Episode 48 “Delicious Downtown and Island Gourmet Trails”

Guest speaker Gaetane Palardy of Island Gourmet Trails discusses the extensive opportunities we have here in the valley to showcase food through food tourism. She walks us through what a tour with Island Gourmet Trails looks like, with the emphasis on visiting the valley from a foodie angle. They also take a peek at the cooking classes Gaetane offers, and what it means to meet local producers and taste local food through product, restaurants, and other activities around food in the valley.
Jon reviews the local products he showcased over the past weekend during the event “Delicious Downtown.”

Episode 42-Helen Grond of Middle Mountain Mead

Helen Grond contacted us a few weeks ago to let us know she was appreciating the podcast, and offer some words of encouragement. She revealed that, with her husband, they own and operate Middle Mountain Mead on Hornby Island. Along with being a local farmer and producer, Helen has also been living the Paleo lifestyle for five years and belongs to a Paleo inspired group on the island. It was a great conversation with someone who is very educated about the issues of our present day food systems and wishes to help others to create food security in their own lives. Thanks Helen, it was great to meet you!

Episode 41- Dr. Thierry Vrain on GMO

It was our great pleasure to welcome Dr. Vrain to the studio to talk to us about the issues surrounding Genetically Modified Organisms. A little back ground of Thierry from his bio on the Innisfree Farm website:
Thierry was born and raised in Paris, France. He did undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology in France and in the US. Upon arriving in Canada he taught Plant Physiology at Université du Québec in Montréal for two years. Then he had a long career as a research scientist for the federal government in Québec and BC, in Vancouver and in Summerland.
After thirty five years of research and teaching of soil biology and molecular biology – what he now calls “Chemical Agriculture”, he decided to retire young and reinvent life. A very few years later, newly remarried, co-owner of an incredibly beautiful property called Innisfree, he foresees a long future of service to the community. He has become a gardener, a teacher, and a passionate speaker about organic gardening – from soil health to GMO’s.
Thierry has numerous videos on the web, including an eye opening presentation at the Comox Valley Tedx talk. Simply Google his name and find numerous articles and videos about the problems with G.M.O.
Thierry is also looking to raise $100,000 to commence a 100 community tour speaking about the dangers of G.M.O. If you are interested in donating, please check out his gofundme site
Thanks Dr. Vrain for doing what you are to inform the public the truths behind this confusing subject.

Episode 39- Clever Crow Sea Salts and Fine Herbs

Brian McCormick joins us for another visit, along with his wife Lia, to explore their new enterprise, Clever Crow Herbs, Spices and Sea Salt.

Episode 33- Chef Joseph Forest of Innisfree Farm

After much hard work completed by Jon, the Edible Valley studio is up and running and it was time to invite a guest to join us in studio. We were lucky to be joined by chef and author Joseph Forest, chef-in-resident at Innisfree Farm in Royston. After 25 plus years in the conventional restaurant and catering business, Joseph was chosen to join the team at Innisfree. He is now learning about food as medicine, ancestral ways of eating, and traditional ways of preserving the harvest. Joseph and Blayne could talk for hours about these subjects and will have many more meetings over the summer. Thanks Joseph!
Thanks for listening to the Edible Valley podcast. We gratefully accept donations to help with our hosting, as well as contributions of food ingredients to the Edible Valley test kitchen. Please feel free to contact us by email ediblevalley@gmail.com, follow our twitter feed (@ediblevalley) and like our facebook page

Episode 28: Vickey Brown of the Comox Valley Farmers Market

It was a pleasure for Edible Valley to bring Vickey Brown, manager of the Comox Valley Farmers Market, into studio for this episode. The Farmers Market is a huge draw for folks interested in local food, community support, and socializing. Now it it's 20th year listen as Vickey gives the origin story of our great market, arguably the best in the province, one of the few that runs year round, and also maintains diligent rules for vendors selling locally sourced, grown, and produced products. They also keep craft items to a minimum and focus on the agricultural side of what a Farmers Market is. Thank you Vickey, it was an honour to have you in. Visit the Comox Valley Farmers Market from 9-12 Saturdays at the Native Sons Hall in downtown Courtenay.
This week in the Edible Valley Test Kitchen, Jon surprised Blayne with making shell-less quiche. Blayne is eating a diet where he avoids grains, so anytime a meal can be made without, it is a wonderful thing. The quiche Lorraine was fantastic and contained some of Blayne's homemade bacon. Jon also made yam pav with mustard sauce and a little garnish of butter lettuce and grape tomato's, dressed with bacon vinaigrette. A quick easy meal, especially for a chef of Jon's caliber.

