Organic Food and Products

[maxmillan]

Hi eGullies

I've been looking for good quality, cheap and local organic produce. Either I'm on the wrong side of town or we get mostly poor quality American grown produce which costs too much.

I don't want to go around to one store to buy tomatoes and then another store to get broccoli.

I find Choices is hit and miss on good produce. Capers is totally US grown produce of which I don't appreciate the deterioration of nutrients as it is travelling on the road.

I know Granville Island has some organic stuff but it's a small selection and VERY expensive.

I don't want to do the home delivery thing, as I am cooking for one.

I also understand that guidelines that allow producers to label their stuff "organic" can be questionable. Someone who runs an organic farm told me that, although, it may ban one chemical/pesticide, it doesn't exclude others.

Regardless, where do you shop for the best quality organic BC grown produce? Hopefully any suggestions will be within or close to Vancouver.

Thanks!

Edited April 7, 2004 by maxmillan (log)

[Sam Salmon]

The local joints-Capers/Choices and their ilk do carry BC organic produce in season.

Other than that it's the Farmer's Markets-West End/East Side/Nat Bailey that are your best bet-again in season only.

I eat organic in season other than that as you say the imported stuff is often half dead so why bother-think of all the diesel that was burned to bring it here .

["T"]

I'm with Sam. Wait until the farmers markets are up and running for the season, other than that there is very little local organic produce out there.

[Coop]

I find the Fraser Valley co-operative booth in Granville Island the best for greens. I think they are currently importing right now. Their root vegetables are local though. IMHO, one must eat what is in season if you want to do this organic thing correctly. This is really the worst time of the year for produce though.

In the winter I enjoy eating beets, carrots, parsnips, cabbage etc. which are available locally (organic and mass farmed). One can eat seasonally and locally in Vancouver.

[mot juste]

You can usually find local organic produce (when it is in season) at the East Vancouver Farmer's Market but it is ridiculously expensive. If you have wheels, it's a nice day for a drive and it's the right time of year, an alternative is to make a weekend outing of it and visit the farmers stands just off the highway outside Yarrow.

Yes, it's a long way, but with the money you save (especially at the end of season around Thanksgiving), it more than pays for your gas. Some items like garlic, onions and walnuts will last a long time so you can keep them for a while and not have to make the trip too often. The added bonus is that items like the walnuts and hazelnuts are incredibly fresh - not the situation with the ones you find in the bins of the so-called "green" stores.

Last time I did this (October), I came home with flat of double-yolked organic hen eggs for about 2 dollars. I also recommend a visit to the nearby Apple Farm.

[barolo]

I overheard two staffers at Ripe on 4th Avenue (reportedly the only Vancouver restaurant with a 100% organic kitchen besides Bishop's) discussing this very issue. Their conclusion was that best prices were found in the shops on south Commercial Drive (I didn't pick up specific shops unfortunately), but you have to shop around town to get good prices consistently.

[maxmillan]

Thanks for your info. I'm aware of many of the Farmers Market. I do go to them but, unfortunately, as some of you stated, it is seasonal...oh well.

But I will check out South Commercial Drive. In fact, I think I will as Mr. Bishop himself to see where he gets his produce. I've met him and he's a very friendly chap.

My friend said that the Apple Farm Market (one on MacDonald and Broadway and another on 4th in Kits) has good quality organic stuff. Think I will check it out. I like to support the smaller business.

If I find any more info during my search I'll let you know.

BTW mot juste, where is Yarrow?

[mot juste]

Yarrow is a farming community with Mennonite roots near Cultus Lake in the Fraser Valley. To go there, head east on Hwy #1 towards Chilliwack and take the 104 exit. There are some large roadside farm stands about 1 mile after you turn off the highway and also some spots right in the town of Yarrow that are worth searching for, such as the Apple Farm, which I believe is organic.

The Apple Farm does farmgate sales of heritage apples and homemade apple pies and in the fall they sell fresh pressed apple juice and cider. They have a website. www.applesandstuff.com

Most of the farm stands are only open late spring through Thanksgiving.

There is a printed guide available giving locations and opening hours to the farmgate sales in the area. Most of the stands carry it.

Edited April 8, 2004 by mot juste (log)

[Derek Diggler]

go to save on foods and peel the stickers off :D

[maxmillan]

Hey DD

Not that I've done this before in the store, but when I take the stickers off those apples at home, the stickers are on like glue.

mot juste, Chilliwack is a far distance from Vancouver. I will consider Yarrow when I go hiking there this summer tho.

BTW, check out Buy Low's flyer. They have gigantic papayas on sale. It's not organic but it sure it deeeeeeelicious.

[annanstee]

I don't know if you are still checking this thread, but the Kin's Farm Market at City Square has some pretty good prices on Organic stuff. It seems to be only at this particular location for some reason. I find that the prices are comparable to regular, imported produce from say, Safeway.

[Mooshmouse]

'Tis the season to go open-air market shopping.

Just a note that the East Vancouver Farmer's Market opened for business on Saturday. Click here for more info.

[kontemporary]

go to save on foods and peel the stickers off :D

←

hahahaha..

i wonder how some markets have their cashiers differentiate between produce anyways.. i mean a .99/lb bunch of oranges looks the same as a .69/lb bunch of oranges right next to it.. eh.

anyways, as people already have mentioned, the best places for organic produce is on Commercial Drive. There's a big store called Drive Organics which has a good selection. Otherwise you can even find in many supermarkets organic produce here and there occasionally.. by looking at the stickers that hopefully arent peeled off

[Chef Metcalf]

'Tis the season to go open-air market shopping. 

Just a note that the East Vancouver Farmer's Market opened for business on Saturday.  Click here for more info.

←

Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver also has a small farmer's market on Saturday mornings from 9am outside on the east side of the front entrance.

cm

[the g-man]

In fact, I think I will as Mr. Bishop himself to see where he gets his produce. I've met him and he's a very friendly chap.

i read that they get a lot of their produce from an organic farm called Hazelmere. I think it is in Surrey, not sure of the address, apparently they are sometimes open to the public.

[Mooshmouse]

In fact, I think I will as Mr. Bishop himself to see where he gets his produce. I've met him and he's a very friendly chap.

i read that they get a lot of their produce from an organic farm called Hazelmere. I think it is in Surrey, not sure of the address, apparently they are sometimes open to the public.

←

Google is a wonderful thing. As noted in a local foodblog, VanEats, Hazelmere Organic Farms host a Saturday market at which they sell their seasonal organic produce and other organic goods. Open 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Hazelmere Organic Farms

1859 184th Street

South Surrey

604-538-3018

[organicgoddess]

I'm kind of late coming into this...

Like clockwork, every year as soon as the weather turns nice, people start asking, where is the local produce? Many people seem to forget that after it's nice enough to plant, it can take 2-4 months before we start getting a harvest from our local farmers. And even if it appears nice enough to plant, in a lot of areas farmers still have to wait until the safe frost free times to put our their crops, which might not be for several weeks or longer after the first bit of nice weather. I'm sure that the places you have been looking for local food will have some as soon as it's ready. If you go looking in about 3 weeks you'll see tons of local produce- there's no doubt a fair amount of early crops on the coast already. Things are just starting here in the Kootenays, yet people have been asking for it since at least early April, since we had such an early spring. We just have to be patient, living in Canada!