CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Christine Loock-Friesen planned her trip to P.E.I. all the way from British Columbia just so she could try one of Scottie Miller’s New Zealand pies.
Loock-Friesen, a developmental pediatrician and associate professor at the B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, was coming to the Island this summer to visit family anyway, but she made sure the dates lined up with when Miller was going to be selling his New Zealand food at the Thursday Pop-up Market at the Farm Centre in Charlottetown.
Miller’s story was actually featured in The Guardian in mid-June. The New Zealand immigrant was in the process of converting a 1973 Neonex Leisure trailer into a travelling kitchen called Kiwi Kai P.E.I., complete with a 1950s-style diner look on the outside.
Miller, who also works as a chef at Kettle Black, made his debut at the Thursday market on July 11, the day The Guardian dropped by for a visit.
“I came all the way from B.C. to try these,’’ Loock-Friesen said as she ate her New Zealand pie.
She was more than pleased with the end product. The pies, made with bacon, eggs and onion are best eaten with the fingers, Miller said, even though it can be a rather messy affair.
Miller is one of about a dozen young locals (the oldest producer is 35 years old) selling homemade products at the Thursday market, which runs each Thursday, 3-6 p.m., until Oct. 11. It operates outside the Farm Centre on University Avenue in Charlottetown.
Soleil Hutchinson kicked things off a few years ago with the Legacy Garden at the Farm Centre. The Thursday market has been operating for the past three years.
“It’s all new younger producers who are growing stuff,’’ said Philip Humming, the deputy manager of the market who also sells pasture-raised meats at the market and works on a farm. “It has to be all local. All of our meat is pasture-raised meat, and the grains are local.’’
Hutchinson runs Soleil’s Farm in Bonshaw with her partner, Lauren King. Together, they sell their organic mixed vegetables at the market.
Hutchinson said she created the Thursday market to give people a chance to pick up products typically sold at a farmers’ market after work before the weekend so they could enjoy the food on the weekend.
“On their way home, they can get everything,’’ Hutchinson said. “It’s a curated farmers’ market that is only food. We have a variety of baked goods, different types of pasture-raised meats (and) organic vegetables.’’
“The economy is different (today). Farms come with a tremendous amount of overhead and it’s tough."
-Philip Humming
The customers like the Thursday market idea.
“It’s a nice change of pace from the usual market,’’ Misha Nosachenko said, referring to the Charlottetown Farmers’ Market on Belvedere Avenue.
“I like it because it's on a Thursday, it’s kind of like a night market,’’ said Maureen Leunes. “It seems to fit in really well with people coming after work. I like it because it’s organic and everybody is local . . . and it’s not as busy (as the Charlottetown Farmers’ Market).’’
Humming said he grew up farming and continues to work on a farm, but owning a farm is a daunting task for anyone in today’s world.
“The economy is different (today). Farms come with a tremendous amount of overhead and it’s tough,’’ Humming said.
Travis Cummiskey, 25, who also sells produce at the Thursday market, said initiatives like the one at the Farm Centre, help open the door slightly for young people to get involved in agriculture and selling local products.
“It’s nice to see some young people take a crack at it. Sometimes, you just need to find your niche,’’ Cummiskey said, referring to the different products the young local growers sell at the Thursday market.
