Courtenay Farmers Market and Farm Stands

The Courtenay farmers market is the Comox Valley's main weekly gathering for food, held on Saturday mornings in the warm months at the Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds on Headquarters Road. Arrive in the first hour, walk the whole market once before buying and eat something from the prepared-food stalls.

Spring and summer markets run outdoors, usually on Saturday morning, with smaller markets on other days. Bring bags, a cooler for cheese and meat and small bills for stalls that do not take cards.

Farm stands appear as roadside tables, barn shops and honesty boxes along the quieter roads between Courtenay and the coast. Look for fresh produce, clear prices, a tidy table and a sign that says who grows it.

Where is the Courtenay farmers market?

In the warm months, at the Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds on Headquarters Road, a large site with room for stalls, a covered area and parking. The grounds are a short drive from downtown Courtenay. Listings give slightly different street numbers, so use the grounds' name as the landmark and check the market's own page for the current setup.

What is the Comox Valley farmers market like?

Large and lively. Dozens of vendors sell vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, cheese, bread, preserves, flowers and prepared food, and the crowd is a mix of locals and visitors. Music, kids and dogs add to the atmosphere. Arrive early for the best choice, and stay for a bite and a walk around the stalls.

What are Comox Valley farm stands like?

Roadside tables, barn shops and honesty boxes, mostly along the quieter roads between Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland. In summer they sell berries, beans, corn and flowers, and in autumn they sell apples, squash and pumpkins. Many are cash only. Look for signs, drive slowly and keep coins in the car. The valley's farms feed a lot of the island.

How does Courtenay market season work?

Spring and summer markets run outdoors, usually on Saturday morning, with smaller markets on other days in some neighbourhoods. When cold weather arrives, the market moves to a hall in the downtown, a smaller, partly indoor version. Because the move happens around October, a visit on the last day of the month may fall on either side of it, so check the market's page.

What counts as Vancouver Island produce here?

Cool-climate crops grown in rich valley soil: potatoes, carrots, kale, garlic, berries, apples and herbs. The valley also produces cheese, eggs, honey and grass-fed meat. Shellfish from Baynes Sound turn up at some stalls, and the oyster guide explains how to buy them. Ask each seller where their food was grown.

How do you plan a market morning?

Arrive in the first hour, walk the whole market once before buying, then return to the stalls you liked. Eat breakfast at a food stall, and carry your purchases to the car in a cooler bag. Combine the visit with a walk in the nearby park or a coffee downtown. The downtown Courtenay guide suggests where.

What should you eat while you are there?

Something from the prepared-food stalls: a breakfast sandwich, a pastry, a bowl of soup, a taco or a slice of pie. Buy fruit for the car and cheese for the picnic. Sit on a bench and watch the market. A market breakfast is one of the cheaper meals in the valley, and one of the best.

How do you rate a stall?

Say what you bought and when. Tags such as Farm Producer, Market Stall, Vegan and Gluten-Free are notes from raters, not promises from sellers. "The garlic and the sourdough, a Saturday in July, pungent and chewy" is a rating that helps. A short note on the seller is a bonus. Rate the food trucks too, naming the dish.

Can the app remind you about market days?

In the app, a market that has its own page will let you ask for a push on the morning of each market day. That part is still to come. In the meantime, use the Mosey app to keep a list of favourite stalls, and follow friends to see what they rated and saved in Home.

What makes a good farm stand?

Fresh produce, clear prices, a tidy table and a sign that says who grows it. An honesty box with a cash tin is a sign of trust. A farm stand that sells eggs, honey and flowers beside the vegetables is a farm that likes visitors. Buy what is in season, and leave a note if you can. Rate the stand with what you bought and the week, so others know what to expect.

Can I bring a dog? On a lead, but the market sets its own rules.

Is it accessible? The exhibition grounds are flat. Ask about the winter hall.

For the rest of the valley, read the Cumberland guide, and for the province start at the Food in British Columbia page. More of the country is in the Canadian food guides.

On a bright Saturday, with the cooler in the boot, get the Mosey app, rate the stall that made you late for lunch and keep the list for next time.