Salt Spring’s rural landscape is dotted with working farms. Historically a farming settlement, Salt Spring’s local food and farming community is still hard at work preserving the best small farming techniques while others work at reinvigorating permaculture practices and organic food production. For the visitor seeking a peak into the picturesque acreages,  a number of the farms have storefronts for their tasty and unique produce. From local cheese products, to farming workshop events and farmstands, the farms of Salt Spring have many possibilities to explore.

Agriculture provides beautiful landscapes of fruit tree blossoms and lambs gamboling on green pastures in the springtime.  Pastoral views invite the visitor to relax and enjoy quiet moments. Farm stands along country roads announce the sale of vegetables, fruits, eggs and herbs.  Salt Spring Lamb is world famous with Queen Elizabeth ll  requesting it whenever she visits B.C. Restaurants feature local products on many of their menus. Several wineries have tasting rooms.  They encourage you to purchase a bottle of their wine, sit on their patio and enjoy the moment.

From May to September, there is a Farmers’ Market on Tues and Saturday in the village of Ganges.  Fleece and fibre products, berries, honey, homemade jam and flowers are some of the available products.  There is also Dan Jason’s seed sanctuary saving seeds of heritage plants such as fava and grains.

It is possible to “graze” as you drive around the island by buying fresh cheeses, bread from a stone oven, greens for a salad and of course a bottle of local wine.  You can then sit back and choose your picnic site overlooking a field or ocean view.

For more information contact the Salt Spring Island Farmers’ Institute website for farm listings.