this is the first year the market is held during the winter, due to customer demand, according to Golding. “During the summer people walk in off the boardwalk to buy their things and people have been asking for a winter market,” Golding said. Although he sells his honey and other items out of his home, the market has been helpful. For a mere $6 you can purchase a 500-gram jar of honey, which is 100-per-cent Canadian. Golding sells larger quantities available for those with a bigger sweet tooth.

At the market one will also find healthy organically grown vegetables and bread along with two bakers and a butcher shop. If you’re not looking for food, the market has expanded to selling books, paper goods, such as cards and stationary, and massage therapist Lise-Anne Briand is on hand to provide a greater customer experience.

Briand has been providing massage therapy to the market’s clients for three years. “During the summer people want to buy, but during the winter not so much,” Briand said. The market has been beneficial because “the people that come to the market, they really want to buy,” she said.

Briand has primarily used the market for publicity purposes and has been successful in gaining clients. She only charges a dollar per minute for a massage, with most customers enjoying the experience for 15 to 20 minutes. With new people showing up each time the market has been growing in popularity. What started off as a marketing tool for Briand has turned out to be a good business opportunity for her and all involved.

The next market will be held this Saturday in the basement of St. George’s Church, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 23 Perrault St., near John Abbott College. The market is scheduled to be going on until mid-May.