The Edible Valley Podcast

Today we will be speaking with Stoyan and Galina from Comox Valley Mushrooms, now a thriving local family business they’ve supplied some of the areas top restaurants as well as the Comox Valley farmers market and with their ever growing band of loyal customers they are fast becoming the authority in the valley and beyond for all things mushrooms.  Stoyan and Galina’s interest in mushrooms started when they saw a ted talk by Paul Stumets, an American mycologist and industry authority on all things mushrooms, the talk spoke of how some mushrooms are able to protect beehives from mites that can destroy the colony if left unchecked. From that point their interest became an obsession and they set about learning everything they could. They now live on a thriving farm on Fraser road where they produce from scratch an ever expanding range of mushrooms and are now diving head first into workshops their mission is to ‘educate and inspire the Comox Valley community in the art of cultivating their own mushrooms’.  It gives me great pleasure to welcome Stoyan and Galina onto the Edible Valley podcast! Address 3337 Fraser Road, Courtenay BC Email: Info@comoxvalleymushrooms.com Phone: 1-778-317-7183 Website: www.comoxvalleymushrooms.com Facebook: @comoxvalleymushrooms 

  On this episode, our guest Diane Jackson moved to the valley four years ago from Vancouver where she met her partner Andrew who along with Diane also had a huge passion and desire for a simpler way of life and to farm, they set out creating a list of things that needed to get done, starting with moving here and it is a list they continue to use today. But Diane's passion for all things local and farming can be traced much further back to her time in Toronto where she trained as a sommelier with the international sommeliers guild, …..armed with this knowledge and passion she went on to open a successful casual fine dining restaurant in Flesherton, an all season town of 800 people in rural Ontario.  But after many happy years she heard her province of BC calling her home and moved to Osoyoos where she was a sommelier before eventually heading home to Vancouver where she met Andrew and started her plans for what we now know as Fitzgerald Farms.    If you wish to learn more about the Farm here are a few easy way to contact Diane Address:  Fitzgerald Farm                  6499 Fitzgerald Road                 Courtenay BC, Canada Facebook: Fitzgerald Farm Email: dianejackson22@gmail.com Phone Number: 250-485-2487

On this episode of "The Edible Valley Podcast"  We have come to meet Jo Smith and Helen Nixon of Glen Alwin Farm in Grantham between Merville and Courtenay. The farm is one of the oldest in the CV being cleared in 1884 from Bushland by William Chandler Smith who was the grandfather of Jo Smiths late husband Tom. But jo’s story starts 5000 miles away in the idyllic Devon town of Salcombe in England where she spent much of her childhood, but eventually her family decided to move to the Comox Valley where she would eventually meet and fall in love with a local boy Tom Smith, they were to get married and have 4 beautiful daughters Anne, Doreeen, Barb and Helen. keen to ensure they learned the skills of farming Tom and Jo instilled a strong farming work ethic to all of their children, and they had their work cut out as it took them a total of 10 years to clear 116 of land and are in fact still pulling up roots to this day.    Today the farm is thriving, worked on daily Helen and Claire Nixon they now have sell all over the island and at the ever busy CV Farmers Market,    This is a story that covers 3 centuries in this valley, it gives us great pleasure at the Edible Valley Podcast to welcome Jo Smith and Helen Nioxon.   

How lucky are we?! We got to sit down with The Comox Valley Canning Company to discuss canning and preserves with the exuberant and vivacious owner, JJ! Let's talk about the bounty and harvest of everything good about the Valley and harnessing it in a jar for later indulgences! 

William, Darren, and guest JP Murimuri have some laughs and reminenisce while discussing cocktails and non-alcohol options.

What a great time we had talking to the owners of Tidal Cafe! Kurt and Blythe Reimer were exuberant, enthusiastic, and gracious guests on this episode the Edible Valley. Their passion for the Valley, good food, and building community bursts forth in everything they do. It's impossible to not get swept up in their energy and dedication to their craft!   Facebook: Tidal Cafe Instagram:Tidal Cafe

 With the easing off on Covid-19 restrictions, people are returning to their daily and weekly routines, including dining out. Jonathan and Darren discuss the process of returning to the restaurant industry under these new conditions, and also touch on what they’ve been doing in food during the closure.        

Edible Valley is back!   After our second hiatus, we’ve found a way to make the show work around our disparate schedules. Thank you for sticking with us as we re-format the show to fit everyone’s needs and directions!   What a show to re-start on!   In this episode, Chef Jon and Darren talk about how food habits and availability have changed during the Covid-19 quarantine. They also discuss emergency food measures and Jon’s involvement in the hot meal program with LushValley for those in need.   We also introduce Will as an addition to the Edible Valley team, and discuss safety measures and etiquette while food shopping in these heightened times. 

Today, Jon and Darren talk about the relationship between chef and farmer. Not just how they play an important role in each other's lives, but the rippling effect outward, and how far it reaches in the community, local economy, and even food trends. The give and take back and forth plays a strong role in the identity of each other's business and persona. Listen in as we discuss what we feel are the 10 most compelling points.  

Well it may have taken us sometime but we are finally able to upload this interview from an earlier time. With all the chaos in the world to do with the Corona virus its good to know that organization like LUSH Valley (Let Us Share the Harvest) have been looking at food security in our community. Lush Valleys mission is to support the Comox Valley in gaining food-systems skills and knowledge to increase food security, self-sufficiency, and local food production across the region.  We are excited to sit down with Maurita Prato Executive Director of LUSH Valley to learn just a little bit more about all the amazing things LUSH Valley does. We talk about all the program LUSH is involved with such as Fruit tree, Healthy food, Share the harvest and Garden share and learn how they are trying to shape our food community. At this time we would also bring attention to lush valleys Emergency Food Share Program which is aimed at providing food to those in need in the Comox Valley, including those in need of financial and/or food delivery assistance. The program also provides pick-up and delivery of donated food items from businesses and supports neighbourhood food drives. If you are able to donate at this time every little bit counts.   Website: https://lushvalley.org/food-share/ Please direct all questions to foodshare@lushvalley.org or to 250-207-HELP (4357). Call Centre hours of operation are:Monday/Wednesday/Friday – 9:00 am to 1:00 pmTuesday/Thursday – 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm