Our annual farm trip this year took us to the Fraser Valley on a dry but cloudy Saturday to visit some of the Lower Mainland’s fine food producers and to share their passions. Our first stop was at Two EE’s Organic Produce Ltd., a 25 acre certified organic vegetable farm producing over 48 different vegetables and herbs. Mike Schoen guided around and we tasted several of his vegetables fresh from the soil. Next stop was Vista d’Oro for a tasting of their wines including their delicious port-style d’Oro fortified walnut dessert wine, and a tour of their orchards and heritage fruits and their newly planted vineyards.

Our al fresco lunch was catered by Seasonal 56 at Annie’s Orchard, where Mary Ann and Jim Rahe treated us with a glimpse into orchard management and the production of many different heritage apples and pears as well as an introduction to apple breeding. Our last stop of the day was at Polderside Farms, where Virginia and Jens Jacobsen offered an introduction to the lives of poultry farmers and their trials and tribulations. We enjoyed a taste of their famous Polderside Rhode Island Red chicken roasted slowly and fresh from the oven—delicious! Our day was most enjoyable and we returned with many samples of produce for our culinary delight!