The Roost Farm Centre in North Saanich is a bustling hub of activity, complete with a working farm, winery and bakery to experience and explore.
The Roost is receiving $20,600 of Buy Local funding to attract more visitors and lead to increased sales. This funding will be used to promote an agritourism destination by rebranding the company through traditional print advertising, as well as online with social media. A new website will be created to highlight the services and products available at the Roost.
The North Saanich-based farm is the largest integrated grain farm on Vancouver Island. The wheat grown and milled on the farm is used to make the bread that is baked daily and sold in the bakery. For a taste of local food and wine, The Roost offers its visitors a complete experience of where farm meets table.
The Buy Local program has received $8 million in B.C. government funding since 2012, to increase sales of locally grown and processed agrifood and seafood products within the province.
The B.C. government’s Agrifood and Seafood Strategic Growth Plan supports the building of domestic markets and maintaining a secure food supply.
The plan is a component of the BC Jobs Plan and the roadmap leading the agrifoods sector to become a $15-billion-a-year industry by 2020.
The provincial government’s Buy Local program is administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia. Applications are available online.
Some fun facts about the Roost:
- The biggest pumpkin grown at The Roost weighed 448 kilograms (987 pounds).
- The Roost produces about 5,000 litres of wine a year.
- About 907 kilograms (2,000 pounds) of blueberries are grown on the farm each year.
- The Roost can produce up to approximately 9,072 kilograms (20,000 pounds) of flour from its own wheat.
- The Roost is one of few bakeries in western Canada that grow and mill their own wheat.
