Canada's insider blog

It’s hard to oversleep when the smell of the ocean water, the brilliant sunshine and a bunch of chatty seagulls are your alarm clock.  And this always helps when we have an early itinerary and have to be somewhere on time.

Yesterday, we had to meet Bill Jones from Deerholme Farm in the Cowichan Valley, early. Famous for the temperate climate that produces the world’s most variety of mushrooms and ideal for apple cider growing conditions, the slow food movement is alive-and-well in the small community. 

Although our cooking class with the master chef was rescheduled to an indefinite fall date, anyone into the slow food movement should explore this culinary possibility.  Winding roads, lush forests and small vineyards pave the way to the entrance of Bill's rustic farm. It will inspire the worst city-dweller to get in touch with nature.

We decided to drop into the Merridale Estate Cidery out of curiosity.  (It was only 11am, but the timing is always right for a little tasting.) The fine cidery offers tours of the property and even has a Yurt to get massages in.  Touring the orchards is a feast for all the senses (and I’ll say with confidence that fairy sightings are a high possibility) and during the summer, weddings add another layer of dimension to the cidery experience.

Before going to Cowichan Bay to gobble up True Grain’s fresh bread, Hilary’s fine cheese, and heaps of organic ice cream from the Udder Guys, take a few more exists to explore the area. The scenic route to Mill Bay offers expanding views of the ocean, mountains and valleys that lead you back to Victoria.  As an option, a road-side nap is also a delicious way to take it all in. A well-deserved reward for waking up early...
 
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