Accessing healthy and locally grown produce in Rossland just got a lot easier.
Miche Warwick and Dan Hayden have officially opened up their Happy Hills Farm (HHF) store at 2302 Happy Valley Road in the city.
Herbs, berries and microgreens are some of the produce available to customers. The duo have also partnered up with other B.C. farms to sell soaps, honey and health and wellness products.
Multiple things took place during a grand opening event for the store between Aug. 1 and 8.
“During each of the days that we were open that week, we did a draw for five different prizes. We also did a draw for a grand prize on Aug. 8 where we gave away a $100 gift basket full of farm goods,” said Warwick.
“We also did a vegetable scavenger hunt around town. People would come to the farm to pick up a playing card and then go to try and find colourful paper vegetables hidden at eight different downtown businesses.”
All of the produce from the store will come from the HHF property, which the duo have been working hard to build over the last three years.
The COVID-19 crisis encouraged the couple to complete the store in a timely fashion.
“While we were originally selling our produce at the farmer’s market, it wasn’t running this year so that definitely motivated us to get the proper store set-up,” said Warwick.
“We were also temporarily selling our produce in a tent that we set-up on the farm on Saturdays. Moving forward, it will be really nice to have this permanent structure.”
The store is less than 100 square feet and the duo used recycled cedar and windows to help build it.
The duo will try their best to keep the store running year round.
“We’ve got our thinking caps on to see how we can keep it open during the winter. We will still carry many of the products that were selling in the summer three of four months from now,” said Warwick.
“We’re hoping to get creative in this little mountain town and and pull people out to the farm store in the wintertime.”
From now through October, the store will be open on Thursdays and Fridays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Warwick said everyone is looking forward to shop at the new store.
“Everybody seems just so excited to have this type of unique shop in Rossland. We really haven’t had a farm store here before,” said Warwick.
“We’re just trying to get good food out to our community and this store will help us do that.”
