For the second year in a row, the Esquimalt Farmer's Market (EFM) has won best in the province.
On Wednesday, the BC Association of Farmers Markets (BCAFM) named the EFM as "Farmers Market of the Year."
Mayor Barb Desjardins is very impressed with the market, which she says was started by a group of volunteers.
"A group of young women and a few young women that came together and said 'We want to make Esquimalt Farmer's Market' came to me and I just said 'Run with it, tell me what you need.' So the municipality is behind them, we provide some funding to them each year, but really they have made this happen. And for them to be best in BC two years in a row in their size market is phenomenal."
The BC Association of Farmers Markets gives out three versions of this award each year, for small, medium, and large size markets. The Esquimalt Market has won in the large category both years. The BCAFM says the EFM embraces creative and innovative work in giving back to the community and being a waste-free market. There are food donation hampers, strict guidelines to packaging, and offering a reusable "bag library."
The EFM also offers "Market Bucks" to ensure market-goers who don't bring cash can still buy from vendors who can't take credit or debit cards.
The market, which runs from 4:30 to 7:30 every other Thursday out of the Esquimalt Rec Centre, offers not only fresh produce and a great atmosphere, but also things that Desjardins calls "wares."
"Everything from soap to knitting to sausages, it's just fabulous."