Farmers market helps with limited grocery access in Port Elgin, N.B.

Vegetable and poultry farmer Elita Rahn started organizing weekly farmers markets in Port Elgin, N.B. in May because grocery options are very limited in the rural community.

Though there are limited groceries available at a local pharmacy as well as another small business, Port Elgin residents have to drive over 30 kilometres to get to the nearest grocery store in Sackville, N.B.

“The local community just loves having the market. They love coming out and talking with their friends and neighbours and getting local food,” she said in an interview on Sunday.

Jan Légère, who has lived in Port Elgin for 50 years, buys most of her produce at the farmers market.

“I try to get all my greens there and whatever they got going. So there are several farmers that come and I try to get kale and spinach, romaine lettuce and whatever they have that’s fresh. I shop here instead of the Superstore,” she said.

Rahn organized her first Christmas market on Sunday. It was so well-attended, she’s already looking for a larger venue for next year.

Légère picked up some hand-made presents from local artisans to give at Christmas.

“I don’t know how to do Amazon, so that’s one thing,” she said.

“The other thing is it just feels nice touching things and buying them from somebody I really know and taking them home to someone I love.”

Recent transplant Cathy Rogers sold rugs at the Christmas market. She moved to Port Elgin a year ago, and thinks the bustling market is a sign the village is picking up momentum.

“There’s a lot of community talk. We want to see hardware, grocery, coffee shops. We want to see a lot of things and there’s some people that are really batting around ideas and I think we are gonna see some growth,” she said.