A pair of Crossfield-based farmers’ market superstars have taken home an Alberta Farmers’ Market Association (AFMA) award for their shop-local prowess.
Husband-and-wife duo and owners of Petal & Pollen – provider of unique floral arrangements and raw honey – Kathy and David Lowther took home the AFMA's Outstanding New Vendor Award for their local and unique spin on their business.
Similarly, Crossfield's Cheryl Shea, manager of the Crossfield Farmers’ Market, snagged the annual Outstanding Market Manager of the Year Award for the second year in a row. The award recognizes her for her innovation in administration techniques, events, community involvement, and marketing.
According to Shea, each year, nominations are reviewed by the voting body of the AFMA, and she was chosen as the recipient for the second year, which is a first in the award’s history.
“Being recognized by the [AFMA], vendors, community, and shoppers is a huge honour,” Shea said. “I am amazed, grateful, and surprised that I have been recognized again this year for this provincial award – it means everything.”
She added receiving the award encourages her in that the long hours spent working at the market, laughs had, and joy felt, are all benefitting the Crossfield Farmers’ Market and the community.
She said the award is significant as it shows the market is continuing to grow in importance to Crossfieldians.
“We host exceptional specialty markets and continue to grow our outdoor seasonal farmers’ market,” she said. “It has come a long way in the last few years and yet there is still work to be done.”
She added she works for the good of the farmers’ market and its vendors, and is led by the strong work ethic instilled in her by her father, who was a small-business owner.
For many vendors, she said time spent at local farmers’ markets is more than just a hobby.
“I think sometimes folks think farmers’ market vendors are hobbyists and dabbling at the business. This isn’t the case for the majority,” she said. “These folks are carving out a living and a farmers’ market is a great place to establish customer relationships.”
Having worked as a vendor in the past, Shea said she relates to the struggle of being a farmers’ market vendor, setting up and taking down each day. Working as a manager keeps her connected to the local community and vendors.
“I believe I have a good working relationship with our vendors, and they know I have their back,” she said. “They know I will find a way through the obstacles or reinvent it for them to continue working.
“I will continue to build strong relationships with the vendors. I need them and they need us."
Petal & Pollen
Specialty-cut flower growers Kathy and David started their business in 2020 and were elated to take home the new vendor award in their first full season with the Crossfield Farmers' Market.
“[It was] a total surprise and we were completely honoured to be in that category,” Kathy said.
She added with her husband, she grows flowers from seed, bulb, and tuber on their property near Crossfield. Then, they create seasonal flowers and bouquets alongside homemade honey and combs that they sell at farmers’ markets throughout the growing season.
“I call the [arrangements] prairie-inspired – they're very loose, informal, beautiful with the flowers we grow on the land,” she said. “We also sell straight bunches of flowers that we bring in or that we grow ourselves, or we do small events, and weddings.”
She said the AFMA’s focus is on products that are local and handmade and boasts the slogan “Make it, Bake it, Grow it.”
“They’re really looking at people who are in agriculture, who are using agricultural products,” she said, adding their homegrown flavour contributed to their award, along with the support of fellow farmers’ market managers and vendors.
“I just think farmers’ markets have been a godsend over the last two years for people that want to sell their product,” said David, adding with COVID-19, some people were often wary of going to grocery stores, but farmer’s markets provided an outdoor venue with “amazing products.”
“You get amazing products that you just don’t see in the stores and some really high-quality products,” he said. “It’s quite an interesting thing to go through the farmers’ markets and see what’s available.
“I would encourage anybody who hasn’t visited one to get out.”
He added farmers’ markets are an “amazing opportunity” for vendors who want to get their products to market, and for buyers who want fresh-grown produce with a chance to meet the hands that grew it, made it, or baked it.
“It’s really nice and we really enjoy meeting the people,” he said.
Kathy added in the last couple years, the stories and memories that people have with their products like sweet peas and other flowers have made it all worthwhile.
“Flowers make people happy,” she said. “A lot of people have very strong emotions attached to those flowers and spend a lot of time thinking about which one they’re going to be purchasing, either for themselves or someone else – it's amazing.”
