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Innisfree Farm &
Botanic Garden

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About
Botanical Gardens
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Green Dream Café
Farm Shop
Contact

Home
About
Botanical Gardens
Events
Green Dream Café
Farm Shop
Contact

Aquilegia formosa (Western Columbine)

Western columbine is antispasmodic, diaphoretic, parasitic and resolvent.

Learn more about the
medicinal properties

Gardening tips
for this plant

3636 Trent Road, Courtenay BC, Canada V9N 9R4
(250) 336 8768
innisfreefarmbc@gmail.com

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Big news! Construction is underway on our new clin

Big news! Construction is underway on our new clinic to serve our patients better. We’ll be mostly on hiatus from social media until next year.

We are looking forward to expanding the herbal medicine clinic here at Innisfree as well as enclosing the staircase to @chanchal.cabrera and Thierry’s home to make it safer in the rain and snow.

Ginette, our dispensary manager, will have a new storage system for tinctures and dried herbs, and medical herbalist and acupuncturist Alina Baker, will have a new office as well.

Please contact us by email - innisfreefarmbc@gmail.com if you have inquiries about event rentals for 2025 or any other questions, and be sure to sign up for our email newsletter on our website - www.innisfreefarm.ca - to learn about updates and other farm news.

Thank you for all of your support this year. We look forward to reconnecting with you in the new year!

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#herbalmedicine #herbalistsofinstagram #cabreraclinic #courtenaygardens #courtenaybc #comoxbc #courtenaycomox #roystonbc #fannybay #cumberlandbc #yqq #comoxvalleylife #comoxvalleybc #comoxvalleygardens #comoxbc #explorevanisle #vancouverisland #comoxvalleyfarms #courtenaysmallbusiness #comoxsmallbusiness #botanicgarden #innisfreefarmbc #clinicalherbalmedicine #chanchalcabrera #medicalherbalist #cancersupport #patientcenteredcare #herbalclinic #renovationtime #breakingground

That’s a wrap on our 2024 summer season! 💚 H

That’s a wrap on our 2024 summer season! 💚

Huge thank-you to everyone who helped make this year a success, including:

👉 Rhonda Williamson of Boulder Hill Bakery @boulderhillbakery_ who makes our delicious baked goods for the Green Dream Café.

We love that she is willing to use our farm-fresh ingredients as well as some of our recipes (such as Chanchal’s mom’s gingerbread cake recipe!). She is friendly, local, and reliable, and we are beyond thrilled to work with her.

👉 Our hardworking barista Iwona - she constantly had a smile on her face and although she hadn’t worked in a café before taking on this role, she took to it quite well and it was a pleasure to have her as part of our team this year.

👉 All of our volunteers, interns, and apprentices - this year’s crew has been wonderful - hardworking, dedicated, fun, and willing to do whatever was needed. We are so grateful for their time, efforts, and desire to learn.

👉 Thierry Vrain, co-founder of Innisfree Farm & Botanic Garden - for making excellent homemade soups every week for the café, working in the gardens and providing produce for our farm shop, guiding the apprentices and interns, and too many things to list!

👉 Everyone else behind the scenes - our office staff, Grant helping with the veggie gardens, Mo helping with various projects on the property, Chanchal’s @chanchal.cabrera endless energy and hard work to keep everything running smoothly, and all of you who came out to connect with the plants and enjoy our outdoor patio.

We’d love to hear in the comments below 👇 about your favourite memories from this year - any special moments, favourite foods, etc.? ❤️

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#comoxvalleytourism #experiencecomoxvalley #comoxvalleybc #courtenaybc #cumberlandbc #roystonbc #comoxbc #comoxvalleylife #comoxvalleycoffeeshops #comoxvalleygardens #explorevancouverisland #supportlocal #supportlocalbc #vanisle #vancouverislandlife #vanislelife #vancouverisland #innisfreefarmbc #nanaimobc #victoriabc #botanicgarden #courtenaysmallbusiness #herbalapprenticeship #yqqevents #café #greendreamcafé

Our interns and volunteers are still harvesting lo

Our interns and volunteers are still harvesting loads of calendula flowers! 💛🧡💛

This calendula will be used for tea and also to make an infused oil for topical use. 🖐️

Did you know many of the medicinal plants we grow are harvested & dried for use in custom tea formula blends for patients of the herbal medicine clinic?

Learn more about Cabrera Clinic and one-on-one wellness consultations at https://chanchalcabrera.com/consulting-services/health-and-wellness-consulting/

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#herbalmedicine #calendula #calendulaharvest #calendulaofficinalis #flowerstagram #herbalistsofinstagram #flowersofinstagram #herbalharvest #dryingherbs #herbfarm #herbalism #plantmedicine #plantsplantsplants #livingthedream #explorevancouverisland #herbalapprenticeship #herbgarden #medicalherbalist #clinicalherbalist #flowerpower #beautiful #calendulaflower #growingherbs #courtenaybc #livingthedream #comoxvalleylife #comoxvalleybc #roystonbc #botanicgarden #explorevanisle

***UPDATE – POSITION FILLED! Please consider apply

***UPDATE - POSITION FILLED! Please consider applying for our 2025 internship program***

New ❗ Internship opportunity at Innisfree starting Sept. 23

Due to a late withdrawal, we have 1 space open for one more intern until November 1.

