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Fall Fair flea market helps you grow your seeds

Winding up for the centennial of the Sooke Fall Fair
52594sookeJamesWilsonchecksoutthelargegourdsattheSookeFallFair
James Wilson checks out the squash at the 2012 Sooke Fall Fair.

The co-ordinators of the Sooke Fall Fair—celebrating its centennial this summer—will be hosting their monthly flea market this Saturday, Feb. 23 downstairs at the Sooke Community Hall.

This month’s flea market works quite nicely with Seedy Saturday, which will be happening upstairs, same time, same place. While Seedy Saturday offers a solid seedy starting point, the Sooke Fall Fair will be focussing on the end-result, helping you present your harvest in the produce section of the fall fair. In addition, you can expect to find treasures, knitting, quilts, aprons, other baking delights and much more at the market.

At the flea market, you will be able to see pictures of the past winners and samples of produce displays, you can flip through a catalogue that offers more tips and advice, and you can ask questions of the people attending the display. The judging-standards book will also be available. This can help you understand the requirements.

Ellen Lewers, Vice-Chair of the Sooke Fall Fair, adds that people coming to the flea market should bring their appetites.

“We will be serving a lovely chicken pot pie, coffee, tea, and dessert to all those hungry Seedy Saturday shoppers as well as the flea market shoppers downstairs.”

Servers will be dressed in Victorian costume, and Lewers invites you to wear the same if you like.

Lewers also invites visitors to bring recipes for inclusion in the Centennial Fall Fair Cookbook.

“We would like all growers to  keep in mind that this year the Sooke Fall Fair will be celebrating ‘Our First 100 Years.’ The competition is stiff in the produce department and the man to beat is non other than long-term grower and winner, Peter Wilford. The challenge is on. Can you enter 100 items, in all categories for Sooke’s 100th anniversary? Can you beat out Peter Wilford this year? Come and learn how,” said Lewers.

Begin with the end in mind: buy your seeds upstairs and then head downstairs to plan your produce presentation all at one place this Saturday at the Sooke Community Hall.