A family-owned and operated farm that hails from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia opened a local market just north of Airdrie last week to sell their cultivated B.C. fruits, Alberta veggies and other sustainably sourced goods year-round.
The Souto Farms Local Market opened to the public on June 11, offering a mix of the business’s own fresh produce as well as goods from 23 Alberta-based vendors. The shelves were stocked full of mixed nuts, dehydrated fruits, fresh produce and confectionery goods on opening day.
According to Chris Souto, one of four co-owners of Souto Farms, the B.C. farm’s fresh produce is managed by his mother Helena, while his father Alvin drives in weekly shipments of fruit to Alberta from the Okanagan. The farm’s vegetables are grown on the south side of the market building in Airdrie, managed by Souto and his sister Melissa.
Melissa Souto, part owner of Souto Farms local market in Airdrie, rings up an order for a customer during the market's opening weekend. Photo by Carmen Cundy/Airdrie City ViewHe said the farm places a special emphasis on supporting local vendors and the Okanagan-grown fruit is the only out-of-province stock for sale at the market.
“Our closest year-round farmer’s market is in Calgary and we don’t really have that option out here [in Airdrie] and we’ve been in Calgary for so many years [selling our produce], our focus has always been Calgary,” he said. “Until we came out to the county, [we] didn’t really think much of the area.
“But now, I honestly wouldn’t change it for the world.”
While the Souto family has been selling their produce at markets in Alberta for years, Souto added the fixed market location in Airdrie – located just north of the city, off of Dickson-Stevenson Trail – will offer a chance for the family to grow their roots in southern Alberta. Brothers Steve and Dan Souto also manage Souto Farms’ sister company, Steve & Dan’s Fresh BC Fruit, which operates a similar seasonal farm store in northern Alberta.
The family is also known in Alberta for their dehydrated apple chips, which have been adopted by several grocers in the province including Safeway, Sobeys, Co-op and Loblaws.
Souto Farms is well known for their fresh apple chips sold at their local market in Airdrie. The chips are also available at select grocery stores in Calgary and Edmonton. Photo by Carmen Cundy/Airdrie City View“[Before coming to Alberta] we spent all of our life in southern Okanagan,” said Souto of his and his sibling’s upbringing. “That’s where we were all born and raised – all born into the produce-growing family.”
The Souto family farm began in the early 1970s, after Souto’s grandparents immigrated to the Okanagan from Portugal. For nearly 50 years, (or three generations) the Souto family have cultivated fresh apples, cherries, peaches, and other fruits on their family farm near Oliver, B.C., while simultaneously working with neighbouring farmers to supply fresh goods to markets in both B.C. and Alberta.
“Our main stuff on our farm is cherries and peaches... and we have about seven or eight different varieties of apples,” he said. “We [also work with] farmers that have a farm down in Abbotsford that grow all of our berries.”
Brother and sister duo Chris and Melissa began the Airdrie vegetable patch several years ago after purchasing a plot of land in Rocky View County, just north of the city's limits. In addition to a variety of vegetables, the farm is host to approximately 18 beehives that pollinate and produce honey, which is then sold directly in the market store.
“People can literally witness and see where their honey is coming from,” he said. “Our baker is [also] a local baker that provides apple strudels and apple pies.
“So, we’re really big on local, really big on family and small-scale businesses that we can help grow.”
Calgary Mini Donuts offered up a selection of treats for visitors of Souto Farms local market on Saturday during the market's opening weekend. Photo by Carmen Cundy/Airdrie City ViewIn addition to the local goods on offer in the 5,000-square-foot store, a patio located on the south side of the building provides patrons a spot to enjoy a scoop of the store’s ice cream, or a treat from a weekly food truck, such as Calgary Mini Donuts or The Caffeinated Squirrel.
“We’re going to try to focus to have one food truck here every weekend so we can make sure people have that option as well and try to change it up,” he said. “[We’re] trying to make it more of a destination spot where people can kind of get out and get free and out of the city and enjoy the outdoors.”
He added that on opening day, the turnout was “incredible,” and patrons have been happy with the variety of goods for sale, as well as the location and space for parking.
“We kind of designed the market where we could be a little more niche, a little more state-of-the-art, and kind of take the farmers markets to a new level,” he said. “So, we just built something that we could support all the local vendors, and have something where people have all the varieties.”
The Souto Farms Local Market is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday to Sunday. For more information or to order online, visit soutofarmsonlinemarket.com
Carmen Cundy, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @carmenrcundy
