Here on Vancouver Island we are so lucky as we are surrounded by agriculture land, this means local food. Most cities and districts have at least one local farmers market or farm stand near by.
I am lucky and have Prince Acres farm up the road from me in Lantzville; which provides us with leafy greens, root vegetables, squash, fruit, eggs and sourdough bread – 8 months of the year. Prince Acres is a bug friendly farm avoiding all use of chemical pesticides and herbicides. If you stop in here make sure to try Farmer Brian’s Jalapeño Blue Cheese Sourdough or the Chocolate Croissants.
In Nanoose, there are two farms that my husband Brandon and I also frequent for local food. Nanoose Edibles on Stewart Road is one of the Farm stands we stop in at. Throughout the seasons it has a variety of fruit; berries, apples, pears, figs, quince, loads of herbs, greens, potatoes, peppers and squash. Nanoose Edibles also hires local youth giving them opportunities learning how to grow sustainable foods and reconnect with the land.
Springford Farm on Northwest Bay Road is a small family operated cattle farm with a lovely farm store where you can buy their beef, chicken, turkey, eggs, and corn year round. They also sell local produce, baked goods and local artisan food products. One thing I love about Springford Farm is their cattle is grass-fed and finished giving the beef a higher quality nutrient content and well rounded natural flavour. These are truly happy animals on this farm.
A farm that we often visit in the Qualicum Beach area is the family run Sloping Hill Farm where they have the best oats hands down. Their small farm stand on the corner of their property off whiskey creek road is usually full of pork, eggs, ground flour and oats. The pigs on this farm are the luckiest pigs getting to live a free roam lifestyle socializing with everyone, eating a hearty vegetarian diet without GMO content, antibiotics, growth enhancers or hormones. The oats are just incredible if kept refrigerated they are so creamy without needing to add milks or sugars.
Its great to have all sown, grown, harvested, cleaned, milled, rolled grains all done on their property! They have Spelt flour, HRS Wheat flour and their fabulous Oats.
There are so many more happy farms here on Vancouver Island and when you are supporting them you are support local economical growth, food security and sustainability and you are supporting a family’s livelihood.