Coming Home to Roost
It’s not only the proverbial chickens who come home to North Saanich’s eclectic Roost Vineyard Bistro & Farm Bakery. Visitors from Canada and around the world flock to this family-operated venue to enjoy a glass of wine, take a leisurely tour of the farm, choose a pumpkin, dine on wood-fired pizzas or buy baked goods made with the Roost’s own stone ground hard red spring-wheat grown and milled on site.
Manager Dallas Bohl takes us on a tour where we meet a group of visitors from Saskatchewan who have lunched here and are visiting founder Hamish Crawford’s restored vintage automobiles. Originally from Scotland, Hamish began restoring cars at age 12. Now at age 75, he has a barn full, featuring four landrover and willys jeeps, a jag motor he built, and five MG TC’S super chargers. Built from scratch, he completed one for every year they were manufactured from 1945 to 1949. These Midgets were the first sent to North America.
There’s a unique Austin ‘pie truck’ with a vinyl body, an ultra-lite plane hanging from the ceiling and the carcass of an old Morgan roadster two-seater circa 1919, hand built and locked together like they made carriages in the past. Morgan is the longest established family-run car business in the world today. “Amazing, I discovered it had been stored in a neighbour’s shed for the past 18 years and he gave me it to me”, Hamish said.
While living in Calgary, Hamish bought this acreage sight-unseen some 25 years ago, envisioning having a bakery like those in the UK where one could come down, buy a sticky bun and walk around the farm. Hamish, his wife Bonnie, daughter, son-in-law Dallas and Dallas’ sister run the business, growing two acres of Siegerrebe, Marechal Foch, Pinot Noir and Leon Millet grapes, four and half acres of grain, raising bees and blueberries and tending a chef’s kitchen garden on the ten acres of land. There are apple trees, chickens and lambs. “When we raised ostriches we found that one ostrich egg equalled 26 regular chicken eggs but soon discovered they were a little too gamey for baking. “ Dallas explained.
Two and a half years ago the Vineyard Bistro was built next to the bakery, offering 65 seats inside and 65 outdoors, where the fireside covered patio overlooks the farm, vineyard, and koi fishpond. In the new Chef’s Garden one can relax with a bottle of wine and a snack. The Bistro menu offers wood-fired oven pizzas such as Farmhand’s Heaven or Back 40, house-made pasta and seasonal mains of salmon, cod, beef, duck or lamb. Meanwhile, in the bakery, pies,
cakes and pastries are made with “real butter, pure vanilla, no additives, and farm fresh eggs.” Gluten-free pastry is also available.
Fall brings forth a greenhouse full of giant pumpkins. The largest so far has weighed 968 pounds, but Dallas says they are striving for 1000. In the summer a carriage sporting a replica giant pumpkin carries Hamish’s two little granddaughters dressed up as princesses and father Dallas as the horse. around the farm and in the local summer parade. Kids here are invited to play ping pong soccer or a billiard game and can celebrate birthdays aboard the funky ‘chicken bus’. Plans are underway to create a spooky Wine Tasting room in a cellar dungeon, complete with iron maiden, chiropractic rack and chairs. Wine tanks and barrels with be housed there as well.
The Roost Vineyard Bistro and Farm Bakery can be found at 9100 E. Saanich Rd. North Saanich.
