About the

Farmers' Market

It’s alive with Local! With over 100 vendors and growing, the St. John’s Farmers’ Market is the ultimate farmers’ market experience for families, foodies, and everyone who’s looking for locally grown produce, specialty foods, ready-to-eat fare, arts and crafts, and so much more!

KnitSprite
St. John's Farmers' Market Commercial Kitchen
St. John's Farmers' Market Workshop
Graham Blair Woodcuts
St. John’s Farmers’ Market
Nagel's Hill Agri-Products
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The Space

We respectfully acknowledge the land on which we gather as the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk, whose culture has now been erased forever.

We also acknowledge the island of Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland) as the unceded, traditional territory of the Beothuk and the Mi’kmaq.

And we acknowledge Labrador as the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Innu [in-new] of Nitassinan, the Inuit of Nunatsiavut, and the Inuit of NunatuKavut.

We recognize all First Peoples who were here before us, those who live with us now, and the seven generations to come. As First Peoples have done since time immemorial, we strive to be responsible stewards of the land and to respect the cultures, ceremonies, and traditions of all who call it home.

At the St. John’s Farmers’ Market, we acknowledge that all that we do here and all over the island is because of those who came before us. We create and grow our crops and homemade items on a land that was not originally ours.

We strive to create an open and welcoming environment for everyone, including those who are part of the Two-Spirit Community. As we open our hearts and minds to the past, we commit ourselves to working in a spirit of truth and reconciliation to make a better future for all.

Our space is in the former Metrobus depot on Freshwater Road since 2018. At 14,000 sq ft, it is seven times the size of our previous location and will be better for the whole community – vendors and visitors alike. The larger space means we will be able to accept more vendors and there will be more room for customers to socialize with friends, eat tasty foods, buy great local produce, and pick up some neat local art. Much more than what fits in the current space, and without leaving out any of the activities that make the current market so great. It will be a true community space too, with a community kitchen, a public square, a playground, and much more; an important amenity in a city lacking public places to gather.

Our History

The St. John’s Farmers’ Market was initiated in the Fall of 2007 with a single local organic farmer. She wanted to sell off some surplus crop, and so she rented the Masonic Temple in downtown St. John’s and invited other vendors to come and sell their wares. This event was a huge success – it attracted over 500 customers with minimal advertising. Following this market, a group of community members held a meeting to discuss the viability of a regular market in St. John’s. This group organized two more successful markets were held in Fall 2007.

In January 2008 the community members organized a formal Steering Committee. This group’s purpose was to devise a plan of action to make a regular farmers’ market in St. John’s a reality. The committee consisted of six individuals from various backgrounds, including farmers and other potential vendors, and potential customers from the community. This group of volunteers organized the first full season of the St. John’s Farmers’ Market in 2008 with weekly markets held every Saturday from July to November.

During the fall of 2008, the Steering Committee appointed a Consulting Team to look at how to make the St. John’s Farmers’ Market sustainable. The Team presented a report in early 2009 suggesting that the St. John’s Farmers’ Market adopt a Co-op Structure. It was proposed that the Co-operative model would serve both the economic and social developments goals of the Market.

In 2009, the Steering Committee formally incorporated as the Friends’ of the St. John’s Farmers’ Market. This group continued to manage the St. John’s Farmers’ Market during the 2009 and 2010 Seasons. Also in 2009, the Market hired its first employee – the 2009 Market Manager.

Over the next two years, the Friends’ of the St. John’s Farmers’ Market facilitated the development of the St. John’s Farmers’ Market Co-op. During 2010, the Friends’ of the St. John’s Farmers’ Market performed extensive consultations with the St. John’s Farmers’ Market Community and researched best practices from other Farmers’ Markets across North America. The group then presented the Market community with a draft business plan and by-laws for the Co-op.

The Co-op was finally formed November 2010. The Co-op had a founding membership of 25 members, including vendors and consumers. The Co-op’s first AGM was held on May 7th, 2011.

The St. John’s Farmers’ Market Co-op has managed the Market since the 2011 Season. The Friends’ of the St. John’s Farmers’ Market group continues to work and support the St. John’s Farmers’ Market.

Lions Club Chalet
St. John's Farmers' Market
Fire Hill Farms

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