N.S. farmers’ markets struggling after several weekend storms

One not-for-profit cooperative is only seeing about half the number of guests it would pre-pandemic, adding it makes most of its revenue from vendor fees.

It has been a challenging two years for farmers’ markets across the province. Not only has the pandemic affected business, but multiple weekend storms at the start of 2022 have pushed many to the brink.

At the Truro Farmers’ Market, which operates one day a week on Saturday mornings, it resulted in nearly $10,000 in lost revenue.

“We had to cancel several Saturday markets completely,” says market manager Margaret Ells.

“We got every storm they forecast, and they seemed to all come on Friday nights and Saturdays.”

Ells says the not-for-profit cooperative is only seeing about half the number of guests it would pre-pandemic, adding it makes most of its revenue from vendor fees. She says it was a big strain to have no money coming in and bills piling up.

“We were really struggling to meet all our financial obligations. The expenses like our wages, operating expenses, building expenses,” she says.

“I don’t think we ever thought, ‘Oh, we might not make it,’ but oh boy, we were burning through any extra profits.”

Farmers’ Markets Association of Nova Scotia executive director Justin Cantafio says markets across the province faced similar situations.