The diversity of our province never fails to surprise me. Food, wine, farm – we have it all here and more. Good food and wine comes from the passionate commitment of the amazing tribe of food and winemakers we have amassed here. From ocean to vine, the array of new businesses featuring products grown and created here continues to soar.
I recently visited Hopcott cranberry bog in Pitt Meadows- just like an Ocean Spray commercial I donned hip waders and waded out into the middle of a cranberry bog. What a thriving local industry – did you know that Ocean Spray uses almost the entire crop of BC cranberries in their products? Another yes product to add to the shopping list. Although shopping local is a bit more challenging during these winter months, please do continue to read the labels and do your research to find out where the goods you are buying come from. Remember that dollars spent on local products stay IN local businesses and therefore stay IN your community! The world is getting much smaller again as people adapt to a village mentality, learning from our forefathers to support each other by shopping local. We can also put our mind at ease when we know the face of the farmer or artisan who is producing the food that you are feeding your children. So this year, set a local holiday table. It’s easy -purchase a local turkey from a farmer like Mike Hamblett in the Okanagan, buy local roots veggies at the farmers market, bread from your favorite baker and of course, wine from your local wineries. Cheers and Happy holidays from all of us at BC Food & Wine Trails Magazine!