September 3, 2011
Today I worked my first St. Albert Farmer’s Market. I love the atmosphere of the farmer’s markets, and I was happy to be a productive part of it. My three teens integrated themselves into the scene as well. They were able to deal with most of the customers’ questions and needs. My job was to control the money, oversee the operation, and take notes.
The benefit of chatting with current and potential customers is that one learns so much by listening to the customers’ concerns and suggestions. I received many insights as to how beneficial the golden flaxseed was. And I added more ideas to my list of how to integrate the flaxseed into one’s daily diet.
One customer told me how to use flaxseed as a substitute for eggs when cooking. To do this, you simply mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed into three tablespoons of warm water. You let it sit for a few minutes. The result can be substituted for one egg in your recipe. If you need two eggs, I would complete the process twice rather than doubling the process.
Another customer shared that she uses the ground flaxseed to provide filler for her hamburger. This replaces the bread, oats, or eggs that many of us mix with our hamburger before cooking. This includes the benefit of the flaxseed into our regular meals. A bonus when we are cooking for our family who may not be sold on the idea of eating flaxseed.
One suggestion came after the Farmer’s Market, from a friend. He re-uses empty Mrs. Dash shakers. He fills them with ground flaxseed. Then he shakes this flaxseed onto just about everything he cooks. For example, he will shake the flaxseed onto his steak while he is cooking it. A great way to add the benefit of flaxseed without any fuss!
Since flaxseed balances the body’s systems, people who had the opposite problem were able to help the situation by eating flaxseed. For example, one family has a problem with their bowels. The one parent has constipation, while one child has diarrhea. They integrated eating ground flaxseed into their daily diet, faithfully each taking the two recommended tablespoons every day. Both individuals were able to improve their body’s functioning even though they had the exact opposite problem.
Another individual shared that he was able to help control his blood pressure with a daily dose of flaxseed. A woman shared that it helped with the night sweats and hot flashes she experienced due to menopause. These testimonials were great to listen to as they confirmed my confidence in my product.
One common question was: what was the difference between the brown flaxseed and the golden flaxseed? Although there are groups that are promoting one over the other, claiming that theirs is the best, the nutritional differences are minimal. According to the Flax Council of Canada, oil quality and the higher oil content are attributed to Canada’s climate. Since both brown flaxseed and golden flaxseed are grown in Canada, the differences between the two are reduced down to a matter of taste.
To show the taste of the golden flaxseed, we had samples of the whole seed available for people. Children saw the “free samples” sign and raced up to our booth to find out what goodies we had to share. They eagerly picked up the small containers to tantalize their taste buds. Often, I would see them spitting the flaxseed back into the container with grimaces on their faces. It was not the taste they were expecting.
The adults were more professional in their demeanor. Many carefully tasted each seed in their samples. Most were surprised by the pleasant, mild taste of the golden flaxseed. They could understand how easily this variety could be added to their food choices without overpowering the flavour.
We handed out recipes for flaxseed cookies, flaxseed muffins, and flaxseed snaps. Next time, I think I’ll bring the actual cookies for samples. We had a hard time competing with the booth next door, who were handing out samples of their delicious cookies to the eager passer-bys. Our jokes that our samples were better tasting than the chocolate samples next door helped to engage those in line in conversation about flaxseed. Although they didn’t buy that line, we were able to convince some of them to taste our samples.
All in all, it was an enjoyable and productive day. I look forward to the rest of the season.
For more information on Canadian Goldenflax Seed, click on the link: http://canadiangoldenflaxseed.com
For more information on the Flax Council of Canada, click on the link: http://www.flaxcouncil.ca/
For information on the St. Albert Farmer’s Market, click on the link: http://www.stalbertchamber.com/pages/farmersmarket
Ms. Martha Urquhart 