by Sheila Molloy –
The Peninsula has a diverse and vibrant agricultural community – quality local foods and farm products that have supported social and economic relationships here for decades.
The benefit of knowing where your food comes from and supporting local family farms and gardening hobbyists is a good enough reason to find your favourite farmstands. But the amazing seasonal flavours, and variety of options, tips the scales toward enhancing your shopping habits with roadside stops all summer.
We thought we were well-versed farmstand shoppers, but after speaking with a few friends, we were clearly out of the loop on many. So, armed with our favourites, a few new suggestions and a sense of adventure, we drove the roads of the Peninsula.
We did have some rules (light-hearted parameters) and we know we missed many stands, so we invite readers to send us your favourites, so we can make a more comprehensive map for the future.
Rules (sort of)
• Food: we were looking for food specifically. There are many amazing flower stands (we love you all!) but we wanted food or specialty items made from produce.
• Variety: more than just one food type. Like flowers, egg stands abound, and we would have been stopping every 20 seconds … so we were looking for stands with variety.
• Stands: there is something about a sturdy well-decorated stand. Some we found were elaborate while others were smaller, but all added something to create an eye-catching display.
1. West Saanich Road: One road, many great stops all along it.
North Saanich
2. Blue Umbrella Stand | 11185 West Saanich Rd (at Laurel)
3. Kildara Farms | 11293 Chalet Road
4. Road Stand | 1216 Tatlow Road
5. Hazelmere Farms |1208 Tatlow Road
Saanichton
6. Dragonfly Farm | 8080 Thomson Place
7. Willow Way Farm | 1642 Keating Cross Road
8. Road Stand | 6220 Welch Road
9. Little Bird Farm | 1133 Mount Newton Cross Road
10. Northbrook Farm | 1438 Mt Newton Cross Road
11. Long View Farm | 8277 Central Saanich Road
12. Seadog Farm | 1742 Hovey Rd
13. The Farmstand at the End of the Universe | Hovey Road
14. Andrew’s Farm Stand | 7377 Tomlinson Road
15. Fir Tree Lane Farm | 7510 Tomlinson Road
Brentwood Bay
16. Road Stand | Benvenuto by Knott Way
Saanich
17. Old West Saanich Rd between West Saanich Rd and Linnet Lane
18. Old West Saanich Rd between Linnet Lane and Starling Lane
Victoria
19. Heartfelt Farm | 5720 Oldfield Road
Things to Note
• Stands have variable hours throughout the season.
• Many are on Facebook or Instagram, but some are “find-by-chance.”
• Most are cash only, but a few are taking e-transfers now.
