Slocan Valley Grown
Your 2023 Local Food Guide
Find super fresh, healthy & local food produced right here in the beautiful Slocan Valley!
Support our community and your family by buying local at our small farms, farm stands, markets and grocers.
Click on the map below for more info on how to find these hidden gems! Or click here to download your own version of the map.
Little Piece of Paradise Farm
Get your certified organic, culinary, and medicinal herbs from A Little Piece of Paradise Farm! They boast over 70 varieties of herbs that are lovingly hand-harvested, cut, de-stemmed, and dried in small batches by Isabelle and her husband Rob. The farm also offers seasoning mixes, herbal teas, and workshops
"We really are trying to supply the most ethical and sustainable herbs possible," says Isabelle about their regenerative farming practices. "We dry leaves and flowers whole and only sell our previous year's harvest, so our herbs have the most aroma, flavour, and health benefits."
After working in Environment and Health & Safety jobs, Isabelle and her husband Rob always knew they wanted to farm. After renting an apartment on a farm in Switzerland, participating in WWOOF while on vacation, and finally volunteering at a herb farm (Rob), the couple are now living out their dream.
This year, the farm will be partnering with Unfurl Wellness to provide herbal medicine-making workshops for the community! They are also running two CSA programs that started in March (but you can still catch up if you join late). These include in-season herbs, mixes, teas, and even herby soaps made by Witch Way Soapery.
For event information (including A Scents of Community workshops and other community events), follow them on Facebook and Instagram, or check out their website at www.pieceofparadisefarm.ca.
Silver Sage Flora
Cultivate your relationship with nature, intuition, creativity, and the senses with workshops and products by Melanie Dawn at Silver Sage Flora.
From floral gardening to healing with flowers and "colour magic," Silver Sage Flora alchemizes their blooms to maximize your interaction with these beautiful flowers and create a deeper relationship with plants, the land, and others interested in learning how flowers can uplift our lives.
"By creating relationships with flowers, we can offer customers an everlasting floral experience,” says Melanie. “Take home floral essences in the way of perfumes, hydrosols, floral-dyed silks, and fibres, and at times, baby plants for their own garden collections.”
Flowers used for fresh-cut bouquets like peonies and lavender, and flowers used for fibre dyes all ebb and flow seasonally at the farm.
"Flower farming was a way I could continue to heal within my community. It is both work and reward, not just for the people who love the flowers, but my family and our well-being."
Join them at the Kohan Garden's 30th Anniversary celebration in July for a lavender distillation demonstration and learn more about growing and using lavender at home.
With Covid-19 restrictions finally out the door, Silver Sage Flora is excited to host in-person meet-ups, demos and workshops this summer!
To learn more about these events (like floral dye workshops, demo days about how to make hydrosols, and more), check out www.silversageflora.com, or check out their Facebook and Instagram pages.
Mountain Seed Co.
Grown naturally with pure and fresh mountain spring water, Mountain Seed Co. provides the Slocan Valley with heirloom and open-pollinated vegetable, flower, and herb seeds.
With a unique specialty in rare, northern-acclimated, and short growing season varieties (including Russian Doukhobor and heirloom tomatoes), Kylie at Mountain Seed Co. has offered over 100 different tomato seed varieties over the last 14 years!
"I love sharing the exciting varieties that I find work well here in the Slocan Valley," says Kylie. "Growing food is a great way to come together and feed your family and friends, and to gain the health benefits that gardening provides for oneself and the community."
After hearing the world was losing diversity of garden seeds rapidly due to mechanized farming practices, Kylie was inspired to learn as much as she could about seed saving.
"Suzanne Ashworth's book, 'Seed to Seed' was an excellent resource to learn just about everything I needed to start saving as many varieties as I could without cross-pollinating," says Kylie. She suggests that anyone interested in learning more about seed saving should also check out the gardening section at the Slocan Library and the Seeds of Diversity Canada website.
Mountain growing conditions usually require short-season garden varieties, but have you ever grown or eaten Long Keeper tomatoes that last until March? You can find these exciting new seeds from Mountain Seed Co. at Gaia Tree, Slocan Village market, or Rutabagas, or check out their Facebook page for more information!
Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery
Fred and Pearl, owners of Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery, have supplied the Valley with a variety of luscious bedding plants, perennials, trees, and shrubs for 36 years! Their stunning hanging baskets and flowering plants are sure to make your garden a bright and inviting space, and vegetable plants give you the freedom to get ingredients right from your own backyard.
