The secret is out! Going in circles is fun, acceptable and educational. Last week I experimented by planning my grocery shopping around the Circle Farm Tours map of Langley and Abbotsford.

To my delight, it generated a great day in the country, and (curbing the urge to impulse shop) I saved dollars on fresh produce.  

Surprise! Grocery shopping can be fun, healthy and relaxing.

With my free map from Tourism Langley on Glover Road in Fort Langley in hand my shopping list included wine, fresh picked vegetables, a turkey for Sunday dinner, local honey (love those dark molasses-like honeys) and finally treat myself to a visit to the lavender farm I’ve been intending to locate for...well...years.

Despite being an inveterate traveller, I’m embarrassed to confess I have no sense of direction.

Fortunately, the self-guided Circle Tour map easily kept me on track allowing me to pick and choose whatever intrigued me. Not only that—the map was free! What a deal!

Peter the Great, a bodacious bovine, and his fellow farm friends invariably a star at the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair. 

When not posing for pictures in Cloverdale each May he hangs out at Alder Acres at   24990 - 84th. Avenue. Aldergrove.

Unquestionably, this is THE spot to bring children (well, that could be your excuse!).

Hay rides? Dairy tours? A pumpkin patch in the fall? Fresh baked apple pies! What’s not to like! It’s all here.

Quite simply a feel-good fun day-trip for the whole family courtesy of the Anderson family who, I guarantee, will make you very welcome.  My ticket cost me $6 (there’s a family pack for $27), and—yes—I added a pie to my list.

As someone who picked beans when it was a cool way for pre-teens to earn pocket money, I know my greens—and their value.

Driediger Farms at 23823 72 Avenue in Langley was circled on my map, plus I did some advance on-line reconnaissance.

I registered with the farm website at www.driedigerfarms.com   so ensure the current fresh-picked produce list popped into my mail box  before leaving. Fresh strawberries are now available.  I was on my way!

I’ll leave the U-Pick for later in the summer when I’ve found my ice cream bucket, the floppy old  sun hat the kids roar at and some new  sun block. If you prefer talking to the farm(ers) call them at  604-888-1665 for updates. 

Check the recipes on-line if you can’t find your cook books, and print off a children’s colouring page while you’re at it – for the kids, of course! Well…it might be your thing. It’s allowed.

Now berries. I love berries, especially raspberries. I’m aiming to lunch at Krause Berry Farms at 6179-248 Street. From their website (Krausberryfarms.com) I know flats of strawberries are ready there too, but I also know that Alf and Sandee Krause have just taken their special roasted corn bread pizza out of the oven.

Sounds good to me. I resisted the fresh blueberry pie—at least for this week. You can call them at 604-856-5757 for up to date information.

Tomorrow I want to spend some time  photographing the lilac fields and relaxing in the gardens at Tuscan Farm Gardens (which your visitors — or you — might like to know is also a tranquil spa-like Bed and Breakfast) at 22317 64 Avenue.

Browsing through all those interesting Lavender products – not to mention Lavender tea in the garden – may take a while. I’m in the mood to relax, and this is just the spot. 

Heather and Arleigh Fair say, “When we retired in 1994 we had no idea what we were doing when we took a leap of faith and traded Vancouver condo life for 80 acres of lush, wild farmland in rural Langley.” 

Over the years, and now located on original Hudson Bay farmland, Tuscan Farm Gardens thrives. The couple are committed farming and producing organic plant based body care products made with organic herbs.

“More and more people are discovering the benefits of organic products and buying local,” say this energetic couple who brought a touch of Tuscany to our Valley.

If you haven’t picked up your Circle Farm Tour map yet you can call Tuscan Farms at (604) 530-1997 or check them out on the web.

No doubt I’ll be unable to resist a visit to Brad Jalbert and his award winning roses at Select Roses at 22771 38 Avenue.

Even my apartment balcony looks better with one of the hardy new strains of roses. Considering his parents thought having a garden would just keep him busy I’d say he’s prove their point!

Who said there is nothing to do this summer? Not me!! Even the price is right!