EDITOR LEV JACKSON THE VOICE, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2012 5 > S Werte. JULES KNOX photo A local farmer at The River District Farmers Market hands a lettuce head to a customer this Saturday. Fresh Thanksgiving on tap Local farmers’ market has the freshest produce for Thanksgiving By JULES KNOX ith Thanksgiving just around the corner, many shoppers are left with the problem of finding fresh in- gredients for a traditional turkey din- ner. The River District Farmers Market offers a solution; the Saturday market at Kerr Street Plaza sells fruits and vegetables straight from the farm, while fostering a community vibe. Kyra Lubell, the River District spokeswoman, says she hopes shop- pers will spend some time hanging out at the market. “Come and enjoy the river, play on the playground, and grab a bite to eat,” she says. “We’re in such a beautiful set- ting and we want to take advantage of that.” The market is situated next to a peaceful section of the Fraser River where freshly cut logs float in the wa- ter. By early afternoon the plaza bus- tled with shoppers. “People are worried about the high population density going in around here, but this feels like a community,” says shopper Gail Schmalz. “I’m sur- prised that Vancouver has taken so long to realize that it has a second wa- terfront in the heart of the city.” As the popularity of the market grows, vendors want to increase public awareness about the benefits of buying locally grown produce. “Our food keeps a lot longer because it was harvested sometimes minutes before it shows up at the farmers’ mar- ket,” says local farmer Julia Smith. “And if we run out of something, one of us can run home and harvest some Smith says that buying locally grown food supports the regional economy. “Every dollar that goes into the till at the market gets spent in the local com- munity.” Local resident Barbara Dawson ad- mits prices at the market are a bit high- er than she would normally pay. “But the farmers work hard. They put their heart into it and they’re not making a lot of money,” she says. “It’s worth it because everything is a lot fresher.” Jasbir Mandair, a farmer from Ab- botsford, believes that an important part of the farmers’ market is educat- ing shoppers about the food they buy. “You wouldn’t even believe how many people are excited to see how brussels sprouts are grown,” she says. The market runs every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until October 27. 66 Our food keeps a lot longer because it was harvested sometimes minutes before it shows up Julia Smith Local Farmer more.” Customers crowd stores for iPhone 5 Photo from CNet.com The new iPhone 5 on display at the Oakridge Centre Apple Store. Huge de- By RICHARD HODGES mand f or Ihe release of Apple’s new iPhone 5 iPhone 5 I suggests the company is still strug- tb gling to find its footing after the cannot 0e death of Steve Jobs. matched by Despite two million pre-orders worldwide and over five million sold in manuf ac- the first three days, the new smart- turer, Apple phone fell short of predicted sales. This sales and was caused by a lack of inventory. : “Every day we receive shipments of inventory products from our warehouses and we take hit don’t know what’s in them until we open them,” said Oakridge Centre Ap- ple store employee Vivian Law. “One day, we'll open a box of iPhone 5’s but I don’t know when that will be.” Apple admitted to investors after the initial launch that it was unable to keep up with demand, a problem reportedly aggravated by an inability to produce new screens fast enough. The vibrant HD screens have proven difficult to produce. However supplier Sharp says they now have adequate production. The production cost of the phone ac- cording to IHS iSupply is $207 to $230. Those who have either bought the new phone or upgraded to the new op- erating system have seen the default Google Maps app replaced with a brand new in-house app from Apple. The two companies have positioned themselves as rivals with the emergence of Google’s Android smartphones. The misfires have yet to stop people from piling into the Apple Store. Natasha Davidson, Apple customer, is still holding on to her long-time Palm Pilot but is considering splurging for the new iPhone. “IT don’t want to be a follower,” said Davidson, “but I know a lot of people with iPhones and they all love them.” Sunshine graces city for now Outdoor activities in the area are a good way of enjoying the sun while it’s still here By BRANDON KOSTINUK tice; get out and enjoy the sun- shine while it’s still here. Grab some friends and head out- doors for some Frolf (frisbee golf), or grab a bike and hit the road while doing the environment a favour. Chris Collins of Abbie’s Sporting Goods says Queen Elizabeth Park of- fers an ideal location to enjoy the great weather, not to mention access to a free Frolf course located off the corner of East 33 Avenue and Ontario Street. “It’s a brilliant place to come and spend the day,” said Collins. “You got the trees, it’s free, it’s fun, what else do you need? Frolf is a simple game. The object is to throw a disc into a metal basket in the least amount of throws, starting from a designated tee pad. Discs range from $15 to $30 at his store and come in four different types for varied throw selections, says Col- lins. At the amateur level, one can play with any type of disc. Just remember, BYOD (bring your own disc). The Langara area also contains a grid of interlocking bike routes for the more actively inclined. “Tt takes about half an hour to cycle from Richmond to Vancouver using the bike bridge,” said Mare Levesque, a second-year biology student at Langa- ra, and added that the Canada Line bike bridge is seldom crowded. The bridge sits directly under the Canada Line Skytrain and is a dedicat- ed pedestrian/cyclist bridge, meaning no motor vehicle traffic. Also, the bike racks spotted around campus aren’t the only amenities Lan- gara has to offer to cyclists. “Langara has decent facilities,” said Levesque, “like showers and lockers in the gym that staff and students should take advantage of.” Plus, there is a nifty bike repair shop in the SUB just in case your wheels need a little love. Be sure to check the Translink web- site for cycling maps around Langara and the Lower Mainland. S™: and students are put on no- BRANDON KOSTINUK photo Chris Collins of Abbies Sport- ing Goods sizes up a shot during a friendly Frolf match at Queen Elizabeth Park.