Community Story: Sheila Wallace — From Vision to Table to Trail

Long before the Sunriver Community Gardens and orchard became a thriving hub of food, learning, and connection, Sheila Wallace was already looking beyond the fence - imagining what the land could become.

As Sooke Food CHI President Ellen Lewers recalls, Sheila was one of the first to see the potential in the space that would eventually become Sunriver Community Gardens and orchard. That mix of curiosity, vision, and quiet determination has defined Sheila’s contributions to the Sooke region ever since.

Sheila became a member of Sooke Food CHI in 2008, taking part in the organization’s inaugural Visioning session at Sooke Harbour House. That same year, she stepped into the role of Project Coordinator, helping lay the foundation for much of the local food work that continues today.

In that role, Sheila facilitated the Farm Forum, Festival, and Harvest Feast in October 2008; conducted a broad community assessment that resulted in the Sooke Region Food and Farm Guide; organized professional panels on BC meat and produce regulations; and coordinated a local farm tour that brought together representatives from four levels of government. She also worked in close partnership with local organizations to host film screenings, initiate the Community Garden Network, and organize events such as the Island Farmhouse Poultry Tour.

Beyond her organizational leadership, Sheila has always been deeply rooted in hands-on community food work. She was an active vendor and Board Member of the Sooke Country Market for 12 years, where many locals came to know her through Coastal Crunch Granola and an ever-changing array of baked goods. Her presence at the market helped build not just local food access, but relationships — the kind that sustain a community over time.

The Sunriver orchard itself is also a family story. Sheila’s husband has served, and continues to serve, as the orchard manager, designing and building the gardens with Sheila’s ongoing support. Together, they also helped start what has become the much-loved Apple Festival, now a staple community celebration.

After retiring from the market, Sheila didn’t slow down — she shifted direction. Drawing on years of cooking, baking, hiking, and nourishing others, she turned to writing. Her first cookbook, From Table to Trail: Nourishing Recipes for Home and Hike, reflects the same values she has long championed: good food, shared generously, rooted in place and practicality.

Sheila will be publicly launching her cookbook at Sooke Seedy Saturday on February 28 at the Sooke Community Hall, where she’ll have copies of the book available alongside granola and treats made from its recipes.

From imagining what could be to building the networks that sustain it, from market tables to community gardens, Sheila Wallace’s story is one of vision put into action — rooted in community, generosity, and a deep love of good food shared well.

You can celebrate Sheila’s newest chapter, and connect with the wider local food community, at Sooke Seedy Saturday on February 28 at the Sooke Community Hall. Hosted by Sooke Food CHI, this annual event brings together seed vendors, growers, gardeners, and food champions from across the region. Whether you’re looking to start your spring garden, learn something new, or simply enjoy a vibrant community gathering, Seedy Saturday is the perfect place to dig in.

Learn more about the event here: https://www.sookefoodchi.ca/events/sooke-seedy-saturday-2026

We hope to see you there.