First Ave Farmstand’s Lore

First Ave Farmstand started the way a lot of good things do: somewhat accidentally, with too many eggs, more fruit than one family could possibly eat, and the knowledge that the abundance around us was meant to be shared.

We’re a tiny, .3 acre homestead in Cowichan Station, on Vancouver Island BC, tucked beside More Than Muffins and just down the road from The Hub Community Centre on Koksilah rd. We purchase the property winter of 2024 and spent that first year just observing the overgrown gardens, formerly known as ‘Viola Farm.’ That first year was a difficult one for us; we bought this property with the intention of turning into a multi-generational home with my father. However, between getting an accepted offer and the time to move, he became very ill and passed away. And with him, decades of gardening experience I had hoped to glean from him. Now it’s just me here, my two dogs, 3 cats and growing coop of heritage/cute/fluffy birds.

What I noticed in that first year was that there was far more fruit and opportunity to grow food than any one family could possibly eat; and it was up to me to figure out how to get this land back to a healthy state. My background is not in horticulture, though I did work at Dinter’s – my knowledge is quite lacking in the garden department. Marketing though, now THAT I could do. Hence a micro farm, with a website, forever being worked on between harvests and kitchen experiments. I also have a bit of culinary arts background – which has come in quite handy trying to replicate my seasonal neighbor’s baked goods next door.

Depending on the season, you might find fresh eggs, figs, plums, apples, elderberries, herbs, flowers, garden produce, homemade treats, locally collected stones, polished gems, handmade jewelry, art and the occasional wonderfully odd thing that seemed too interesting not to put on the stand.

In other words, I am not particularly good at specializing(or socializing, hence the honor system cash box), and my neuro-spicy brain likes it that way.

Grown here. Made here. Found here.

Most what appears at First Ave Farmstand starts right here on our little property.

Our seasonal products are small-batch by nature because the land decides the inventory. Some weeks there are baskets of figs. Other weeks, apples. In August, the elderberries steal the show and September has the BEST bartlett pears & italian prune plums. The champagne raspberries seem to truly be an everbearing variety..

The hens lay the eggs. The trees produce ridiculous quantities of fruit when they feel like it. The elderberries ripen all at once(or ones that you never think will ripen, do, a month late). The garden inevitably grows too much of something and not nearly enough of whatever we planned dinner around – I’m looking at you, green beans.

It feels a little chaotic, this ‘slower’ life, but I think it’s worth every late night label making session to see all this food not go to waste.

Why a roadside stand?

Because I like to stay home, putter around the garden/kitchen, and I had an old china cabinet dragged from the Rocky Mountains just collecting dust. The ‘passive’ pocket change doesn’t hurt either.

It also feels neighbourly in a way that modern shopping just can’t compete with. It literally makes my day when I look out the window and see a group of kids on bikes sifting through our polished rocks and grabbing a snack(any kid who gets here on their own two feet or wheels gets half off). Let’s see Amazon bribe kids to go outside! Ha!

I keep prices low or the same as neighboring farm stands, make good use of what the land produces and offer things I would genuinely be excited to eat myself.

It’s also kinda cool to watch food travel approximately 40 feet from where it grew to the person taking it home.

A little stand with a bigger purpose

Though I do have plans of converting the woodshed into an art gallery of sorts… one day. First Ave is still small, and I intend to keep much of that smallness.

Small lets me experiment, notice when the figs are suddenly perfect, put something on the stand simply because it was delightful, it let’s me get to know the people who stop by.

And small means the stand can evolve alongside the garden, animals, creativity and our community.

I’m interested in growing food thoughtfully, wasting less, learning old skills, supporting local makers and creating a place that feels useful, welcoming and just a little unexpected. So stop by and see what was inspired this week.