The nursery initially grew hydroponic tomatoes, long English cucumbers, eggplants, cherry tomatoes, and peppers. Hoping to start a family with a home-based business, they later added beautiful bedding plants, perennials, trees, and shrubs to their repertoire.
Flower cuttings are used to grow their basket stuffers, and they lovingly seed all of their bedding plants by hand - growing them into beautiful plants just for you.
Inspired by meeting people in the Valley and surrounding area and seeing their customer's excited faces at being successful growers, you know you'll get the support you need for your outdoor space to come alive.
"Working with dirt, fresh air, and sunshine. It can't get any better than that," said Pearl and Fred, about what they love most about their business.
With new varieties of bedding plants, trees, and shrubs coming in all the time, be sure to check them out and give your garden, patio, or backyard a fresh feel!
Their farm stand can be found on the Slocan Grown Map (above) and is open from mid-April until the end of October (daily from 9am to 5pm until July 1st when they’ll be closed Wednesdays and Sundays.)
Hummingbird Farm
Hummingbird Farm is a certified organic farm and has been selling specialty-cut flowers and small fruits for every occasion since 2014. They also boast a stunning wedding venue - undoubtedly breathtaking surrounded by all the flowers!
Come celebrate Mother's Day with Hummingbird Farm's first annual Mother's Day Tulip Festival. Grab a snack and a drink from one of the food and beverage trucks, peruse the plants for sale, and gaze at the beautiful tulips (of course).
"This is a rare opportunity to tour the farm, which is normally closed to the public," said farm owners, Lana and Brad, who are inspired by the environment, mountains, river, and glorious sky.
Check out the Slocan Valley Grown map for Hummingbird Farm's farm stand, which opens from late April to early October from 10am-6pm, Thursday through Sunday.
For floral subscriptions (almost sold out!) visit the Hummingbird Farm website at www.hummingbirdfarmbc.com, or to learn more about the farm, check out Facebook and Instagram.
Hummingbird Farm is currently on the lookout for paid labourers! Think you’re the flower cut out for the job? Send an email to hummingbirdfarmbc@gmail.com.
Confluence Farms
How does having farm-fresh produce, flowers, seasonal pantry items, and even baked goods delivered right to your door sound? If it sounds like the most amazing thing ever (because heck yeah), try using Confluence Farms’ easy-to-use online farm store! You can order whatever you like, in whatever quantity you need. They offer weekly veggie boxes and custom farm boxes.
Seasonal pantry items include things like pesto, pasta sauce, salsa, pickles, relish, and more. All lovingly made with fresh ingredients from Confluence Farms.
All of their baked goods are made using freshly milled, locally-sourced, and stone ground flours, and this year they’ll be expanding their bakery to include seasonal pies.
Inspired by the desire to change the current food system from a globalized, centralized, and industrialized one, Emily Woody and Nathan Wiebe started Confluence Farms to make local food more accessible throughout the community.
“After growing up in a big city I was feeling pretty burnt out and unhappy. I wanted to be closer to nature and to do work that really mattered,” says Nathan
Emily says, “I started farming as a combination of wanting to do good in the world, feeling a strong calling to do something about climate change and the state of the environment, and really liking good food.”
You can connect with them on their website, Facebook, Instagram, or join their text community by texting “hello” to 250-999-3752.
Confluence Farms is looking for work trade help! If you’re interested please contact emily@confluencefarms.ca.
Linden Lane Farms
Get your high quality, certified organic vegetables, small fruits, and plants with convenience and savings when you shop with Linden Lane Farms! Their CSA programs include:
🥕Thyme Saver Boxes: 18 weekly boxes of produce with pickups in Nelson, Castlegar, and from the farm.
🥕 Prepaid Market cards: purchase produce at the market using your card and receive a bonus credit every time you load it.
🥕Farm Club Memberships: save 5% on almost every purchase (remember to bring your reusable Linden Lane shopping bag and membership pin!)
A pivotal part of Linden Lane Farms’ contribution to the world is providing education; from growing food from patio pots in backyards to educating people about commercial farming.
“We strive to be a model farm for small-scale agriculture by training amazing farmers and working towards the ever-increasing nutritional needs of the community,” says farm owner, Matthew Carr.
Linden Lane Farms is Canada’s only certified organic sweet potato slip producer!
In the spring, the farm boasts the largest edible nursery in Central Kootenay. Through their locally-designed website, you can pre-order your plants, soil, compost, and organic fertilizers for your gardening needs.
