Get out to the Farms!

As spring seems to have finally decided to show it's warmer side, we come out of hibernation and look forward to the arrival of those first fresh local culinary treasures and begin seeking them out. The best way to discover these delicious offerings is to head out to the country and visit the farmers and vintners that are producing them.

While agritourism may have it’s roots in Italy – British Columbia has wasted no time adopting the term and lifestyle, nowhere is this more apparent then in the farms and wineries across this beautiful province. Agritourism offerings are as diverse as the landscape they rest on; from corn mazes with your kids to barrel sampling with the vintners, the choices are truly endless.

Preserving Krause asparagus at Vista D'oro

Food and wine go hand in hand and culinary agritourism and wineries are a match made in heaven. Agritourism on wineries comes in many forms; from culinary classes and vineyard tours to fully gourmet-stocked tasting rooms and overnight stays amongst the vines, the wineries are taking the ‘experience’ to whole new level.

A trip to the Fraser Valley uncovers many of these experiential destinations.  With over ten wineries from Richmond to Chilliwack, and endless farms stops along the way, it’s easy to plan a full day out in the country and come home with edible delicacies and local wines to stock your pantry and cellar for months to come.

Farmhouse Cheese - always on the picnic menu!

 

At The Farmhouse Natural Cheese in Agassiz, view cheese makers turning fresh ‘from the cow’ milk into beautiful artisanal cheeses, then take a stroll around the farm to meet the cows and goats that make it all possible. Stop in at Krause Berry Farms to get the first crop of asparagus and pick your own ripe strawberries then head in and watch those same berries being made into fresh baked scones in their farm kitchen, melt in your mouth deliciousness!

Thomas Haas treats in the Farmgate Shop

Warning: Shameless plug about to begin… At our own farmgate shop and winery, Vista D’oro Farms in Langley, alongside our wines, we feature culinary products made on our farm using our orchard fruits as well as produce from other local farms. We also stock other great local products including artisanal cheeses, charcuterie as well as local chef produced delicacies such as Thomas Haas chocolates, Terra Breads baguettes and crackers, and Tequi-Lime Sauces from Chef Ann Kirsebom.

Picnic under the walnut tree with a view of the vineyard.

Vista D’oro also offers picnic-ing under the walnut trees or on our deck, produced in our commercial kitchen incorporating fresh local ingredients into our menus.  Using products grown or produced on our farm as well as many other local farms alongside a glass of Vista D’oro wine, it’s an experience you won’t soon forget.

The Fort Wine Company in Fort Langley offers delicious fruit wines and has another lovely spot for romantic picnics. They also offer tours of the farm and winery and a lovely bistro in the tasting room.

First blooms on the apple trees!

Take the time to meet with the people providing these experiences they are a passionate bunch who truly love what they do and only too happy to share it with you.

Come and hang out on the deck!

Be sure to check out www.circlefarmtour.com for more stops in the Fraser Valley!

With so many unique agritourism experiences to choose from your hardest task will be convincing yourselves to come back home. Careful, you may end up like us, never leaving the farm!

Farming in Louboutins

LOUBOUTINS – OF THE CHRISTIAN VARIETY

I don’t know many women who aren’t a least a little shoe crazy, so honestly my addiction doesn’t make me feel too guilty. I mean really, who doesn’t get a little excited when you see that tell tale red soul of a Louboutin?

Yes, I realize I’m a farmer by day, however I love a dressy night out. My retirement plans include a pied-à-terre in Paris, with a closet dedicated solely (pun intended) to the aforementioned footwear, so it only seems right to begin the collection now, because let's face it, on a farmer's salary, Louboutin’s put a serious dent in the ‘marketing’ budget and it’s going to take a few years to accumulate enough of these beauties to fill said closet.

My first pair have their own dedicated shelf in my office, where I can keep a close eye on them as well as use them as inspiration to work a little harder everyday!  When we were about to launch the D'oro fortified Walnut Wine to trade and media, I realized the time was ripe for purchase, I mean I had to convey the new winery ‘brand & image’ right? They came to me through a lovely sales lady at Holt Renfrew, home of the coveted Pink bag, she even sent a lovely note the following week to see how the two of us were making out.

Convincing the accountant and auditor of this purchase was another matter entirely and I still think they missed the true value and meaning of that purchase, but a girl’s gotta try right?

Turkish Fig with Walnut Wine - Artisanal Preserve

The only way we were able to, legally, sell our D'oro (fortified Walnut Wine) for the first 5 years, was to incorporate it into a preserve. My first fresh fig experience took place in the backyard of one of my Italian uncles, who grew massive amounts on a postage stamp lot in Burnaby, a city in BC, which, likely, has the most fig trees per capita in North America! I wanted to capture that fresh 'seed crunch' taste of figs and combining it with the richness of the walnut wine, we ended up with a preserve that is as delicious served as a condiment on a cheese board as it is slathered over a grilled pork tenderloin.

