Reflecting on the Season 

As most of our markets wind down, we have a moment to breathe and look back on this summer! It was a season of a lot of change, tough decisions, and dealing with growing pains. It was also full of laughs, growing together, and making forever memories.  

Here are the best moments of the summer according to some of our management staff: 

Katie

“Going to the farm. Being able to see for myself the hard work and passion that goes into every single piece of fruit and how beautiful our orchard really is. Being able to feed the future with my own knowledge based out of my own experiences.”  

 

Devin 

 Getting to work more markets like Edson and Salisbury, meet more people, and understand why they sell at farmers markets. I got to meet so many passionate people and talk to them about what interests them… whether it’s knitwear, paintings, vegetables, kombucha, or dumplings. Farmers markets are a truly beautiful thing because everything is grown or made with such care and love.

Devan

Driving to and from markets with Brendan, singing to Adore You by Miley Cyrus. It's just a good song.

 Patricia

When going to the market and visiting Steve & Dan’s Fresh BC Fruit, you get a sense of hard work, family, and community. When visiting the family farm in Oliver, we got a chance to see those attributes up close. Hard work: Steve and Dan’s dad Alvin said, “it is not about the money, it is about the lifestyle.” Family: the Souto’s are a supportive family, and this comes into play when they do business. This summer, I was introduced to the idea of an “Everyone Culture.” The staff don’t just come to work and leave. They are a family too. Community: while in BC, we got to visit a number of farms - from a pear farm in the middle of Kelowna to an organic peach farm in Osoyoos. It was incredible to see how the farmers in the BC community form positive relationships. Steve and Dan are a big part of that.

  

 

Kurt

 Getting to know all the new staff and customers, especially doing interviews at the beginning of the year. -- Shout out to Iconoclast Koffiehuis in Oliver for letting us hang out for hours and do interviews!

Jentre

Our trip to the orchard! It was great to learn more about our own farm and the other farmers we work with. 

 

Georgina

My favourite part of working this summer was getting the opportunity to work at different markets with different managers. Not only was I able to meet such incredible regular customers at every market, but I got to see my favourite people (fruit fam!) so much more. I learned a lot this summer from everyone am incredibly grateful for the friendships I’ve built with them.

Marco

The interactions with all the new staff and customers. There was this older couple that visited us at South Common and we gave them some pears on the house. Coincidentally it was their wedding anniversary! She was so grateful and they were the cutest couple as they’d been together for so long.

Brendan

The best part about my summer was being able to work with the same crew at Seba and really connect with everyone, then being able to cool off on a hot day in the lake! 

 

 

Derek

All of the awesome customers we had this summer, as well as the great staff at my markets!

Lara
We were driving back from the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market in the big semi. A storm was brewing ahead and wind was picking up. Derek gets a phone call from Dan to check in on things, and they’re just talking casual. That’s when it got really dark out. And suddenly to the far left of us we see a massive, powerful tornado getting ready to touch down. And that was my first time seeing a cyclone before my eyes.

Steve

So many good memories... that pie brought to us warm by [longtime customer] Esther, hearing a customer say our fruit was the best they had since moving from their old country 20 years ago, making parents and kids happy by giving them a free piece of fruit...

Dan

Definitely visiting markets and seeing how great our management team is at representing us! I got to meet so many great customers and learn more about the people who supported us

Thanks for another wonderful season, Alberta! You can still find us at our winter markets. For our full schedule, click here.