Farmers market fosters foodways
Brooke Rice (left) and Laurie Deer (right) at the first edition of the Homegrown Farmer's Market. Courtesy Brooke Rice
Kahnawa’kehró:non Brooke Rice is hoping to reinvigorate community members to create local foodways and re-engage with traditional practices like bartering and trading by hosting a weekly Homegrown Farmers Market at the former Indian Village.
The project is the latest initiative from her community project Tkà:nios, which focuses on land-based practices to promote food sovereignty.
“We really just wanted to have a gathering that inspires people, and we hope to bring good energy and connection with plenty of fresh local food and goodies to the community,” Rice said.
The first market took place on August 3, and it’s set to continue every other week while the weather allows, with the next market taking place this Sunday, August 17.
There’s no fee to participate in the market as a vendor, and Rice wants to encourage those of any and all practices to set up at the event.
“If you’re into fermenting, if you have an abundant garden, if you have livestock, we know there’s a lot of people that garden in the community, that forage, and that are medicine makers,” she said. “If you’ve got eggs, salves, pickles, we’ve got a place to come together and create a farmers market.”
She said that community members are welcome to sell their wares, but that she’s also encouraging other types of economy at the market.
“Folks can share, sell, or barter,” she said. “We want to bring people together, because every time we buy or trade with someone here in the community, we’re strengthening our own local network of like-minded people and we’re keeping our food systems resilient.”
The first market saw Deer Apothecary set up shop with items like magnesium oil, jams, and jellies, as well as Larry McComber who brought pickled goodies and ferments.
Laurie Deer and Larry McComber trade garlic and apothecary items. Courtesy Brooke Rice
As well as being a way to invest back in the community, the first edition of the market was also a way to build connections between community members, and Rice hopes that can continue to grow with the market.
“We were able to share gardening tips and recipes and swap ideas about future markets that we can have,” she said. “It’s really nice to keep the momentum going and visit with people you might not often get to visit.”
She said that the more people get behind the mission of food sovereignty, the stronger Kahnawake will become.
“We can also talk about our downfalls and our challenges, and it really creates a fire in each of us to come together and acknowledge each other’s hard work,” she said. “It’s highlighting the importance of getting back to that slowness, eating seasonally, giving back to the land, and just having that collective, communal mindset.”
It’s a mission that’s been integral to Tkà:nios’ programming, as the group seeks to build more local foodways and educate community members through workshops and events.
“It’s who we are, it’s integral to our identity and our culture, and our overall wellness really. I think it’s beautiful that we get to ingest food that gets sung to by the birds,” she said. “It’s deepening our connection to the land and who we are, and the end of the day, it’s medicine.”
Attendance and vending is free, though Rice said that the group is accepting donations to fund a portable washroom for the event, in anticipation of more vendors and attendees coming as harvest season rolls around.
“When people show up with an abundance of zucchini or honey or eggs and we’re sitting there all day, we’ll need some sort of bathroom,” she said.
She anticipates the festival running until late September or early October.
“It feels good to see everyone getting back to the land and eating locally, and connecting more with our food,” Rice said.
She added that she’d love to see the market extend beyond food, and have vendors sharing their handmade creations like knitting or sewing.
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“We want to include their work as well, because they’re putting their energy into creating with their hands,” she said. “We just want to bring good energy and vibes to that place.”
Those interested in vending can reach out to Rice directly or email [email protected].
