Life was very different back in 1912. The Sooke community was self reliant but dependent on each other for their social life. Each fall, the residents would proudly display their talents in gardening, home crafts, baking and everything else which they did on a day-to-day basis. Born of this was the Sooke Fall Fair Association and in 2013 they will be celebrating their 100th anniversary, making it one of the oldest and longest-running fall fairs in the province. Their proud history is evident each year in September when they once again gather at the Sooke Community Hall to share their expertise in all things domestic.
For 2013, the Sooke Fall Fair Association will be celebrating their 100th with the production of a cookbook.
“The idea for the cookbook was because we wanted to do something special for the 100th,” said president of the SFFA Ida McDonald. “We want to tie in pioneer stories, anecdotes and a bit of local history.”
Many folks have their memories of the fall fair and McDonald wants their stories and recipes. There are many prize-winning recipes entered into the fair each year and it is those they want for the cookbook.
Along with the recipe, McDonald asks that the recipe include a short description of how the recipe relates to the fall fair, Sooke life, people who have lived in the community, local history, local agriculture (farming, fishing, forestry) and local ingredients and products.
For example, McDonald said Candace Linde won a prize at the fair for her blueberry preserves and those blueberries came from Shirley.
If all you have to share are photos, the association would be more than happy to scan and then return them. They can be mailed to: Sooke Fall Fair, P.O. Box 291, Sooke, B.C. V9Z 0S9. Other entries can be mailed there as well, or via email to: sookefallfairemail@gmail.com. The deadline for entries is Jan. 15, 2013.
“We will accommodate anybody,” said McDonald.
For more information, call Martha Moore at 250-642-3181.