Celebrate the fall harvest season with the farm’s annual Pumpkin Fest sale. This event features a ‘U-Pick’ pumpkin patch, fall veggie stand and local vendors! Stay tuned for this year’s date.
Check out their Spring Plant Sale that runs Thursdays-Sundays in May from 10am-4pm. You can find them on the Slocan Grown map or on their website, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Crooked Horn Farm
Located on the beautiful Slocan River in Winlaw, and using minimal tillage with no animal-based input, Angela and Gord of Crooked Horn Farm have grown a wide variety of nutritious and delicious organic veggies since 2009.
Ange and Gord’s desire to do something positive and environmentally-friendly with their work led them to start this small-scale, ecologically-focused farm.
“It’s inspiring to see our soil come into balance and respond to our management practices, and to watch strong healthy plants grow,” they say about what motivates Crooked Horn Farm. “We love growing and sharing delicious food with our community in such a stunningly beautiful place.”
With a deep love of cooking and eating delicious food, Ange and Gord want to hear about the new and exciting recipes you’ve tried, and all about the vegetables you’ve enjoyed, so don’t be shy!
Keep your eyes peeled for their very popular oyster mushrooms, as well as their smoked and fermented hot sauces being introduced this fall.
The farm is also looking forward to re-opening their self-serve farm stand this spring. The stand will be open from 9am to 7pm daily. Crooked Horn Farm offers both a summer and winter CSA box program (join the waitlist for their popular winter boxes).
Check them out on the Slocan Grown Map or on their website. You can also follow their Facebook and Instagram pages for updates and more information.
Wild Valley Foods
“We love planning and replanning and coming up with inventive ideas to make each season better than the one before,” says Heather Feenstra and Chris Hiebert of Wild Valley Foods. “We love seeing the soil get healthier and we love the people who commit to buying our food.”
Wild Valley Foods is a small market garden farm that runs solely through their CSA program. They lovingly grow veggies for 40-50 lucky families who receive weekly boxes of fresh and nutritious vegetables.
“Because our products are almost exclusively sold through the CSA model, we are able to really focus on curating our planting plan to yield well-rounded and delicious boxes each week,” says Heather.
Not only does Wild Valley Foods offer a diverse and changing variety of practical vegetables, but they don’t typically put anything in their boxes that people aren’t used to preparing (or that their children wouldn’t eat.)
The farm started after neighbours Chris and Heather bonded over being moms and their love for gardening. Their family-oriented beginnings reflect what they love most about what they do.
“We love building relationships with each returning CSA customer and giving them healthy food as we watch their families grow,” says Heather.
The CSA boxes from Wild Valley Foods are a hot commodity! They occasionally take on new customers throughout the season, but encourage you to check in if you’re interested in a spot or in joining the waiting list.
Check out Wild Valley Foods on Facebook and Instagram, as well as the Slocan Grown Map!
What the Duck Farm
Come for the puns, stay for the products! What The Duck Farm came about after a lengthy discussion surrounding duck jokes. The puns continue to this day between ducky owners, Cassandra and Chelsea.
Founded on the principles of regenerative agriculture, self-sufficiency and community building, What The Duck Farm operates on two sites in the Winlaw area. They offer plant starts available in the spring, fresh produce from spring through fall, as well as preserves, handicrafts and beeswax products through the winter.
Cassandra learned the ins and outs of farming after working on a friend’s organic farm and traveling around the province working on other farms. She says, “I learned from some really great teachers, then got the chance to put these lessons into action and experience my own successes and failures.”
Chelsea’s farming experience started with her family’s vineyard in the Okanagan. After her successful career as a psychiatric nurse, her days of dreaming about her own homestead and realigning with her personal ethics have come to life. Chelsea says, “Farming your own food is the most punk rock thing you can do.”
What The Duck Farm and its farm stand can be found on the Slocan Grown map, and more information can be found on their Facebook and Instagram pages. Stay tuned for updates on the proposed sunflower maze and pumpkin patch opening this fall!
What The Duck Farm is looking for paid labourers. Be sure to send them a message if you think you’re right for the job (and love a good pun!).
Tonik Distillery
Inspired by the beautiful mountain scenery and a love of the creative process, Tonik Distillery crafts highly drinkable beverages that “remedy life’s most common ailments.”
Made from scratch and sourced from glacier-fed Slocan spring water, Tonik Distillery’s vodka sodas combine their premium vodka with the delicious and refreshing taste of fresh fruit. There are six invigorating flavours to choose from: Zesty Lime, Citrus Burst, Raspberry, Ruby Grapefruit, and Island Mango.
