SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The combination of -30 C temperatures and a couple hours of sunlight a day hardly inspires visions of shopping for sugar plums at a farmers market.

Dave Zethof, board member of the Yellowknife Commons Co-operative, shows off the poster for the first Christmas farmers market in front of the Greenstone Building, where the market will take place on Tuesday. - Cody Punter/NNSL photo

But that hasn't deterred organizers of this summer's highly successful farmers' market from putting together their first ever Christmas market on Tuesday.

"It's not exactly the first thing that comes to mind at Christmas time," said vendor and volunteer co-ordinator France Benoit.

The Christmas market will follow the same format as this summer's market, taking place right after work at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday.

The only difference is that the winter market will be held indoors at the Greenstone Building.

Although some people asked to have the market outdoors, Benoit said the idea didn't make sense.

"It's just too frickin' cold," she said.

To add to the Christmas spirit, Santa Claus will be on hand to ring the bell to signal the opening of the market.

Eighteen vendors will be participating in the event, all of whom took part in the market during the summer.

Dave Zethof, board member of the Yellowknife Commons Co-operative which organizes the market, said there will be a mix of hot meals, canned goods, crafts, and jams for sale.

Indeed, although it is the middle of winter, Benoit said she has pickled and canned lots of her fresh produce, including beets, rhubarb and carrots.

She has also grown her own ceremonial tobacco, which will be for sale.

The Association franco-culturelle de Yellowknife will be the only ones braving the cold, as they plan to sell traditional maple taffy, also known as tire d'erable, outside the building.

Organizers are also hoping to make the market more sustainable by banning styrofoam and by having Ecology North on hand to provide its reusable plate service.

Benoit said the idea for a winter market was inspired by the positive reception the co-operative received over the summer.

"On the last day of the market people came to hug the vendors," said Benoit. "That's when it really hit us."

Benoit said the organization also received encouragement from the president of Farmers' Markets Ontario, which helped provide training to some of the vendors.

"He said it is important to continue these relationships that we developed through the summer," said Benoit. "Any advice he has given us so far has been absolutely right on, so we took it upon ourselves to do this."

Zethof said the success of this summer's market speaks for itself.

According to the co-operative's statistics, approximately $150,000 was generated in direct sales to vendors over the course of the summer.

"It was quite impressive," said Zehtof.

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