👉 Private room
👉 full board and lodging

In exchange for 25 hours per week of garden work and herb harvesting. 👩‍🌾

We can consider a later start date if necessary.

Email through the website for details - https://www.innisfreefarm.ca/2024-events/internships/

Please help spread the word 💚

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#courtenaybc #fannybay #cumberlandbc #comoxbc #vanisland #vanislelife #vanisle #comoxvalleylife #comoxvalleyfarms #internship #farming #wwoofing #workaway #helpx #beautifulbc #workexchange #gardening #gardeninglife #outsidelife #handsonlearning #herbfarm #explorevancouverisland #explorevanisle #explorebclocal #innisfreefarmbc #roystonbc #nanaimo #victoria #farmlife #gardenwork

This is our last weekend open for the 2024 season!

This is our last weekend open for the 2024 season! 🌞

Come explore our botanic garden & enjoy our outdoor patio at the Green Dream Café - try the homemade soup, delicious desserts, smoothies, tea, and coffee.

Featured food menu for this weekend:

🍲 Borscht Soup served with sourdough bread from @lentelusfarms & herb butter (gluten-free & vegan options available)

Baked Goods [subject to change due to availability]:

🌟 Cheddar & Everything Scone

🌟 Blueberry Streusel Muffin

🌟 Rene’s Gingerbread Cake

🌟 Chocolate Brownie (gluten-free)

🌟 Crab Apple Cake

🌟 Frozen Raspberry Cashew Pie (vegan, gluten-free)

*Take-out is also an option

Farm-fresh produce at our shop this weekend:
— Apples
— Eggs

Open Saturday 10 am - 4 pm, Sunday noon - 4 pm, and Monday 10 am - 4 pm until Monday, September 16th.

Located at 3636 Trent Road, in Courtenay (near Royston)

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#courtenaygardens #courtenaybc #comoxbc #courtenaycomox #roystonbc #fannybay #cumberlandbc #yqq #yqqeats #comoxvalleylife #comoxvalleybc #comoxvalleygardens #comoxbc #explorevanisle #vancouverisland #café #comoxvalleycoffeeshops #unionbay #comoxvalleyfarms #courtenaysmallbusiness #comoxsmallbusiness #farmfresh #homemadefood #healthyanddelicious #botanicgarden #experiencecomoxvalley #comoxvalleytourism #nanaimobc #plantsplantsplants #patiolife

❗Reminder – Our last day open for the 2024 seaso

❗Reminder - Our last day open for the 2024 season is Monday, September 16th.

Come by this Saturday (10 am - 4 pm), Sunday (noon - 4 pm) or Monday (10 am - 4 pm) to enjoy:

➡️ delicious baked goods, homemade soup, hot and cold drinks at our Green Dream Café

➡️ a meditative walk around our labyrinth

➡️ 7 acres of botanic gardens for you to explore - medicinal and native plants, tranquil shady spaces

➡️ farm-fresh produce, herbal teas, spritzers, preserves, and other products at our farm shop

➡️ plants for sale at our nursery

If you’ve been wanting to bring friends or family here this year, this is your last chance…!

For groups of 6 or more for the café, please consider making a reservation as we are anticipating a busy weekend. (Email innisfreefarmbc@gmail.com or leave a voicemail message at (250) 336 8768)

We look forward to seeing you soon! 😊

📍 Located at 3636 Trent Road, Courtenay BC (near Royston)

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#experiencecomoxvalley #courtenaybc #comoxvalleygardens #comoxvalley #comoxbc #cumberlandbc #comoxvalleylife #roystonbc #comoxvalleybc #yqq #yqqeats #comoxvalleycoffeeshops #botanicgarden #botanicalgarden #café #courtenaysmallbusiness #courtenayfood #comoxvalleytourism #explorevancouverisland #explorevanisle #vancouverisland #vanisle #vanislelife #experiencebc #explorebcgardens #bcgardening #bcgardens #fannybay #unionbay #nanaimobc

🌟 This is our second-last weekend of being open

🌟 This is our second-last weekend of being open for the 2024 season...!

Come by to explore our botanic garden and enjoy our outdoor patio at the Green Dream Café.

