Wednesday, September 29, 2010

AMS Farmers Market @ UBC

I'm back from a brief two-week hiatus. I say "brief" because I have been the painful and debilitating thralls of an inflammatory bodily flare-up due to my scoliosis (an abnormal curvature of the spine). In part, it is my fault, working two jobs for a year that had a high physical component and not lifting properly. Not doing stretches every single day like my back specialist said I would have to do every day for the rest of my life. Pushing myself too hard. Thinking myself more physically able and capable then I will ever be.

I'm on prescription anti-inflammatories and I have an appointment with my family physician next week. I had a back x-ray today and I will nervously await the results to see if a) my scoliosis has worsened and b) if any injury has surfaced. I am happy to say that I am for the first time in weeks free of a life-stopping, wholly upsetting, vice-grip headache (knock on the hardest wood ever-sexual pun really not intended at all there!) that has destroyed my life in more ways than one this month especially.

I'm determined to get to the bottom of all of this and start getting better again. I deserve a long and happy life.

Anyways, that's my emptying of my soul to you, my readers and cyberspace, and I feel better.

What I'm really here about today is to rave about the AMS Farmers Market @ UBC. When I was leaving work at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts a couple weeks ago, I saw a big bright poster advertising the market on the SUB. It was unfortunately not a day that the market was on (Sep. 17, Sep. 24, & Oct. 1), but I hoped I could still make it. Luckily, I was working on Sep. 24 and I finished work with plenty of time to go check it out.


Photo Credit: thegreatcanadiangiftcompany.com

The market is on the South Side of the SUB (South Plaza) right at the foot of the Grassy Knoll. There were six, great, local vendors there (a few of which I recognized from the Vancouver Farmers Markets: Natural Village Farm from Richmond selling vegetable produce, Hardbite Potato Chips (a local success story), Honeyview Farm from Rosedale in the Fraser Valley purveying honey and honey products, The Apple Barn hailing from Abbotsford selling peppers and other produce, Arkesteyn-Vogler Family Farm from Abbotsford selling a range of organic produce, and Golden West Farms from Summerland with their delicious organic
apples and peaches.



I didn't really know what to expect from the market, but I was really impressed. All local and often organic vendors with high-quality products at great prices that students, faculty, and visitors of UBC can really feel good about purchasing. I didn't come with a grocery list or much money, so I limited myself to buying some delicious and huge collard greens ($2) and some beets ($1.50). Only $3.50 for some really healthy local vegetables that have lasted me awhile!


Beets & Collard Greens, Natural Village Farm, Richmond, BC
I was so pleased! Thrilled and exhilarated, actually. Food should get people excited and I was happy to be one of those lucky folks. The 2 bags of Hardbite Potato Chips for $4 (full-size bags too!) was a hard deal to pass up. Tempting though. Very tempting.

If you're nervous about eating leafy green vegetables (hey, childhood eating habits are hard to break), all you have to do is sautee them for a few minutes (until they are wilted) in some butter or olive oil with minced garlic and/or  chopped onions and a sprinkle of salt. Delicious! And extremely healthy. The beet greens taste more like spinach when they are cooked, but the collard greens hold a more distinct, perhaps lettuce-like flavour (I can't describe it, but I prefer it). Roasting the actual beets are a good idea too. And here's a tip: use gloves and don't wear white when handling the beets. They stain and the juice is bright-pink!

I definitely recommend getting to the last market of the AMS Farmers Market series this Friday, October 1 from 10:30 am-5:30am, rain or shine. I don't know exactly which vendors will be there, but you are bound to find something worthwhile and delicious.

I'm so pleased to see this initiative from the AMS and I wish them the greatest success. Hopefully it will be an annual event that increases in length and size next year and far into the future. Kudos!

1 comment:

  1. I've got a few things to say about my above post:
    1) I apologize for the slips in grammar, etc. in it. You may not notice, but I-an aspiring copy editor-definitely did. So, I'm sorry!
    2) I forgot to mention that when you sautee the collard greens, make sure you slice those up too. Whole leafs won't do you much good in the pan or on your plate.
    3) Thanks for reading my blog!

    ReplyDelete