Circle Farm Tours

July 19, 2011 By newwestfarmers

Do you ever feel like ditching the big city life of Metro Vancouver for an afternoon, or even overnight, and exploring one of the wonderful farm countries in our area? But maybe you just don’t know where to go? Circle Farm Self-Guided Tours could be just thing for you!

To sum it up, Circle Farm Tours are a collection of road maps in five farming communities around Metro Vancouver. There is Abbotsford, Langley, Chilliwack, Agassiz/ Harrison Mills and Maple Ridge/ Pitt Meadows. There are brochures available for each of these places, included in the brochure is a road map and a list of places to visit. There are farms, with farm-gate vendors, open air markets, delicious local restaurants and cafes, heritage sites, fairs and special events. Check out the list bellow to see a more detailed report of what you can expect in each place.

Abbotsford

The Abbotsford Circle Farm Tour has thirteen year round stops, and three seasonal ones. There are restaurants (Restaurant 62 designs their menu to be in sync with the season), an Antique store (Granny & Grumpa’s Antiques has possibly the largest personal collection of antiques in BC), farms and dairy’s (Goat’s Pride Dairy produces organic goats milk, yogurt and cheeses), a winery (Mt. Lehman Winery produces delicious organic wines) and more! Special events coming up for the Abbotsford Circle Tour are Grandparents Day at Maan Farms (July 23^rd), Abbotsford Agrifair and Might Fraser Rodeo (July 28 – Aug. 1^st) and the Annual Free Family Fun Day at Campbell’s Gold Honey Farm and Meadery (Aug. 20^th).

Langley

Langley’s Circle Farm Tour has fourteen year round stops. Places include four wineries (Township 7 Wineyards and Winery opens their winery for art shows, live music, wine seminars and more!), farms and dairy’s (Driediger Farms specializes in all of the different berries BC has to offer!), the weekly Langley Farmers Market (every Wednesday, 2 – 4pm), and more (don’t forget to visit Fort Langley!). Events coming up in Langley are the Farmers Feat at Krause Berry Farms (July 17^th), Driediger Farm’s Langley Eats Local (Aug. 28^th) and Art in the Vines at Township 7 Winery (Aug. 28^th).

Chilliwack

The Chilliwack Circle Farm Tour features ten year round stops and three seasonal ones. There are plenty of place to buy souvenirs here (Rustic Soap Co. specializes in natural, herbal soap), farms and gardens (Minter Country Garden is an 18 acre plot that has plants from all over the world), restaurants (Hofstede’s Country Barn can fill you up with a homemade lunch or dinner), and come fall don’t forget to check out the Chilliwack Corn Maze! Upcoming events in Chilliwack are the 9^th Annual Classic Car Show at Minter Gardens (July 17^th), the 3^rd Annual Slow Food Cycle Tour (July 24^th) and the 6^th Annual Greendale Country Sampler Tour (Aug. 20^th).

Agassiz/ Harrison Mills

There are eight year round stop and two seasonal stops on the Agassiz/ Harrison Mills Circle Farm Tour. Their stops include farms and a dairy (Canadian Hazelnut produces a variety of different kinds of hazelnuts), a historical site and museum, a pottery studio (as well as being a pottery studio The Back Porch also roasts their own coffee!), and the Sparkes Corn Barn(enjoy some tasty handpicked corn and strawberries!). Don’t miss these events coming up soon in Agassiz/ Harrison Mills: the Harrison Festival of the Arts (July 9^th – 17^th), the Agassiz Slow Food Cycle Tour (July 23^rd) and the Sts’ailes Art in the Garden (Aug. 6^th).

Maple Ridge/ Pitt Meadows

There are twelve stops on the Maple Ridge/ Pitt Meadows Circle Farm Tour. This Circle Tour features markets (Bruce’s County Market specializes in fresh and smoked salmon, produce, grocery items and even dinners!), farms (Heather Hills Farm Society has plenty of fresh cut heather, hazelnuts and vegetables), a winery (Blue Heron Fruit Winery has a variety of table and dessert wines for you to pick from!), and a few fun stops good for the whole family (Honeyland Canada will introduce you to the world of bees!). Events upcoming in the Maple Ridge/ Pitt Meadows area are: Country Fest at Memorial Peace Park (July 23^rd & 24^th) and Golfing in the Dark at Heather Hill’s Farm (Sept. 24^th).

There are lists of all of the activities for each for the tours available on the Circle Farm Tours website: http://circlefarmtour.com/

The brochures (which include a map and list of stops) are available by pdf.

July 21

July 18, 2011 By newwestfarmers

We here at Royal City Farmers Market wish to take a moment to thank all of you who continue to support the market despite the less-than-stellar weather we’ve been having this season so far. We are very appreciative that you continue to come to rainy markets to shop and enjoy. In fact, we’re so pleased our customers continue to come out, this week we are offering the chance to win an RCFM prize pack valued at $58. In it, one of our limited edition ceramic mugs, a t-shirt (we’ll do our best to find your size from within our existing inventory), and a $20 gift certificate to be spent at a future market. In order to be entered into the draw, just stop by the info booth this week on your way home and show us your purchase – everyone who comes to the market this week and buys something is entitled to enter. Consider becoming a member to show your support! Membership has a few perks, including discounted RCFM merchandise and Member Appreciation Days (hint: there is one of those coming up soon!).