🥬 Farm-fresh produce at our shop this weekend:
— Thai basil
— Raspberries
— Field cucumbers
— Crabapples
— Eggs
— Rhubarb

Try the homemade soup, delicious desserts, and hot and cold drinks at our Green Dream Café:

🍲 Hot & Spicy Thai Coconut Soup with rice noodles, tofu and peanuts (vegan, gluten-free)

Baked Goods [subject to change due to availability]:

⭐ Crab Apple Spice Cake

⭐ Rene's Gingerbread Cake

⭐ Cranberry Orange Scone

⭐ Chocolate Mousse Cake (vegan)

⭐ Frozen Raspberry Cashew Pie (vegan, gluten-free)

*Take-out is also an option 😋

Open Saturdays 10 am - 4 pm, Sundays noon - 4 pm, and Mondays 10 am - 4 pm until Monday, September 16th.

📍 Located at 3636 Trent Road, in Courtenay (near Royston).

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#comoxvalleygardens #comoxbc #explorevanisle #vancouverisland #café #comoxvalleycoffeeshops #unionbay #comoxvalleyfarms #courtenaysmallbusiness #comoxsmallbusiness #farmfresh #homemadefood #healthyanddelicious #botanicgarden #courtenaygardens #courtenaybc #comoxbc #courtenaycomox #roystonbc #fannybay #cumberlandbc #yqq #yqqeats #comoxvalleylife #comoxvalleybc

New online course about tree medicines 🌳 with m

New online course about tree medicines 🌳 with medical herbalist and Innisfree co-founder Chanchal Cabrera @chanchal.cabrera - starts Tuesday, Sept. 10th!

Do you love trees? 🌲 Want to deepen your understanding of trees and herbal medicines through hands-on experience?

This is a 7-week deep dive into the medicinal, spiritual, and practical ways we can learn from, interact with, and benefit from trees. 🤓

✳️ Learn how to make medicines for you and your family’s wellbeing - topical preparations, steam inhalations, teas and tinctures, and more

✳️ Find out how trees communicate, their habits and growth patterns, and best practices for harvesting

✳️ Experience a personally guided Shinrin Yoku (forest bathing) walk with nature-connection exercises

✳️ Connect with the spirit of trees in guided exercises with ritualist and herbalist @seraphina.capranos

✳️ Understand the science and medicinal qualities of trees — modern research, traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology, and more — including formulas & recipes

✳️ Participate in an art therapy class using natural materials to connect with yourself, gain clarity, and process emotions

✳️ Review the healing qualities of tree flower essences and the use of essential oils

These are just some of the highlights of this new course - we’d love to have you with us! Please share and help spread the word about this. 💚

The live online classes start (and registration closes) Tuesday, Sept. 10th; recordings & transcripts will be available as well as other bonus videos.

There are so many practical applications for personal care in this course - take the time to support your health this season. 🌟

Learn more & register at link in bio.

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#plantmedicine #homeremedies #homeremediesforyou #medicinemaking #medicinalplants #boostyourimmunesystem #herbalist #onlineclasses #medicinemaking #treelovers #herbalistsofinstagram #treemedicine #firtrees #cedartrees #evergreens #herbalism #chanchalcabrera #feelbetterwithaherbalist #plantsarelife #foresttherapy #forestbathing #forestlovers #treemagic #treesarecool #treelove #ilovetrees #tree_magic #trees #herbalmedicine

( Yes, we are open Labour Day! ) ~ Check out this

( Yes, we are open Labour Day! ) ~ Check out this weekend's menu features at our Green Dream Café:

— Gazpacho Soup (vegan, gluten-free) - served chilled, with sourdough bread from Lentelus Farms and cilantro pesto (gluten-free & vegan options available)

Baked Goods [subject to change due to availability]:

— Cheddar Scone with sundried tomato butter

— Lemon Square

— Chocolate Brownie (gluten-free)

— Crabapple Cake

— Frozen Raspberry Cashew Pie (vegan, gluten-free)

Open Saturdays 10 am - 4 pm,
Sundays noon - 4 pm, and
Mondays 10 am - 4pm
...until September 16th.

Come explore our gardens, walk the labyrinth, and enjoy the 7 acres of medicinal and native plants. Our café menu has a variety of tasty baked goods, smoothies, herbal teas, coffee, and a new homemade soup every weekend.

Located at 3636 Trent Road, in Courtenay (near Royston).

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#courtenaygardens #courtenaybc #comoxbc #courtenaycomox #roystonbc #fannybay #cumberlandbc #yqq #yqqeats #comoxvalleylife #comoxvalleybc #comoxvalleygardens #comoxbc #explorevanisle #vancouverisland #café #comoxvalleycoffeeshops #unionbay #comoxvalleyfarms #courtenaysmallbusiness #comoxsmallbusiness #farmfresh #homemadefood #healthyanddelicious #botanicgarden

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Innisfree Farm is located on the unceded traditional territories of the Pentlatch, Eiksan, Sahtloot and Sasitla peoples, the people of the K’ómoks First Nation who call this valley home. We are grateful for the opportunity to live, learn, work and play, take care of and share this land.