Cowichan Grown Farm, Food, and Drink Map
The 14th edition of the Cowichan Grown Farm Map is here!
Spanning Shawnigan Lake to south of Nanaimo, this annual guide has been helping Cowichan residents and visitors to the region, search out Cowichan-grown food, drink, and value-added products since its inception.
Blessed with Canada’s only Maritime-Mediterranean climatic zone, the Cowichan is continually making a name for itself as a region capable of producing a wonderfully diverse range of high-quality farm-fresh produce, artisanal foods, and beverages. The Cowichan Grown map showcases this bounty and the talented and hard-working producers behind it all with many unique farms and businesses all with something distinctive, fresh, and delicious to offer consumers.
From seasonal fruits and veggies, wines, baked goods, honey, tea, seafood, nuts, berries, and meats to more unusual products like steelhead trout, hemp, limes, and balsamic vinegar, local ingredients and products can be easily found by browsing listings on the map or using the online search component at https://cowichangreencommunity.org/our-farm-listings. The online map is compatible with most mobile devices
Print maps are also available at Cowichan Green Community’s office at 360 Duncan Street in Duncan (or phone 250-748-8506 for other pick-up locations near you).
The Cowichan Farm Map History
In 2010, the Cowichan Green Community published the first ever Cowichan Grown Farm, Food, and Drink Map, formerly known as the Buy Local! Buy Fresh! Cowichan Region Food Map. Initially funded by the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement, the goal of this project was to improve the viability of local farms and to promote local food producers as a part of a larger initiative.
Since 2010, we have printed between 6-10,000 copies annually which are distributed to both residents and tourists alike. Since then, the Cowichan Grown Food Map has had a significant impact on the success of small local farms and in helping to promote the diversity of Cowichan Region food producers.
The map enhances the local economy by promoting these local food producers, but also by promoting local businesses, restaurants, farmers markets, garden and grocery stores. All are important contributors to our local food system, and the map seeks to build relationships between all facets of the food chain to help build a more vibrant food culture, greater food security in our region, and a more resilient community – what could be better than that?
As demand for local food increases, listing in our guide is a cost-effective way for local farmers to reach this growing market. Registration for the map takes place each year starting in December and closing in February.
For more information, please contact naomi@cowichangreencommunity.org.
