Vancouver Island Feast of Fields Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Pictured above: The first Feast of Fields Vancouver Island organizing committee. (Left to right)

Sinclair Philip, Alfons Obererlacher, Mara Jernigan, Deirdre Campbell, the late Noel Richardson ( rear) Cheryl Warwick, Eric Akis, Erin Belcourt, Chris Johns, Gary Hynes ( rear), the late Andrew Yeoman ( rear) and Jenny Cameron

August 27, 2017 – Feast of Fields returns to its inaugural location, Ravenhill Herb Farm to celebrate 20 years of gourmet tasting creations. In traditional fashion, this year’s milestone event will see over 50 of BC’s finest food and beverage providers.

Hosts Brea Segger and Todd Howard, the new stewards of Ravenhill Herb Farm, are proud to welcome back this must-attend culinary event. Raven Hill’s 10-acre farm is rich in history. It was home to the first schoolhouse on the Saanich Peninsula and continues to honor the medicinal and culinary herbal history that the farm has been known for since the 1980’s. The farm raises chickens, goats, and bees, fruits, vegetables and flowers without the use of chemicals, pesticides, or herbicides of any type.

At this year’s event, with a wine glass in hand, food lovers can soak in ocean views while mingling in the terraced herb gardens. They can relax in the shade of the century old Douglas and grand firs, listen to live music and bathe in the Mediterranean-like climate.

When Feast of Fields burst onto the scene in 1998 it was the “start of a huge movement,” recalls original Events Coordinator Melanie Banas, “a whole different mindset” was taking place. Founder of Vancouver Island’s Feast of Fields chef Mara Jernigan found a welcome response from the public. “The shift to eating local [food], and to have people visit the farm [made] that tangible connection to where our food comes from” says Banas, which is exactly what Feast of Fields provides. It’s an opportunity where the “urban dweller gets to meet [and talk with] chefs, vintners, brewers and bakers. It connects them to their food,” says FarmFolk CityFolk co-founder Herb Barbolet.

Mara Jernigan adds, “Feast of Fields on Vancouver Island was really the fist big food event to bring the community together to focus on local food. I think the organizing team we put together was key. From caterer Cheryl Schultze to brewpub owner Paul Hadfield and so many others, everyone brought something to the table to make the event successful. Instead of meeting in a dreary room at the end of the day when we are all stressed and hungry we had monthly potluck meetings in a lovely home and everything we ate had to be seasonal and local. The meals were amazing, the work got done and we all played a role and felt a sense of ownership of the event. The money it raised for FarmFolk/CityFolk has supported many good island based local food initiatives over the years.”

“Twenty years ago [Feast of Fields] was the occasion for people to meet their makers,” says current Events Coordinator Jennifer Freeman. Originally, the event began with a mission designed to connect city folks with chefs and farmers. However, over the years it has grown into one of Canada’s greatest local food fundraisers and most sought-after celebrations. Moreover, Feast of Fields remains unique in that it provides a different location every year. “We rotate our locations to highlight the various sub-regions of southern Vancouver Island, to showcase the exceptional farming communities and their special qualities,” says Freeman.

Feast of Fields is Farm Folk City Folk’s largest fundraiser with proceeds supporting sustainable, local food production in British Columbia. “In the past 20 years, the event has raised over $100,000 to be put back into the local food community,” says Freeman.

FUN FACTS:

In the past twenty years Vancouver Island Feast of Fields has:

• Sold over 10,000 tickets
• Showcased more than 18 different farm locations
• Provided over 24,000 wine glasses (donated with thanks from Pedersen’s Event Rentals!)
• Served over 1,000 000 portions of food and drink!
• Created thousands of memorable connections between farm folk and city folk

WHEN: SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2017 FROM 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

WHERE: RAVENHILL HERB FARM

1330 MOUNT NEWTON CROSS ROAD

SAANICHTON, BC

PRICE: $95 (Adult) $15 (Youth), (Under 5 is free), Bus Ticket: $10-$15 (Round-Trip)

PLEASE NOTE: NO ANIMALS ALLOWED ON SITE (except the farm animals of course).
PLEASE WEAR SUITABLE FOOTWEAR AND DRIVE RESPONSIBLY.

FarmFolk City Folk 20^th Anniversary Video. YouTube. April 18, 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFX4NWIb7uw>