Little Qualicum Cheese Works
Morningstar Farm in Parksville is home to Little Qualicum Cheeseworks. Guests can enjoy free self-guided tours, a farmgate store, visiting small and large animals and Canada’s first “milk on tap” dispenser. Visit the gals in the dairy barn, learn about their milking robot and say hello to calves, sheep, goats and a variety of other friendly animals. Check out their “Mooseum” and old milking parlour, where you can see some vintage dairy equipment, photos, videos about their cheese and watch the livestream of their cows. Then purchase some of their handcrafted artisan cheese, made on their farm with milk from their happy herd of grass-fed cows. Learn more at cheeseworks.ca.
Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse
Sea Cider is a farm-based cidery located on the Saanich Peninsula just minutes from Victoria. This family-owned orchard and ciderhouse grows organic cider apples and strives to produce award-winning cider. They are a small farm with a big heart and want to deliver an exceptional experience. Relax at the cider house, and drink in the panoramic water views overlooking the orchard across the Haro Straight to James Island. The Ciderhouse is open for tastings and tours year-round. Enjoy a flight of ciders paired with organic cheese and other local delectables. Learn more at seacider.ca.
Holly Hill Farm
Holly Hill Farm is an interactive and vast petting farm located in the heart of Campbell River. From Christmas Stables with Santa to Easter Extravaganza and Pumpkin Patch, there is always something fun happening at the farm. Guests are invited to explore and immerse themselves in a free-ranging barnyard while holding chickens, snuggling baby bunnies, brushing mini goats and hand-feeding a friendly alpaca and horse. On lucky occasions, guests can even witness the birth of a newborn sheep or goat. Developing into a cultural and agricultural hub of Campbell River, Holly Hill Farm also offers birthday parties, summer camps, tot programs and educational after-school programs. Learn more at hollyhillfarmcampbellriver.com.
Tugwell Creek Honey Farm & Meadery
Tugwell Creek Honey Farm and Meadery was licenced in 2003 as the first meadery in Western Canada. At their oceanside honey farm, they hand craft quality meads (honey wines) from local honey. Meadmaker Bob Liptrot has kept bees since the age of six and has been making mead for over 35 years. Taste their award-winning meads and honey. They use local berries for their mead, mostly from the farm, and their honey comes from within a 20km radius. Tugwell now boasts a museum-quality exhibit, interactive displays and a self-guided audio tour. Learn more at tugwellcreekfarm.com.
Westholme Tea Company
At Westholme Tea Company, they curate experiences. They take pride in cultivating their home-grown leaves, blending the finest organic teas from carefully sourced farms and hand-crafting ceramics to accompany the flavours. Westholme is the first commercial organic grower of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) in Canada. The tea shop, gallery and tearoom are yours to experience at Canada’s only tea farm…steeped in nature. The Westholme Teashop and Gallery lives in what used to be an old dairy barn. The gallery displays co-owner Margit Nellemann’s unique and eclectic ceramic creations. Margit builds her pieces using slab and coiling techniques. Each piece is completely individual in its personality, and each is a joy to see and to use. Learn more at westholmetea.com.
