Joy and Kevin de Vos' involvement with the Deep Creek 4-H Club factored into their decision to make their dairy farm an agritourism destination.
"The desire for educational tours started from connections to 4-H," said Kevin, a third generation dairy farmer who, with Joy, operates Foxtrot Dairy Ltd. at 16 Deep Creek Road, just off of Highway 97B. Kevin said the dairy was started by his father and grandfather in 1969.
About 16 years ago, Joy and Kevin began exploring the idea of opening the farm up to the public as an educational experience.
"We personally took over from my mom five years ago, so then we began the process of how do we get there? So it seemed a natural, we thought, to start with a store," said Kevin.
That step has since come to fruition. The de Vos' had a soft-opening for the Foxtrot Dairy store in early December 2024, with a grand opening planned for Feb. 15.
The store has an old-time feel (influenced in part by a variety of eye-catching antiques), and carries a range of products by local producers including coffee, candles, doughnuts (from neighbour Mountainside Donuts), sauces, sweets, honey, milk, cheese and meats 鈥� including beef from Foxtrot. There's also local arts, crafts and other gift items.
Public response has been great so far, said Joy, who has seen customers show up every day the store's been open, and on some days when it's not.
In the centre of the store is a large table and with several chairs where the public can stop, enjoy a coffee and take in the surroundings.
"We wanted people to feel they stepped back in time and just leave the world behind," said Joy. "Have a cup of coffee, relax, learn about where your food comes from. If you want to sit here and play cards I鈥檓 not going to stop you, it鈥檚 just a place to retreat to."
That learning component is part of the de Vos' vision for Foxtrot, which includes a 10 site campground the couple is working towards having open by this summer. The couple explained the campsites are part of an educational experience, in which those who stay take part in a dairy tour. When the tours start, the de Vos' would also like to host school outings.
While serving visitors, including locals and future campers, the de Vos' plan to share other agricultural stops of interest in the region.
"We plan to showcase to them other farms they can go to while they're here," said Joy. "There鈥檚 Larch Hills Winery right over there, DeMille鈥檚 is on the other side. We鈥檙e not trying to exclusively have them. We鈥檙e trying to make sure that they know all the other areas they can go so it鈥檚 kind of helping each other."
Joy said it has been great to see the store finally take shape, and that she and Kevin look forward to further sharing and learning.
"We're always wanting to teach people, always wanting to share鈥� and also, we鈥檙e still learning," said Joy. "We鈥檙e dairy farmers. We鈥檝e been 4-H leaders for a long time and we still learn 鈥� it鈥檚 that concept of learn to do by doing鈥� the day you stop learning is the day you stop breathing.
"So we love sharing and, I mean, every time a child comes onto the farm and gets to see a cow鈥� or gets dirty 鈥� they join 4-H and I get to see them get covered in dirt and whatnot on the farm with a big smile on their face, I know it was a good day."
The Foxtrot Dairy store is currently open from noon to 6 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday. It is easy to locate with colourful signs along the highway at at the property featuring Foxtrot's dancing mascots, Stella the cow and Skyler the fox. For more information, visit Foxtrot Dairy at foxtrotdairy.ca and on Facebook.
