VISION
A connected, nourished, and vibrant community.
MISSION
We cultivate opportunities for producers and community
to connect, engage, and be nourished


ABOUT WOLFVILLE FARMERS' MARKET
Started in 1992 with three vendors in a parking lot, we are now a year-round market on Saturdays with over 65 farmers, chefs and artisan vendors. We transformed a turn of the century apple warehouse into our 9000 square foot Market home in 2010. Now our Market experiences bring over a thousand people together every week for nourishment, live music, and a sense of community.
HISTORY
-
1992 The Wolfville Farmers' Market began in the summer when 3 vendors sold produce, plants, and prepared food in the parking lot beside the Robie Tufts Park.
-
1994 The Market moved into the Robie Tufts Park, with vendors arranged under the Chimney Swifts Pavilion between Victoria Day and Thanksgiving.
-
1999 Functioning as a Not-for-Profit Organization, the Market hired a summer student from Acadia to coordinate Saturday mornings, collect fees from a dozen regular vendors, and attract buskers to offer entertainment.
-
2000 The number of Vendors increased and ventured out from the shelter of the Robie Tufts Pavilion and set up canopies on the lawn. The Market Board was formed, a coordinator hired and musicians booked weekly
-
2004 The Market underwent its first Strategic Planning experience and articulated its Vision, Goals, and Core Values. One of these goals was the development of a permanent, year- round space.
During the late fall the Market was hosted in a barn in Lower Wolfville in an effort to extend the season until Christmas.
-
2005 The Market found its new fall home at Acadia's Student Union Building and extended the season until Christmas.
-
2006 The Market Board became a Policy Board, and the Coordinator became a Manager. The first year-round season took place along with three new key events, including Tastes of the Valley, Pumpkin Palooza and Get Un-Scrooged in December.
-
2007 With an invitation from the Town of Kentville, the Wolfville Market and its vendors started a mid-week Kentville Farmers’ Market, which ran from early July through early October.
At the WFM Monthly Activities were launched in which vendors featured seasonal products, customers were offered samples, children of all ages made crafts, and lucky entrants won market goodies. The Market inaugurated a new annual Seedy Saturday event to celebrate gardening.
-
2008 The Market started an Info Booth and a Video Profile Series.
-
2009 From the Info Booth, a Tasting Series, Preserving the Harvest Demonstration Series were delivered and the Market offered frequent Children's Crafts and Activities. With support from Select Nova Scotia, the Buy Local Challenge supported market goers who set commitments for themselves to overcome their barriers to buying local. A new event for wine lovers called Valley Vineyards began. The Market grew to accommodate more than 60 vendors each Saturday.
-
2010 Market signed a 20 year no-cost lease with Acadia University for the DeWolfe building (Sincere thanks Acadia!) to become the Market's new home. The WFM managed a $850,000 renovation project to transform the gravity defying DeWolfe into its new Market home.
The Market started a $200,000 community fundraising campaign called Growing our Market which ended in January 2011 after raising 89% of their community fundraising goal. The Market also raised $525,000 from Government ($250, 000 from ACOA, $250,000 from the Dept of Agriculture, $25,000 from the Municipality of the County of Kings)
Pier 101 did the conceptual designs, ROSCOE construction managed the construction project and the renovation and expansion which began in November 2010 was ready on budget and on time in May 2011.
The WFM handed over responsibility for the Kentville Farmers' Market to the Town of Kentville given its own growth.
-
2011 The WFM opened in its new home on May 21, 2011 and in addition to the Saturday Market started a mid-day Market on June 1, 2011 and hired an Assistant Market Manager.
The Market also began renting out the Community Room for yoga, belly dancing, meetings, workshops, special events and more.
-
2014 The Market installed a Commercial Community Kitchen which is used for Market Suppers, cooking classes, catering and for vendors to value-add their products.
-
2015 The Market did some important work to the basement crawl space adding insulation and a vapor barrier to make the building more healthy. As well, they installed a sprinkler system to improve safety, while making it possible for the whole building to be rented out for Weddings and Special Events. The Market worked with a temporary Good Food Hub Coordinator to offer cooking workshops.
-
2016 The Market participated in a Food Bucks program, devised by an Acadia student, that for a 6 week period offered Market Money to those in need to purchase groceries at the Market. This program has since become a year-round provincially funded program led by the Farmers’ Markets of NS and at markets throughout the province.
-
2017 In the year of its 25th Anniversary, the Market added a new business in its efforts to grow more local, namely an online store and delivery service:WFM2Go. The Market was able to extend its lease of the DeWolfe building with Acadia University until June 2035 (Thanks again Acadia!).
-
2018 A new metal roof was installed on the South side of the Market as well as a 20 kW array of solar panels and heat pumps. In this year, the Market’s operations grew to over 70 vendors on Saturdays and 25 on Wednesdays as well as 25 Vendors participating in its WFM2Go operation delivered to 7 Pick-Up locations in the Valley and HRM.
-
2020 As part of its COVID response the Market closed both public Markets mid-March and pivoted all sales to its online market (WFM2Go) which began operating twice weekly. In July it opened an outdoor market for about 40 of its producers and then launched its One Market - Three Experiences after Thanksgiving with a Saturday Public Market indoors, WFM2Go twice weekly and a new Farm & Art Market Store, each with appropriate safety measures.
INTERESTING FACTS
-
The average age of the WFM farmer is 42 compared to the national average of 54.
-
In all of our years of operation, we have only ever been in the red twice, and quite minimally!
-
When we started in 1992 we managed a $200 annual budget and now manage a $250,000 annual budget.
-
Our lease of the DeWolfe building with Acadia University goes until June 2035.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Jocelyn Durston
(Seven Acres Farm)
Past President: Ann Huntley
(Moon Tide Farm)
Vice President: Sarah Macalpine
(Two Birds One Stone Farm)
Treasurer: Jayn Kenny
(Jayn & T’s Fine Food)
Secretary: Adam Webster
(Olde Furrow Farm)
Sue Earle
(Tipsy Toad Grove Farm)
Rachael Robertson
(Robertson Farm & Apothecary)
Frank Harris
(Just Us Coffee Coop)
Kathleen Duffey
(Green Dog Real Foods)
CORE VALUES
-
Embody the Cooperative values and principles.
-
Demonstrate fairness, while expecting honesty and integrity of person and product.
-
Cultivate healthy relationships amongst and between customers, vendors, members, staff, volunteers, and other local businesses & organizations.
-
Model respect for the environment and strengthen sustainable local producers.
-
Nourish community by being welcoming, supportive, and inclusive.
-
Inspire through leadership, education, and training.
-
Encourage member engagement and participation.