So, thank you RCFM shoppers. We’re glad you continue to come out and support local food!

PS: we now have a few umbrellas available for loan at the info desk if you happen to leave your house when it’s sunny but arrive to a downpour. Just ask!

What’s On This Week:

Music, sponsored by The Heritage Grill , will be courtesy of local funksters Redrick Sultan, a market favourite. Our Art in the Park featured artist is Cliff Milne. Don’t forget to stop by the Kids’ Activity Booth, sponsored by Derrick Thornhill and get your face painted by Allyson!

You can reach the market via transit by taking the 106 bus or the Skytrain to Columbia Street Station and walking to the market at 4th and Royal. Parking is available in the neighbourhood or at City Hall’s lot after 4:30. Please respect our neighbours. Our bike rack has temporarily gone missing, but you can drop your bike off to the fine folks at our info desk at the top end of the market.

A list of vendors attending the July 21 market is below, but remember to check back for cancellations and updates!

Eat On Site

Samosa Guy – hot vegetarian samosas, as well as frozen take home samosas
Eli’s Serious Sausage – handmade pork sausages grilled to perfection
Gogo Java – Coffee, tea, smoothies, juice, and other liquids
Ovenmonkey Bakery – selling fresh Langos – Hungarian fried flatbread

Produce

Apple Barn Pumpkin Farm – Peppers, tomatoes, apples & pumpkins
Celyddon Farms – Certified organic produce from Delta
Felix Farms – Guichon Farms – assorted locally grown produce by Fifth Generation Farmers in Delta
Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm – organic produce, eggs, and beef
Glen Valley Organic Farm – certified organic produce from a farm located only 50km from New Westminster
Golden West Farms – Okanagan fruit grown in Summerland, many certified organic
Maan Farms – assorted locally grown produce from Abbotsford
Nature Village Farm – Asian produce, potted herbs, and mushrooms grown in Richmond
Red Barn Plants and Produce – assorted locally grown produce
Training Wheels Farm – locally produced on a 2 acre plot in Surrey

Dairy

Greendale Herb and Vine – Cheddar cheese, cheese curds, herbs, nut butters and honeycomb
Little Qualicum Cheeseworks – High quality cheese from Vancouver Island

Meat & Fish

Outwest Ranches – beef raised locally and fresh eggs
Port Hardy Seafood – BC caught fish and prawns
Rockweld Farm – BC frozen chicken and chicken products including eggs

Bread & Baking

A Bread Affair – Breads
Blackberry Hill – squares, cinnamon buns, and old fashioned yummies like crisp rice squares
French Made Baking – French-from-France baking.
High Crow Gluten Free Foods – celiac friendly gluten free baking
Sunrise Pita Company – pitas, chips, dips, baklava and and banana bread
Sweet Thea Cake Company – tarts, pies, cookies, and cakes

Delectable Treats and Prepared Yummies

AJI Gourmet Products – sauces made using aji spice
Gary’s Kettlecorn – Kettlecorn
Maples’ Sugar Shack – maple syrup products
Momma Nellie’s Goodies – Salsa, crisps, and cranberry jelly
Simply Delish Soup Co – layered soup mix, rice pilaf mix, and spice rubs

Local Crafters

Black Bamboo Artisans – hand made glazed pottery and knitting
Elagaince – upcycled vintage spoon bracelets and rings
Ildiko Jewelry – hand forged sterling silver jewelry
Kiki Kid’s Wear – hand designed, cut, and made kids clothing with a designer edge
The Other Eden – cold process soaps scented with essential & fragrance oils, room sprays, body products

Gardening

i-Dig Gardening – soil amenders and compost additions
Secret Garden – cut flowers

Turkey Mushroom Soup

July 14, 2011 By newwestfarmers

With the rain this morning, and confirmation from the folks at Glen Valley Organic Farm that they will be bringing organic white button, oyster, and portabello mushrooms starting today, I got thinking about mushroom soup and was reminded of my favourite all time soup recipes. My mom gave me a cookbook years ago and this recipe has been our go-to recipe for using up turkey leftovers. It’s easy to convert to vegetarian – omit the turkey and the sage and mushroom flavours are strong enough to stand on their own. You can also use chicken (we’ve done with great success – just use some brown and white cuts) and we’ve also used barley instead of the rice and wild rice occasionally finds its way in too. We often serve this with some cheesy rolls and you can also do it in the crock pot too – just wait until the end for the cream and serve after it warms.

