A farmer in the Comox Valley has re-opened a classic, and well known farm stand along the Highway 19A bypass.
Dave Semmelink co-owns the Comox Bay Farm Stand and plans to run it alongside his parents for the next couple of years.
He says it features a wide range of things to buy including meat, produce and even flowers.
“I sell all of my pasture-raised meats, pork, chicken, I do lamb as well, and lots of eggs. We do produce as well so up a the farm we’re growing squash, potatoes, corn, garlic and things and then a friend of mine works for me a little bit and grows flowers, we have flowers,” said Semmelink.
The stand is on Ducks Unlimited land, which was sold to the organization by the old owner John Farquharson in 1998.
Semmelink says he had been trying to get the land every since he came to Canada from South Africa.
“I’ve been trying to lease this farm ever since I moved to the valley pretty much. My professors used to work with Ducks Unlimited back when I went to UBC. They put me in touch with Ducks Unlimited a long time ago, I did the soil samples of this farm five or six years ago and then it came out for lease this year and Duck Unlimited decided to lease it to me.”
Semmelink launched the stand Saturday afternoon and says it’s just the start.
“We’ll be really full production next year…just going to test it out this fall and really give it my best shot next year.”
The stand will be open 10:00am 6:00pm on weekends, and every day of the week between 3:00pm and 6:00pm.