The upcoming season will bring Cranberry Cosmo and Saskatoon Berry to the tasting menu as well as new flavours to wet your whistle and beat the summer heat (or cure those previously mentioned ailments!)
Their premium vodka (Legacy Vodka) can be purchased separately, as well as their Pink Lemonade Vodka, and gins available in three unique styles - London Dry, Bangkok, and Old Tom. Gin is always brewed in small batches to ensure premium quality.
“These ‘Miracle Cures’ were passed down from our forefathers many moons ago,” says Robert George of Tonik Distillery. “Following their timeless recipes, we craft drinks that taste so great they might just be delivered straight from the heavens!”
You can find Tonik Distillery on the Slocan Grown Map and check out their website, Instagram and Facebook pages to get your refresh on!
Pivo Vino Bru-In
Have you ever wanted to create your own fermented beverages like wine, craft beer or ciders? Or maybe ferment and preserve your own food? Welcome to Pivo Vino Bru-In! They are your full service Ubrew, UVin, Homebrew, and Food Ferment supply shop.
The shop carries a variety of yeasts and food cultures (such as sourdough), and all the equipment you need to ferment food for preservation, or do lacto-ferments at home.
Make use of your orchard fruits by bringing them to Pivo Vino Bru-In this fall when they’re hoping to offer fruit pressing services (stay tuned for the arrival of their apple crusher!) Leave your fruit there to ferment for hard cider, or package it and take it home for drinking.
Pivo Vino Bru-In’s owner and operator Willis Gilles came to the Kootenays in search of knowledge in organic farming. “I was very interested in food security and organic practices. I spent a growing season on Against the Wind Farm,” says Willis. “I then moved in with my partner and was excited about the plethora of fruits here. I got into fermentation and realized it is my passion in life.”
Willis is always impressed by the knowledge of his compadres when it comes to fermentation, and he and Pivo Vino Bru-In look forward to sharing theirs with you. Check them out on the Slocan Grown map, on the web, on their Facebook page, or on Instagram to learn more.
Earthly Pleasures Organic Farm
At Earthly Pleasures Organic Farm, Mick and Ruth Wilson grow organic veggies on a scale that allows them to put love into everything they grow. All their devotion goes into producing fresh, crisp veggies, starting with spinach in April and adding dozens of different vegetables as the season progresses.
Their produce can be found at the New Denver Friday Market that runs June through October, as well as in New Market Foods and Rutabaga’s Whole Foods.
Mick and Ruth love the autonomy that growing their own food provides, and growing food to sell seemed like a natural progression for the couple. They both worked on farms prior to opening Earthly Pleasures in order to gain experience, and now take pride in the ability to work with their hands and create food that people love.
“The keenness of the Valley residents to support small local farms has always been inspiring,” say Mick and Ruth.
This year they’ll be celebrating their 25th year of growing food for New Denver and the surrounding area, where their farm is located on the shores of Slocan Lake on the traditional territory of the Sinixt people.
Check them out on the Slocan Grown map or get connected via Facebook!
Mother's Little Helper
Get your glow on! Made with love to share with family and the community, Mother’s Little Helper offers a variety of wild-harvested salves, tinctures, facial serums and lip balms. They also produce Valhalla Veggies Burgers, sauerkraut, pesto, greens, and baked goods.
Mother’s Little Helper has been growing food and medicine from organic living soil for 10 years in the Valley, and all of their ingredients are organic, too!
Standing on the firm belief that growing food “grows you and makes you a better human,” Teresa Smed of Mother’s Little Helper says, “Growing food is the most radical form of activism, as well as the most loving choice we can make for ourselves, for our family, for our planet, and for the support of the greater good.”
You can find Mother’s Little Helper on the Slocan Grown Map, on Fridays at the New Denver Market from 9:30am to 2pm, or on Saturdays at the Slocan Market from 10am to 2pm or at a plethora of local grocery stores.
Looking for a great gift for a friend or family member? Keep an eye on their Facebook and Instagram pages for their awesome gift boxes, as well as details about products!
Raven Roast
Do you find that you can’t get through your day without your morning cup of joe? What if you could get the same invigorating energy from your morning beverage, but with the added benefits of improving your sleep, reducing inflammation, being gentle to your gut flora and helping your body handle stress? And it tastes AMAZING?!
Introducing Raven Roast! Unlike other coffee alternatives, Raven Roast’s blends use superfoods from organic farms with high ethical standards and great labour practices whenever they can. Their coffee alternatives are gluten-free and don’t use fillers like barley or rye.