Ingredients:

3 T butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
25 ish large fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (although we often leave ours whole)
3 T all purpose flour
5 c turkey or chicken stock (if converting to vegetarian recipe, use veggie stock)
2/3 c brown rice
9 oz mushrooms, sliced (we often also throw in some dried shitakes as well and we don’t really measure too well either – just cut up a bunch of mushrooms)
7 oz cooked turkey, shredded
3/4 c heavy cream (we use half and half)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Instructions:

Melt half the butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Add the onions, celery and sage and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion is soft, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour and continue to cook for about 2 minutes.
Slowly add about 1/4 of the stock and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to mix the flour. Pour in the remaining stock, stirring to combine, and bring just to a boil.
Stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat ad simmer gently, partially covered, for about 30 minutes or until the rice is just tender, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes until they are golden brown., stirring occasionally at first, then more often as they start to colour. Add the mushrooms to the soup.
Add the turkey to the soup and stir in the cream. Continue simmering for about 10 minutes until heated throughout. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Ladle into warm bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Serves about 4 hungry peeps, takes you about 15-20 minutes of hands on time and about 60 minutes of cook time.

Enjoy!

Three Featured Vendors

July 13, 2011 By newwestfarmers

Over the last few weeks I had the pleasure of interviewing three of our eat on-site vendors: Serious Sausage, Off the Wagon Tacos and Ovenmonkey.

With the information from these interviews I was able to update their vendor profiles so both market goers and other vendors get a better idea of who these vendor are and the people behind the business. Click on the links below to find out more. More vendor profiles are coming – stay tuned!

Eli’s Serious Sausage

Off the Wagon

Ovenmonkey Bakery

July 14

July 12, 2011 By newwestfarmers

: Photo Credit

This week we will be having a special market to support the fabulous non-profit organizations in New Westminster. With over 15 non-profits attending – each one will have their own booth set up – this market is sure to be a blast! Come join us and learn about some of the non-profits in your neighbourhood, attendees include (but are not limited to!): the Wildlife Rescue Association, Fraser River Discovery Centre, Royal City Gogos, FortisGas, BC Hydro, Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition, Abreast in a Boat, and many more!

We will of course have all of our wonderful vendors in attendance, as well as Art in the Park and out Kids’ Craft area – sponsored by Derrick Thornhill. Music this week will be provided by the wandering jazz duo, Quinn and Ogilvie. The Heritage Grill continues to support all of our entertainment at the market. My Garden Footprint will also be in attendance this week, and they will be giving out prizes!

A list of vendors attending the July 14 market is below, but remember to check back for cancelations and updates!

Non-profits attending this market:

Vendors:

Eat On Site

Samosa Guy – hot vegetarian samosas, as well as frozen take home samosas
Eli’s Serious Sausage – handmade pork sausages grilled to perfection
Gogo Java – Coffee, tea, smoothies, juice, and other liquids
Ovenmonkey Bakery – selling fresh Langos – Hungarian fried flatbread

Produce

Apple Barn Pumpkin Farm – Peppers, tomatoes, apples & pumpkins
Canwest Farms – blueberries in 5 and 10 pound cartons
Celyddon Farms – Certified organic produce from Delta
Felix Farms – Guichon Farms – produce from Delta
Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm – organic produce, eggs, and beef
Glen Valley Organic Farm – certified organic produce from a farm located only 50km from New Westminster
Golden West Farms – Okanagan fruit grown in Summerland, many certified organic
Maan Farms – assorted locally grown produce
Nature Village Farm – Asian produce, potted herbs, and mushrooms grown in Richmond
Red Barn Plants and Produce – assorted locally grown produce

Dairy

Greendale Herb and Vine – Cheddar cheese, cheese curds, herbs, nut butters and honeycomb
Little Qualicum Cheeseworks – High quality cheese from Vancouver Island

Meat & Fish

Outwest Ranches – beef raised locally and fresh eggs
Port Hardy Seafood – BC caught fish and prawns
Rockweld Farm – BC frozen chicken and chicken products including eggs

Bread & Baking

A Bread Affair – Breads
Blackberry Hill – squares, cinnamon buns, and old fashioned yummies like crisp rice squares
French Made Baking – French-from-France baking.
Sunrise Pita Company – pitas, chips, dips, baklava and and banana bread
Sweet Thea Cake Company – tarts, pies, cookies, and cakes

Delectable Treats and Prepared Yummies

AJI Gourmet Products – sauces made using aji spice
Amber’s Choice – soups, salad dressing and cookies
Anne’s Gallery – Jams, jellies & knitting
Gary’s Kettlecorn – Kettlecorn
Gourmet Savories – antipasto and pesto
Jane’s Honey Bees – honey and other bee products
Nonna Pia’s – balsamic reductions
Simply Delish Soup Co – layered soup mix, rice pilaf mix, and spice rubs
Take a Fancy Chocolates and Sweets – handmade chocolates right from scratch

Local Crafters

Black Bamboo Artisans – hand made glazed pottery and knitting
Ildiko Jewelry – hand forged sterling silver jewelry
Quality Oak Accents – handmade wooden cutting boards and small furniture
Scentimental Creations – Soaps, lotions, hand made cosmetics

Gardening

Secret Garden – cut flowers and hand tied bouquets

Services

Harmony Works Chair Massage – on site chair massage

Circle Farm Tours

July 21

What’s On This Week:

Turkey Mushroom Soup

Three Featured Vendors

July 14

Supported By

Newsletter

Search

What’s On This Week:

Supported By

Newsletter

We’re Social

Search