Secret
to Good Eating - Visit a Farm!
By Stephen WongAsk any good chef and he or she will tell you that
the secret to good cooking is to start with great ingredients.
That’s why some chefs now pay tribute to the farmers and producers
of their ingredients by name on their menus and organize
familiarization tours to farms for their cooks. That’s also why
the annual Feast of
Fields is so well supported by chefs and
draw sell-out crowds of food lovers year after year.
FarmFolk/CityFolk's annual fundraiser, is held in
September on a Lower Mainland farm and on a Vancouver Island farm. At
the Feast of Fields the
food is unbelievable and the atmosphere absolutely divine! Imagine
being at a beautiful, local farm, with a wineglass and napkin in hand,
looking across acres of farmland and smelling fresh-cut hay. Imagine
then the fragrance of sautéed vegetables, grilled chicken tikka or
even the sweet smell of berries and chocolate mingling in the air.
Wander freely and sample plentiful, elegant, delicacies featuring
seasonal foods served on imaginative natural "plates" such as grape
leaves, cedar shakes, oyster shells etc. Sip fine wine, sample frosty
beer and groove to live music. What could be a better way to spend a
fall afternoon? The Feast
of Fields is a definite "must" on the foodie calendar.
Here is a sampling of farms you can visit
throughout the Lower Mainland and
Environs...
Tired of eating out at fast food joints while
you’re on holidays? If you’re camping or staying in
accommodations that offer kitchen facilities, you can enjoy your own
home-away-from-home-cooked meals made from farm fresh produce.
You’re sure to eat better and it’ll be easier on the pocket book
as well.
BAYKEY'S FARM MARKET (Ladner) - Giant
12-acre corn maze, mini-golf course and picnic area provide
entertainment for the whole family. Just 10 minutes from Vancouver,
through the Hwy 99 tunnel, southbound - first exit #29. The store
offers a full line of produce including most vegetables (mostly
pesticide free). When in season, you can pick you own pumpkins. 5954 River Road, Ladner, BC
BIRCHWOOD DAIRY'S INC. (Abbotsford) - Run
by Len Krahn and family, this working dairy farm offers a fruit and
vegetable and dairy store with an ice cream fountain, coffee and
lunch bar, picnic tables, and a petting zoo during the summer. 1154
Fadden Road, Abbotsford, BC
CLOVERDALE
PRODUCE FARM MARKET (Surrey) - A 3rd generation family farm
established for 50 years in the peat rich land of Cloverdale. A
Country Market selling BC produce and fruit; a Giant Corn Maze
designed by 4-time Guinness world record holder, Adrian Fisher
offering a fun challenge for the whole family; a Kids Corral of farm
animals; a Pumpkin Patch; and hanging basket workshops are among the
attractions. How about an evening moonlight romp in the corn maze
for something different? 4623 - 168 Street,
Surrey, BC
FORSTBAUER NATURAL FOOD FARM (Chilliwack) -
Visit this family farm and learn about the principles of bio-dynamic
farming. You are invited to experience harvesting your own certified
organic produce such as blueberries, beets, blue lake pole beans,
carrots, chard, dill cukes, kale, potatoes, pumpkins, summer and
winter squash, zucchini, and many other vegetables. They also sell
organically raised beef and have access to certified organic /
bio-dynamic Okanagan fruits. 49350 Prairie Central
Road, Chilliwack, BC
GREENHILL
ACRES (Chilliwack) - This is a gem of a farm nestled in the
hills of Chilliwack overlooking Cultus Lake. Covering 25 acres, this
mixed farm, operated by the Uebelhardt family, produces beef, pork,
chicken, herbs, garlic and more, and is home to some of the only
purebred Brahma cattle in BC From the "Wood Shed" adjacent
to their own blacksmith shop, they offer honey from their own bees,
preserves made from local fruits and other seasonal farmgate produce
for sale. 47090 Greenhill Road, Chilliwack, BC
MAPLEWOOD
FARM (North Vancouver) - This idyllic little spot nestled at
the foot of Mount Seymour on the banks of the Seymour River was
discovered by Mr. Akiyo Kogo in the early 1900’s. It is now the last
remaining farm on Vancouver's North Shore. Officially opened to the
public in 1975, this 5-acre show farm is home to over 200 domestic
animals and birds. It entertains visitors and has tours providing
enjoyment, education and a recollection of the area’s rural
heritage. 405 Seymour River
Place, North Vancouver, BC
TROUT CREEK FARM (Mission) - Here's
something different. The two ponds on this farm are stocked with
lively tasty Rainbow Trout. They provide fishing tackle and bait and
they will clean your fish too. BBQs, picnic tables, a children's
play area with swings and slide makes this a fun place for day
trips. They host company parties, fishing tournaments, birthday
parties and more. Wheelchair accessible U-Catch. 31474 Townshipline Avenue, Mission, BC
TUSCAN
FARM GARDENS & B&B (Langley) - The health conscious
spa lover would really enjoy this fragrant herbal retreat on 80
acres that produces lavender and echinacea products. Stroll among
spring flowers, under cherry trees or hike down to the Water Gardens
and Beaver Ponds. 24453 - 60
Avenue, Langley, BC
WEST
COAST SEEDS FARM & DEMONSTRATION GARDEN (Delta) - Avid
gardeners will be wowed and inspired after a self-guided tour of
this organically managed Demonstration Garden with vegetables, herbs
and flowers grown from the seeds that this renowned company sells
through their popular catalogue. Local organic and their own
transitional produce, organic whole foods, seeds and supplies, books
and organic fertilizers are available for sale in the store. 3925 - 64th Street, Delta, BC
