Here’s a way to do shopping, get into all things pumpkin AND honour a living legend, Richmond Councillor Harold Steves. Mr. Steves is a farmer (Steveston is named after his family) and he is also a founding father of the Agricultural Land Reserve. He’s also a very nice guy, and very knowledgeable about agriculture, planning, and this region.
While you can enjoy the farmer’s market at the UBC Farm at 3461 Ross Drive, you can also be part of the official tree planting ceremony to honour Mr. Steves. They are not saying what kind of a tree they are planting in his honour, but I would pick an oak tree, a quercus garryana.
Celebrating Harold Steves
Join us at 11:00AM for a tree planting ceremony to honour Harold Steves. Harold Steves is known as “Mr. Richmond” for his work for over five decades as a councilor in the city. During that time, he’s fought to preserve farmland, the environment, and the heritage in the region. Last year, Steves announced plans to retire at the end of his current term in October 2022. He is BC’s longest-serving politician. Steves conceived of and helped found the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) in the 1970s, which now preserves 4.6 million hectares across BC for farming, ranching, or agricultural use. This was the first agricultural land reserve in North America and has had a significant and lasting effect on food security in our province over the last several decades.
You can read about the remarkable Mr. Steves here and here.
PUMPKIN FEST AT THE SATURDAY FARMER’S MARKET: University of British Columbia
Saturday, October 30 | 10:00AM – 2:00PM
Celebrate halloween at the market with Pumpkin Fest at the UBC Farm! A last hurrah for the changing seasons, a place to get your fill of fall bounty fruits and vegetables, and special pumpkin-y activities.
Pumpkin Carving Contest, Costume Draw, and Farm tour!
The festival will feature a special tree-planting ceremony at 11:00 am to celebrate the career and retirement of distinguished Land and Food Systems alumnus, Harold Steves (BSc Agriculture, ‘63). We invite you to join us to honour Steves’ accomplishments. Join the official planting ceremony, enjoy refreshments, and tour the UBC Farm. Feel free to come early or stay late to pick up your groceries and participate in the pumpkin festivities.
Food and coffee trucks
More than 30 different local vendors selling produce, fruit, meat, mushrooms, eggs, baked goods, beverages, sweet treats, alcohol, artisan goods, and more!
Pumpkin Carving Contest
How does it work?
Bring your most creatively carved pumpkin to the market on Saturday Oct. 30th, between 9:30-10:30AM, and our market guests will vote for their favourite!
Winners will be announced at 1:00PM – please come to claim your prize, and take home your pumpkin! Any pumpkins left after 2:00PM will be fed to our compost. If the winner cannot attend the announcement, we will contact you to pick up your prize at a future market date!
Prizes:
The winner will receive a $25.00 gift certificate to the market – this can be used at any vendor, including the UBC Farm!
Costume Draw
How does it work?
Come by our outreach booth in costume and enter a draw to win a $25 gift certificate to our market – this can be used at any vendor, including the UBC Farm!
Winners will be announced at 1:00PM – please come to claim your prize. If the winner cannot attend the announcement, we will contact you to pick up your prize at a future market date! Our markets run until November 27, 2021, which is when the gift certificates will expire.
Location
UBC Farm – 3461 Ross Drive
Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm
Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Vancouver Campus
3461 Ross Drive
Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4
Tel 604 822 5092
Fax 604 822 6839
Email farm.team@ubc.ca
