Local Flavours

Our Acres of Local Flavours (www.localflavours.net in Cowichan Bay, BC has been providing fresh, organically grown fruit and veggies as well as pasture raised chickens and turkeys to southern Vancouver Island locals for the past 8 years. Our primary offerings are garlic, raspberries and blueberries and we also prepare a diverse selection of preserves including pickles, relish, salsas, chutneys, jams and jellies. Seasonally available is our wide selection of veggies, such as tomatoes, peppers, greens, cucumbers, etc. Our chickens are available monthly March/April through September/October and our turkeys at Thanksgiving. Local Flavours is a lovely 2 acre parcel of land located on an old farm property in Cowichan Bay. The property has old cherry, pear, prune plum and apple trees and we have added peach and fig trees. Our fruit expansion for 2017 includes the addition of blueberry bushes, figs, June bearing strawberries and the expansion of our raspberry patch The original patch of ever bearing raspberries has been expanded (and curtailed) to supply us with organically grown berries throughout the season from June through early October. Our raspberries are delicious and nutritious, packed full of vitamins, antioxidants and fiber and are grown on healthy, tall bushes loaded with flowers and berries. Over the years we have added almost 100 blueberry bushes. Our organically grown Blueberry Patch has now has eight varieties planted. This range of variety provides us with ripe delicious blueberries early (late June/early July) in the season straight through until late (late August/early September). Our blueberries are excellent medium to large berries with long shelf life and great taste. We will have seven different varieties of garlic to choose from in 2017. In addition to the Porcelain Garlic and Red Russian garlic varieties that we grew in 2016 we have added four new varieties of hardneck garlic - 2 are of the Porcelain variety and 2 are of the Purple and Marbled Stripe varieties. We also decided to venture into the softneck garlic world and have planted Nootka Rose – a good braiding garlic variety. We expanded our selection of handmade, high quality, small-batch products including pickles, preserves, jams, jellies, salsas, chutneys and sauces in 2016. We are adding a selection of flower jellies in 2017 including rose hip jelly, nasturtium jelly and lilac jelly. In addition we will continue to expand our fermented offerings with sauerkraut varieties and various fermented vegetables. Our Pickled Walnuts were well received and we will make more in 2017. Pickled Walnuts are a traditional English pickle, made from green walnuts. They are wonderful served as they are with cheeses and cold meats, and also great in many cooked dishes. Each green walnut was hand pricked multiple times, soaked in brine for approx. 10 days and is now sitting in spiced vinegar. The walnuts are available in 500 ml jars and will be ready to eat at Christmas time. Perhaps the perfect gift for that foodie in your life! We can be reached through email (sjkuken@shaw.ca), our website (www.locaflavours.net), and our facebook page (Local Flavours) or by phone at 250 818-5808. Please contact us if you are making a special trip, have specific requirements or would like to pre-book. Thank you again for your support and we look forward to seeing you again at our Country Stand.