Episode 23: Eatmore Sprouts

Eatmore Sprouts has been a symbol of Comox Valley organic farming for decades with their little operation on the north end of Courtenay, and spreading their lovely product all around western Canada. This episode of Edible Valley we welcome Angie and Amy, two talented ladies left with the enviable task of re-vitalizing the dormant market garden on the Eatmore site. With copious amounts of beautiful organic compost they have quickly created a wonderful environment to grow a large variety of vegetables, from summer squash, spinach, carrots, asian greens, pumpkins, kales, broccoli and so much more. Angie and Amy hope to continue to market this produce all winter long at the Comox Valley Farmers Market, as well as selling at Seeds Food Market and Edible Island. Thank you ladies for your story and input on our local food scene. See you at the Market.

Upcoming Events courtesy of Hans Peter Meyer. Thank you for your contribution to Edible Valley. Visit Hans' site Eat Drink Comox Valley for the full list of events.

Episode 20: Winter Gardening with Arzeena Hamir

With Jon away for this weeks recording, Blayne needed a guest and co-host, so he thought that Arzeena Hamir for Amara Farm would fill this role perfectly. The topic of this episode it winter gardening. The Comox Valley has an excellent climate for harvesting vegetables all winter long. If you have been interested in trying out some winter gardening, this episode will have some great tips for you. Remember to keep supporting our local farmers this winter as many of them will have fresh vegetables available during the "off season" Stop by and say Hi to Arzeena at the Market and pick up some Kale, Bok Choy, Mustard greens and many other delicious, fresh veggies. Thanks for being a good sport for join the podcast, and for having such a great community spirit Arzeena.
Up Coming Events:

Flavour

Blayne was fortunate to be allowed to wander the grounds of "Flavour-The North Islands Gourmet Picnic" at Coastal Black Winery this past Sunday. Armed with an iPhone, he wrangled a few interviews from willing participants. Some past guests and some new voices that we hope to have in studio at some point. Thanks to all involved in making this event such a huge success. Look for Flavour 2013, and get tickets early, as it is sure to sell out fast!

Episode 17: Island Bison

As we mentioned last week in the Edible Valley, Jon and Blayne had the opportunity to visit Island Bison as part of the North Vancouver Island Chefs Associations meeting. We had a facinating tour and informative conversation with Mark Vance, owner of Island Bison. Mark, along with his wife Lisa and four children, and mother and father purchased Island Bison about a year and a half ago. With no farming background of this scale, just the dream and passion the farm is running successfully and they are having a great time with this new adventure. Bison are an amazing animal that was brought back from the brink of extinction. While the population is still a sliver of what it once was, it is being successfully farmed as alternative meat source to beef and farm raised venison. Thanks Mark for sharing your story. Check Island Bisons website at islandbison.com and you can find the product at the Saturday farmers market, Seeds grocery in Cumberland and Edible Island in Courtenay.

September 23rd- Flavour the North Vancouver Island Gourmet Picnic.  SOLD OUT. If you did not get a ticket for this years event, keep your eyes peeled for it again in 2013. I do believe the organizers are still looking for volunteers so this may be a way in. Contact them through the site. Visit the beautiful grounds of Coastal Black Winery and sample products from dozens of chefs and farmers from around the Comox Valley. Once again, Jon will be wearing many hats at this event. Blayne will be walking around and eating, what he does best! Island Soda Works will also be dishing out samples at this wonderful event.
October 5 and 6-The Foggy Mountain Fall Fair in Cumberland. Come for the pie of the year contest, apple sports, crafts, walking and biking tours and so much more. For more information check this link
The Comox Valley $100 dollar challenge. Join our initiative and help to keep dollars in the local economy.
Of course the Comox Valley Farmers Market twice weekly Saturday 9-12 at the Fair Grounds on Headquarters and Wednesday from 9-12 at the Comox Bay Farm.
If you are enjoying the podcast we would appreciate it if you would help us by hitting our donate button. Every little bit helps us to keep our hosting site paid up and maybe sponsor one of our pre-game meals.
Thanks for listening to our podcast. For suggestions or feedback please contact us ediblevalley@gmail.com, "like" our facebook page and follow our twitter feed @ediblevalley