Episode 123 "What is a CSA"

Chef Jonathan Frazier and Darren Howlett  are joined again by Kira Kotilla and Mariette Sluyter of Merville Organics, to discuss CSAs, or Community Supported Agriculture. You may have heard of these programs, where fresh produce shows up at your house weekly through the growing season. What you may not know is how beneficial these programs are to local farms - new or established, small or large, nearly every farm benefits from such programs. You can see it as pre-paying for the best quality locally grown food at it's peak, and the farm your supporting sees it as micro-financing and sustainable crop management. Listen in to hear more about this engaging topic... 
 
 

Episode 122 " What is a Growers Cooperative"

 
Tonight’s episode of Edible Valley welcomes a few more members of The Merville Organics Growing Cooperative to the show, Kira Kotilla and Mariette Sluyter! We delve into the challenges of Organic certification, and the logistics of coordinating 5 farms to compliment one another towards a common goal. With both a new take (Mariette) and a veterans eyes (Kira), a bigger picture unfolds of what todays modern farmer day (and growing season) entails!
 

Episode 121 "What is Dine Around Comox Valley"

Dine Around began an event for local restaurants to showcase some great local products with value conscious pricing during a traditionally slower time of year for the hospitality industry. It has now grown to encompass pubs, bistros, hotels, vineyards, distillers, resorts and more. It's bordering a sort of 'diners festival'. There's seminars and classes, pub tours, wine tours, special accommodation packages and of course, dining! Tonight we have 3 members that sit on the Dine Around Comox Valley board, to tell all of you about the great food and amazing experiences that await you for Dine Around 2017. Chef Ronald St. Pierre, Trish St. Pierre, and Sandra Viney (who happen to be the owners of Locals Restaurant and Atlas Cafe, respectively), are a wealth of information for this, the 8th annual Dine Around Comox Valley!  
 For more info on the event Check out Comox Valley Dine Around

Episode 120 "What's for Valentines Day"

Valentine's Day, with such a great time to have a meal with a loved one. Jonathan and Darren take time to discuss some great food and meal options to help create a romantic evening.

Episode 119 " What to eat with the Family?"

With Family Day appoaching, Jonathan and Darren discuss some dinner ideas to have with the family.

Episode 118 "Winter Foraging? Is it possible?"

While preparing to tape the next episode of the podcast, Darren and Jon got to talking about Winter Foraging - and what exactly that would be or look like. Thankfully, Blayne had answers. The conversation wandered more into 'Winter Eats' than 'Winter Foraging', but that's to be expected. Many thanks to Blayne for always being so informative!

Episode 117 "How important are donations to the Food bank?"

Jeff Hampton, president of the Comox Valley Food bank joins us to share an incredible story of the origins of our local food bank, and the lengths and depths he and his people have gone to feed the needy. It's truly harrowing and pulls at the heartstrings. Did you know that in the early days, as volunteers they would cut down trees and sell the firewood - then use the money to buy food to give to the needy and poor? Incredible humble beginnings set the stage for this noble and necessary organization. Listen in to hear the full story.
Check out and Support @Comox Valley Food Bank
 

Episode 116 "Where do you buy locally produced food in the Comox Valley?"

  You can buy direct from the producer, you can go to the farmer's market, or there's local shops, etc. Those are all great if you live here, and know when and where to find them. But Dawn Postnikoff from Westcoast Gourmet is providing an online option. Great for locals, but importantly, Tourists. Fans. Out-of-towners. Dawn is pulling it all together and making it available to everyone! Hear her story of hows and whos and whys of taking Comox Valley Food to the world stage!
Check Out @ Westcoast Gourmet Provisions

Episode 115 "Holiday Dishes and Christmas Dinner"

With the holiday season upon us, Darren and Jonathan spend some time discussing the joys of Christmas dinner and some of their favourite meal ideas.

Episode 114 "Winter Vegetables"

With cold weather fast approaching, Darren and Jonathan are wondering what everyone's doing with their wonderful bounty of winter vegetables? They have some interesting ideas of their own, of course.