Fraser Valley Farm Tours
There’s a valley in British Columbia where horses roam, farms flourish, and visitors flock to take in the fresh air, country peace and quiet. Within an hour south of Vancouver, we took a daytrip to Fraser Valley to visit local farm vendors, pick berries, taste artisan cheeses and cured meats, savor homemade preserves, sip fine wines…under a blue canopy sky! It was heavenly.
Since the late 1800’s, families have been settling into Fraser Valley, drawn by its natural beauty and vast fertile lands. Townships like Abbotsford has 1,282 farms and 3 wineries, and Langley with 1,360 farms and 20+ are open to the public. Langley also has 7 wineries, including Vista D’Oro and 1 brewery. There are more farms and wineries in other townships too like Harrison Hot Springs and Harrison Mills.
More eco conscious food shoppers love local produce and goods, and want to buy them. With this growing demand, farms are on the rise to supply the great Vancouver area with these goods.
We visited local farmers and their families who opened their barn doors, and shared their passion for fresh local produce and unique products including: Seasonal 56, Golden Ears Cheesemakers, Krause Berry Farm, and Vista D’Oro Winery
Andrea Visscher, Regional Media Relations Representative for Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Tourism Region, shares “Food has a way of connecting people and places. A good way to experience a destination is through local food and locally sourced ingredients. The Fraser Valley is unique in that there are so many great producers selling a variety of products within a short proximity to Vancouver. The agri-tourism products offered in the Fraser Valley communities range from wineries and berry farms, hazelnut orchards and cheese producers, to meaderies and farms serving up fresh vegetables. The culinary products have caught the attention of restauranteurs, locals and now visitors who can learn about the passion these growers have and experience it firsthand.”
Here’s a list of places we recommend visiting in the Fraser Valley:
Fraser Valley Farms:
The Circle Farm Tours are open to the public, self-guided, self-driven tours showcasing farm-gate vendors that are open to the public both year-round and seasonally. It’s great for visitors.
Golden Ears Cheesecrafters:
The Davison Family runs Fraser Valley’s newest Artisan Cheese processing facility and local food shop. We stopped to sample a variety of cheeses and get a tour of the facility. Located at 22270 128 Ave, Maple Ridge, BC – Tel: #604-467-0004
Hopcott Premium Meats:
We met Jenn Hopcott, one of the family owners of Hopcott and she provided us with an overview of their farm, and tour of their location. Hopcott is committed to bringing quality, local, farm fresh products to your table. Hormone free beef, local produce, baked goods and cheeses are available to choose from for healthy meals. Located at 18385 Old Dewdney Truck Road, Pitt Meadows, BC – Tel: #604-465-7799
Vista D’Oro Farms & Winery:
Patrick and Lee Murphy create handcrafted wines and phenomenal preserves at this culinary agritourism destination! Located in South Langley, BC on ten acres overlooking Campbell Valley Park and Golden Ears Mountain Range, just 45 minutes South of Vancouver.
Heritage orchard fruits and vinifera grapes are found in the products at the Farmgate Shop & Tasting Room, like the fortified walnut Wine, an Orchard Pear & Vanilla Preserve or a simple pot of fresh Lemon Verbena. Lee, the “Jam Master”, creates seasonal artisanal preserves at the farm’s “Preservatory”. Patrick oversees the winemaking and uses traditional techniques blended with some of his new ideas for the next vintage. Together, they are a great pair and serve up fine wines, preserves and picnics at their farm or “to go”. I brought home a couple of the preserves to use with cheese, on toast, as a crepe filling, and plan to put on a roast pork soon! Located at 346 – 208th Street, Langley, BC – Tel #604-514-3539 info@vistadoro.com
Krause Berry Farm & Estate Winery:
The Krause Family has produced 39 years of bountiful harvests, and grow the best agricultural crops in an environmentally sustainable way. They work hard to keep their soils healthy and productive. Their family motto: “Be good to the land and the land will be good to you.” Located at 6179 248th Street, Langley, BC – Tel #: 604-856-5757
We want to return to Fraser Valley and pick more berries, fish for salmon, ride horses, visit farms, soak in hot springs!
If you enjoyed this article, find out Green Things to Do, Where to Stay, Dine in Vancouver– click here!
By Patricia Stone, travel writer & consultant
Acknowledgements: Global Adventuress thanks Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Tourism Region for hosting our day trip to Fraser Valley! And thanks to DK Eyewitness Travel for providing the Canada book as a helpful planning resource with 920 photographs, 114 detailed maps and 45 illustrations.
Resources:
Vancouver Tourism Site: visit this site to get the Tourism Vancouver Experience Pass that provides access to several highlights and attractions in the city.
British Columbia Tourism Site: visit this site to find more details on the British Columbia Region, click here.
Interesting Facts:
– The Township of Langley is home to half the farms in Metro Vancouver.
– 77% of the Township of Langley is located within the Agricultural Land Reserve
– Kermode Wild Berry Winery in Mission (Deroche) has some unique selling points. They only make wines with berries foraged in the wild. Here’s an interesting story about them:
Good post. I learn something new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon every day.
It’s always exciting to read through articles from
other authors and use something from their websites.