Customers are constantly sharing their favorite combinations and pairings of our preserves, and more times than not, it involves the Turkish Fig with Walnut Wine. This past weekend, a lovely lady and great friend, Wendy Taylor, told me her latest creation incorporates the preserve into a vinaigrette she serves over a decadent salad of Arugula, Proscuitto and Blue Cheese....seriously? Can NOT wait to try this!

Other ways of incorporating the preserve...

Fig Loaf - Replace the mashed bananas in banana bread with the same amount of Turkish Fig w/ Walnut Wine for a rich loaf, smear with Mascarpone for a truly over-the-top treat

Panini - Turkish Fig w/ Walnut Wine, Tiger Blue Cheese, Proscuitto

Stilton Cheesecake topped with Turkish Fig w/ Walnut Wine

Balsamic Fig Vinaigrette - Combine Turkish Fig w/ Walnut Wine with Balsamic and Olive Oil for the above mentioned salad.


I'd love to hear if you've done something great with our preserves and if you'd like to share the recipe, I'd be happy to post...

Vista D'oro in a (Wal)Nutshell

We received our winery license, after a three year wait, in 2007. This has been a labour of love and hate, however, I think we are finally getting into a grove and going into year three will make a difference. The learning curve was steep and a manual on 'how to start a winery in BC without losing your patience and mind' could be a bestseller, if anyone is interested in writing it, I am NOT!

We are no longer hosting cooking classes at the farm, just too crazy making our preserves and baking for the farmgate shop. I hope one day to be able to do both, maybe in the 'Old Dairy Barn' once that project gets going....more on that at a later date.

We continue to operate the farmgate shop on the farm, which is also where the wine tasting takes place. We've increased our local offerings and continue to search out the best artisan products BC has to offer, to accompany our own products. Any and all recommendations are considered, if you know of a great locally produced product, please let us know!

The greenhouse is just getting going again for the season, we have great help this year and hope to have enough heirloom tomatoes to make the customers and the kitchen happy!

Enough about work!

We've welcomed a new member to our family this past Christmas, he's actually been in the family for over 12 years and we're lucky enough to be his new caregivers! Jesse, is a majestic Bay & White Quarterhouse Paint, which my cousin Teresa received through the Make-a-Wish foundation while she was going through cancer treatment at the age of 13. Unfortunately, Teresa never got to ride Jesse....we hope she's happy with his new home!


Roxy, my little Westie (read apartment dog) is adjusting well to farm life, pretty sure she was white when she arrived two years ago...Paris, our 'real' farm dog, has no time for her, but Roxy's not giving up, they WILL be friends, just give her a couple more years!

We are down to one chicken, Chicken Little, who lives with my horse, Rico. She roosts above his stall at night and hangs out on his back during the day, likely how she avoided the fate of the rest of the chickens. She's getting a little grumpy in her old age and I now carry a broom when I feed her, she may be tiny, but she's damn scary up close!

That pretty much gets you up-to-date- on farm life, minus all the details, which may or may not get covered in future posts.

Life on the Farm

Blog...everyone's doing it...branding...social media, it's the only way...connect with everyone...these thoughts have been banging about in my brain since I posted my first entry to this blog, in 2006!! It was the one and only entry and, I thought, it was pretty good, I just couldn't quite decide what to write about next. I realized I need deadlines, just ask the editors at TASTE! So, I'm self imposing a monthly post, due by the 15th of the month, yes, I realize this ones already 2 days late!!

I removed the old post, don't worry, saved it for posterity's sake - remind me to check if I'm using that word in the correct context, or Wendy, the blog police, will be on it before you can say edit.

The gist of the post was how we moved to the country to build this dream 'lifestyle' and how it's taken on a whole life of it's own, this 'farming' thing. Basically, no lazy days in the hammock gazing at the view (Vista D'oro); no leisurely rides in the park on my horse, (Rico, the main reason we moved the farm) Note: check with Wendy to see if that's 'ironic'. I seriously thought I'd have time to 'putter' in my garden, it's almost funny in retrospect, almost.

I also didn't realize we'd meet so many amazing people doing what we do; chefs, writers, winemakers, farmers, cheesemakers - people so passionate about food and wine and so much fun to be around. I've learned so much from them and continue to do so on a daily basis. I'll be telling you more about these wonderful people in later posts.

Life on the Farm may not be the romantic notion that so many want and expect it to be, but I wouldn't change it for that dream corporate job; the one with coffee breaks, lunch hours, profit sharing, holidays...sorry lost my train of thought for a minute...ever!

Hope you enjoy my ramblings and random thoughts; if not, please just stop reading...don't leave nasty comments, I'm just way too fragile for that ;)