Raven Roast’s owner, Brendan Murray-Nellis, is a Registered Acupuncturist with extensive studies in Traditional Chinese and Western Herbalism. After observing how coffee is fueling our high-stress, pressure-filled lives, he developed Raven Roast to ensure its great taste would help folks recover from their coffee habits.
“Having worked in the coffee industry, I know that if the flavour isn’t right, people will give up on herbs before the long-term benefits kick in. It has taken me years to develop this delicious blend of herbs,” he says.
Look for their new Chaga blends coming this season! These blends use wildcrafted Chaga mushrooms from BC which are harvested under guidance from Tsilhqot'in Elders. Raven Roast will also be selling shade grown, fair trade, roasted Yerba Mate.
These amazing coffee alternatives are available at Brendan’s acupuncture clinic, Raven Acupuncture, through local stores and cafes throughout the region, and online. You can also refill your coffee tins using their refilleries.
Check out Raven Roast on the Slocan Grown Map, or on their Facebook and Instagram pages!
Fairway 4 Farm
Do you love getting your herbs straight from the garden? Tim Measures and Jennifer McCaw of Fairway 4 Farm have been selling herbs, potted herbs, trees and vegetables since 2016! They specialize in delicious salad mixes and are excited to introduce a variety of herb salts this year.
Tim has been growing organic food for almost 30 years and is a self-proclaimed foodie - enjoying the pleasures of feasting on delicious homegrown food. Jennifer says, “Tim has always had a green thumb and started growing food for his community at a young age. He worked on Evenside Farm on Hornby for years and is dedicated to natural farming techniques.”
When she’s not farming, Jen can be found creating jewelry inspired by life in the Slocan Valley as she’s both an artist and a silversmith. She also teaches fabric arts using the fleece from the farm's sheep, and printing and dyeing using the plants in her gardens. She also enjoys preparing and feasting on homegrown goodness.
Inspired by their stunning landscape, the pair genuinely love what they do. “We love it all, from planting to sales to creating and eating delicious food. What one of us doesn't like doing, the other does, so it balances.”
Visit their farm stand at the Slocan Market on Saturdays, or check out their Facebook and Instagram pages for some great farm food inspo and more information.
Faery Cakes
Get your snack on with Tara Harvey’s decadent little treats, affectionately called Faerycakes. Tara has been making Faerycakes for the past 9 years for the Slocan Valley and surrounding area.
“Faerycakes are delicious nut-based cakes created without gluten, dairy, or soy, and are made using wholesome organic ingredients and locally gathered and grown berries,” says Tara. These delicious creations are made in small batches, and are available in a variety of sizes and flavours.”
Faerycakes can be found at local community markets, festivals, and cafes, and are currently available through direct wholesale ordering or at Flaca's Bistro in Slocan.
“I started making Faerycakes and discovered how much my friends and family loved my product. I was looking for a way to supplement our family income while also having the flexibility to still enjoy Kootenay living to the fullest,” she says.
Inspired by the abundance of local products and foods available in the Slocan community, Tara loves providing her own locally produced product and growing, gathering and preserving her own food.
Check out Faery Cakes on the Slocan Grown Map, or email airycreek@gmail.com for more information!
Against the Wind Farm
Nikko Snyder and Jeremy Sauer are the next generation of farmers for Against the Wind Farm, graciously taking over farm management from Nikko’s parents, Corky Evans and Helen Sebelius, who have run the farm for the past 15 years.
Against the Wind Farm sells succulent U-Pick blueberries, garlic and flower cuttings.
“The quality of our food has always been top-notch, and the setting is spectacular! We have had customers return for our blueberries and garlic for over a decade,” says Nikko and Jeremy.
The farm has been planning the transition from one generation to the next for the past several years, and now Nikko and Jeremy have made the move to the Slocan Valley to pick up where Corky and Helen are leaving off.
“We have watched and learned from Helen and Corky for over a decade and have come to enjoy the quality of life that a small farm offers in this day and age. We are committed to living, learning and growing in the Slocan Valley and meeting more of the people who come to the farm and live here,” says the excited duo.
They both love the Slocan area for its vibrant and diverse small farms, the quality food production and the overall community.
Check out Against the Wind Farm on the Slocan Grown Map! You can get cut flowers right at their gate using an honour system (parking can be found at the roadside). For more information, visit them on the web, or head to their Facebook and Instagram pages!