In this fiercely local swath of the interior, a new non-profit has published the Columbia Valley Food and Farm guide (foodandfarm.ca) touting Valley providers and culinary culture, with 30 sipping and sampling stops.
By Charlene Rooke
EVENTS
In an autumn weekend blitz, the Creston Valley Fall Fair is September 6 and 7, Rossland celebrates with a parade and a Fall Fair at the arena on the 7th, and on the 8th the Kootenay Country Fair at Fort Steele Heritage Town (northeast of Cranbrook) has a petting zoo, games for kids–and bragging rights for winning growers and producers. Watch for fall fairs in the communities of Argenta and Harrop, too.
FARMS
Winderberry in Windermere is a greenhouse, cafe, catering company and CSA box supplier through Edible Acres farm; it’s open until Thanksgiving, with a Harvest Market on October 12. Beeland Market in Spillimacheen has fresh honey, preserves and personal-care products, plus an eatery with gourmet sandwiches and soups for takeout. And centralkootenayfood.ca show dozens of great local-food resources in the region.
FARM TO GLASS
This region takes craft beer so seriously, there are not one but two BC Ale Trails (bcaletrail.ca), for the West (eight breweries, including Revelstoke’s venerable Mt. Begbie Brewing) and East (the five breweries of Trail, Nelson and Kaslo). Burton City Cider (south of Nakusp on Highway 6) and William Tell Family Estate in Creston are stops for cider fans. The Ethos gin (made from the triticale hybrid grain) from Monashee Spirits in Revelstoke was the Canadian Artisan Spirit of the Year in 2019: sip samples or get a tour from Wednesday to Sunday.
FUN
Love garlic? More than 160 vendors of garlic-inspired products (as well as other organic produce plus crafts) will join food vendors, musicians and entertainers to bring a zero-waste chow-down to New Denver for the Hills Garlic Festival on September 8. Contests for the heaviest clove, largest bulb, prettiest garlic braid and wreath and even best garlic-related poem are highlights of the day.