Producers in both Qualicum Beach and Errington are gearing up for the first of the winter farmer’s markets.

The event, slated for Oct. 31 in the Qualicum Beach Community Hall, will feature between 15 and 20 food vendors, offering seasonally fresh produce, seafood, meat, jams and jellies, baked goods, honey, herbs and more.

Farmer’s market president Kris Chand said the winter market will aid local producers, who have limited avenues through which to sell their goods.

“We think of the farmers markets in the Oceanside area has the main distribution channels for locally produced foods,” he said. “There may be opportunities in the future to create and support other channels but the two main farmers markets remain, for the time being, the places to go to for customers to access and support local food production.”

The winter market is a pilot project to evaluate the viability of such an offering and Chand encouraged residents to take full advantage of it to make it a success.

Town of Qualicum Beach special projects planner Luke Sales agreed, calling the winter market one more step along the path to food self-sufficiency for the area.

“At the Oceanside Community Food Initiative workshop on Feb. 21, participants were asked to brainstorm actions that would improve food security in our community,” he said. “One of the most frequently mentioned was a year round farmers market to provide a regular venue to buy locally produced food. Such a market is convenient for both producers and consumers, since it brings them together during the extended growing season. Consumers will be pleasantly surprised at the diversity of fresh produce available year round in our temperate climate.”

Winter markets are slated for Oct. 31, Nov. 14, Nov. 21 and Dec. 5, from 9:30 a.m. to noon.