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Williams Lake Farmers Market up and running today despite wildfire situation

Lots of fresh locally grown vegetables, meat, sausage, homemade bread, Okanagan fruit and more is being sold at the Williams Lake Farmers Market which continues today until 2 p.m.
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There are a total of 13 vendors selling locally grown fresh vegetables, homemade bread, eggs, pickles, frozen meat products and sausages, fruit and more at the Williams Lake Farmers Market in Boitanio Park today until 2 p.m. The market is the first since the wildfire evacuation order for Williams lake was lifted late last week. Gaeil Farrar photo

While many local growers have been adversely affected by the current wildfire situation, the Williams Lake Farmers Market was still able to reopen today after the wildfire evacuation order was lifted for Williams Lake last week.

Visitors to the market were able to pick up fresh locally grown lettuce, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, pickles, fruit from the Okanakan along with local homemade bread, eggs, meat and sausage products along with some craft items, and more .

Market manager Karl Van de Wijngaard said they normally have 24 to 30 vendors on site but given the current fire situation a total of 13 vendors were able to make if to the market in Boitanio Park.

Vendors report there was a steady flow of customers through the morning for the market that winds up today at 2 p.m. Normal hours are from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Fridays.

“It is fine for the first day because it was anticipated that people will still be busy with other things,” says market manager Karl Van de Wijngaard.

He said many of the local growers said they couldn’t make it today because they were still dealing with road closures and evacuations and were behind in their growing operations.

“Hickups like these mess things up so I think there is quite a bit of loss out there with many of the growers. It shows us how vulnerable we really are,” Van de Wijngaard said.

He said he also had to throw a way a lot of produce at his Soda Creek farm that bolted during the evacuation.

He knows of at least one regular vendor at the market who lost their shop and the power line to their home.

He said he hopes the fire situation raises awareness about the benefit of learning to grown their own food and supporting local growers and producers.

“If anything were to happen to where our food comes from people need to know how to grow their own vegetables or at least support local growers,” Van de Wijngaard said.