Fresh farmgate eggs, seasonal produce, artisan bakeries, award-winning cheesemakers, organic grain-fed meat, bistros specializing in the 100-mile diet, and nearly a dozen vineyards – add it all up, and the Cowichan Valley, Duncan included, has certainly earned its fast-growing reputation as a one of Canada's most promising food and wine production regions.
Duncan's Market at the Square
The slow food philosophy (read: fresh, local, sustainable, seasonal, and organic) is shared by most growers here. And there's nowhere better to get a taste of the fields than at Duncan's Market in the Square, held Saturdays year-round in the revitalized downtown core. Check out the all-Cowichan selection of produce, crafts, clothing, and baked goods as musicians, jugglers, magicians, and dancers entertain the throngs.
Wineries and Vineyards
Vineyards have been popping up throughout the Cowichan ever since Zinatta Winery broke ground in 1986 and bottled its first vintages four years later. Its vineyard in Glenora, an idyllic rural community 10 minutes southwest of Duncan, is now one of ten local operations specializing in cold-climate wines – some of them good enough to win major Canadian and international honours. Pick up information at the Visitor Centre or simply follow the plentiful grape-red "Wine Tour" road signs. Averill Creek Vineyard (high on the sun-drenched slopes of Mount Prevost) and Cherry Point Vineyards (near the ocean south of Cowichan Bay) have elegant, Napa-style tasting rooms. Lower-profile operations include Silverside Farm & Winery (raspberry port and fruit wines), Venturi-Schuze Vineyards (prize-winning Pinot Noir and balsamic vinegar) and Godfrey-Brownell Vineyards (where jazz trios play on summer weekend afternoons).
For one-stop sipping, winehounds flock to the annual Cowichan Wine & Culinary Festival in mid-September. A handful of local wine experts – Verjus Wine Tours, Grand Wine Tours, and Kathy McAree's Travel With Taste - offer expert guided visits to local vineyards.
Cowichan Bay Waterfront
Pack the trunk with goodies on a valley food tour. Cowichan Bay's busy waterfront is home to three major foodie daytrip destinations: Hillary's Cheese Co. (numerous runny and blue varieties made in Hilary Abbot's cheese factory on nearby Cherry Point Road); True Grain Bakery (organic bread baked daily on the premises along with fab cookies and pastries); and the Udder Guys homemade ice cream shop (try the zesty ginger and red wine grape varieties).
Farms East of Town
Just east of town, Cowichan Bay Farm's self-serve store sells frozen chicken, lamb, and duck raised in the surrounding green pastures. Emu and water buffalo meat is available at Codes Corner Emu Farm (5816 Menzies Road) and Fairburn Farm (3310 Jackson Road) respectively. Two choices for fresh-caught seafood: Mad Dog Crabs (in downtown Duncan at 775 Canada Avenue) and Cowichan Bay Seafoods.
More Farms
Don't miss the remarkable Providence Farm (1843 Tzouhalem Road), a sprawling therapeutic community farm with a history dating back to 1864; its farm store sells veggies, herbs, and flowers grown on site. The Old Farm Market (Trans Canada Highway east of town) and the Community Farm Market (at the back of the downtown Duncan Garage) also offer the freshest local produce. So, too, do such farmgates as Cali Farm Organic Produce (2328 Koksilah Road) and Valhalla Farm Herbs (3693 Gibbins Road). Drop by the Duncan-Cowichan Visitor Centre for more information about food and wine, farmers markets, and specialty shops in the area.