Are you looking for a fun family outing in the Parksville/Qualicum area? If you and your family love animals big and small, cheese and local wine; this is the outing for you. Be sure to make this the season that you take your family to Morningstar Farm, which is the home of Little Qualicum Cheeseworks and Mooberry Winery.
Self-Guided Tour
If you have never visited the farm before, you are in for a treat. The self-guided tour is free and includes petting-a-plenty in the calf barn, where you have the opportunity to visit the baby goats, calves, pigs, sheep and their proud mammas.
Once you have had ample opportunity to visit the new arrivals, you can head over to the dairy barn where you can watch the cows as they begin to line up for milking by the robotic milker.
High Tech Stuff!
The old milking parlour has been made into their very own “Mooseum”, where you can check out how the cows were milked before automation using vintage dairy equipment.
A quick skip away you can also watch the cheesemakers through a big window making the cheese they are famously known for.
Cheese Samples, Wine Tasting, Calfè and More
The farm has a small store where there is free delicious cheese samples as well as products for purchase, including; fresh farm milk, cheese, farm raised meats and unique gifts and housewares.
The Mooberry Winery provides samples of their fruit wines including my favorite and their signature Blackberry Wine!
The Morningstar Calfè is a seasonal cafe that has baked goods, gourmet paninis with their own cheeses and super fresh lattès using their own cows’ milk!
Canada’s First Milk-On-Tap Dispenser
One of the highlights of the farm for the kids (and me), is the milk-on-tap dispenser. This dispenser provides fresh, grass-fed, pasteurized whole milk. Bring a toonie and your own re-usable container (or you can buy a container there) and fill up on their amazing milk.
Picnic And A Walk
The farm also has a covered picnic area to enjoy some lunch or to take a rest before embarking on a 30-minute trail down to the pond while taking in the scenery, waving at the cows and trying to find the infamous beaver!
Each season the farm hosts different events such as Christmas at the Farm, Jazz, Tea and Cheesecake and a Calving Festival. Check out their website or Facebook page to stay up to date on these events!
Farm Hours and Location
Morningstar farm is open from 9:00am – 6:00pm daily for self-guided tours but also be sure to check their website for the most accurate information. Morningstar Farm is located at 403 Lowry’s Road, Parksville, BC
A Family Tradition
Visiting Morningstar Farm over the years has become a spring and summer tradition for our family. If you have enjoyed reading this post and the photos, I hope you will visit this amazing local business and create memories with your family for years to come.
Parksville Real Estate
The city of Parksville and the surrounding area have so much to offer for families, retirees and everything in between. If you are considering relocating to the Parksville area, start your search here, by visiting my Parksville homes for sale page.
