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A celebration of gardening in Fort Simpson Fall harvest fair revived after hiatus
Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, September 12, 2013
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
The Fort Simpson Community Garden Society is reviving an event in the village and adding some new twists to it.
The society will be holding a fall harvest fair on Sept. 28 in the recreation centre. The idea for fair was suggested during the society's annual general meeting in May, said Val
Gendron, the society's president.
The village used to be home to a fall fair. The event, similar to many small town fairs, included contests for best vegetables and baked goods and, sometimes, a scarecrow contest or a school division for neatest printing.
Sharing and making community connections and celebrating gardening will be at the centre of the revived fall harvest fair, Gendron said.
During the event people will have the chance to exchange the produce they've grown either by selling, sharing or trading it. There will also be a preserve swap.
Gardeners will also have the chance to display some of the vegetables they've grown. People can either bring the actual item or a picture of it if it's already been eaten or stored for the winter, she said.
Fun contests will also be included in the new fair. The exact categories are still being developed, but may include wackiest vegetable or best scarecrow.
There will also be an educational component to the fair. Workshops will be held on a variety of topics including tie-dying silk scarves with natural dies and how to make wire wrap jewelry, said Gendron. The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and the Territorial Farmers Association are also expected to put up displays.
The fair will also give gardeners and other residents a chance to share gardening ideas and talk about what is possible in the village.
"Who'd have thought you could grow cantaloupe here," Gendron said as an example.
Although the Fort Simpson Community Garden Society is spearheading the fair project, all community members are invited to join in the organization and running of the event. The next planning meeting will be held on Sept. 14 at 1 p.m.
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