Cow-Op Online Farmers’ Market.
Since August of 2015, shoppers in the Cowichan region have been able to buy local produce & groceries from the convenience of their own homes via www.Cow-op.ca, the region’s first online farmers’ marketplace of locally grown and processed food.
The online model allows customers to easily access local farmers, food makers, and producers from their computer or mobile device year-round. It also provides an additional market for these same farmers and makers where they can harvest or produce exactly what has been ordered.
Customers have access to Cowichan-grown seasonal produce, baking, meats, sauces, spreads, and more all grown, harvested, handmade, or processed in the Cowichan region. Not to mention, all orders are harvested fresh for the customer each week so quality, taste, and nutritional value are unparalleled. “Blessed with Canada’s only Maritime-Mediterranean climatic zone, the Cowichan is gaining wide recognition for its unique terroir and taste,” explained Cow-op founder Heather Kaye. “Ordering from the Cow-op helps strengthen our island’s agricultural community and preserve our precious agricultural land, not to mention buying local means buying fresh!”
Cow-op.ca is an initiative of the Cowichan Valley Co-operative Marketplace (CVCM) developed in partnership with the Cowichan Green Community in Duncan.
Incorporated in November of 2014, the CVCM is a not-for-profit co-operative with over 80 food processors and farmer members all focused on increasing farm viability in the Cowichan region.
How Does it Work?
The weekly ordering cycle runs from Thursday to Monday, when the system temporarily closes to allow farmers and processors to prepare their orders and drop them off at the Cow-op warehouse. The Cow-op team carefully prepares customer orders on Wednesdays and on Thursdays are delivered throughout the Cowichan Valley and Nanaimo or picked up at a convenient pick-up location throughout the Cowichan Valley and Victoria: Hope Farm in Duncan, Lockwood Farms in Cobble Hill, The HUB in Cowichan Station, Wild Poppy in Ladysmith, Farm’s Gate Foods + Catering in Lake Cowichan, or Zero Waste Emporium in Victoria.
There is no commitment on the customer’s part; they can shop one week but not the next or set up a weekly subscription for all those weekly staple items!
Cow-op connects the community and local farmers and food processors by hosting an easy way for people to access a variety of delicious farm grown goods and locally created products.