by Leah Bickford – Director of Marketing, Peninsula Country Market –
One of the amazing benefits of living on the Saanich Peninsula is our immediate access to high quality, beautifully fresh ingredients. When planning your upcoming fall feast, whether from a small roadside stand, or a Farmers Market, you have recently harvested gems at your fingertips! We are fortunate, especially considering that the key to creating an exceptional dish begins with the ingredients!
For example, drive down the picturesque Oldfield Road, where there is a long history of agriculture. While you take in the scenery, you will find treasures like Guité’s Farm and Dan’s Farm and Country Market. Now is the time to take advantage of those late summer and fall riches, such as recently picked squash and pumpkin. At Dan’s, you can find more than a dozen squash varieties, many of which have been grown without sprays. Visually dazzling, they are displayed by variety, with a brief description and preparation suggestions.
A visit to the Peninsula Country Market is also a convenient place to pick up everything you need for fall celebrations. Whether you are looking for a lovely host gift, or ingredients for your shopping list, you can score many Thanksgiving specialties, like Yellow Point’s cranberries. There are several vendors with a wide variety of goods, all locally grown and or crafted.
Support locally owned businesses at the Peninsula Country Market every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., through to October 12. Located at the Historic Saanich Fairgrounds, you can find a weekly list of vendors and information by visiting the website and social media pages: http://peninsulacountrymarket.ca; @peninsulacountrymarket.
Mentioned Vendors:
Dan’s Farm and Country Market 2030 Bear Hill Rd., Saanichton. 250-652-9100. www.dansfarm.ca. Open 7 days a week, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Guité’s Farm 6621 Oldfield Rd, Saanichton. 250-208-5130. There is a stand open 7 days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Yellow Point Cranberries 4532 Yellow Point Road, Ladysmith. 250-245-5283. www.YellowPointCranberries.com.
