NATURE’S FRUIT BASKET

One of the most anticipated events in the Okanagan Valley is fruit season when local orchards and farms unfold in all their luscious glory. The sights, scents and tastes of the region’s progressing fruit and vegetable season is an unmistakable and everdelighting local feature. The season kicks off in mid-June for the South Okanagan and South Similkameen areas and continues through the fall. Blossoming and ripening times are earlier in the southern part of the Okanagan than in the north, by as much as 3-4 weeks in the case of Osoyoos versus Vernon and Lake Country.

Cherries are the first fruit ready for harvest, typically around early- to mid-June, followed by apricots, peaches and plums. Apples are the grand finale of the Okanagan’s fruit season in the fall.

U-PICK

Roadside fruit and vegetable stands dot the highways from Keremeos to Osoyoos and all the way north. You can ask a local for their favourite, but just know everyone has their own preference. You can’t go wrong by any of them.

And while the roadside stalls are an easy option to pick up some of nature’s bounty, one fun alternative is to pick your own. Orchards offering this option can be easily spotted via the giant ‘U-Pick’ signs along the highway.

U-pick farms usually offer cheaper prices for the fruit when you’re the one putting in the labour! Fruit that is sold at fruit stands and orchard markets is generally picked early on in the day markets open meaning they are just as fresh.

For a memorable family-oriented activity, this ‘freshest farm-to-table’ can’t be beaten for some rewarding fun. If you choose the self-pick option, be sure to prepare for your harvesting experience. Wear comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting a little dirty in the process. Cherries, in particular, can easily stain clothing. Wear proper footwear as you could stub your toes wearing flip-flops and other open-toed footwear.

Prepare for the weather especially in early summer and the fall where the weather can change rapidly.

In the hot summer months, it is better to pick in the mornings – most U-picks open by 8 a.m. – before it gets scorching hot (which also further ripens the fruit). Be sure to bring water to drink, wear a sun hat and slap your sunscreen on.

Most U-picks provide boxes but you may need to provide your containers in some cases. And as a general rule of thumb, fruit is best picked when it separates easily from the tree branch. Also, try to pick fruit with the stems on as that will keep it fresher longer. Check with the orchard people for any specific advice.

Historical Roots

The historical roots of the Okanagan fruit industry run deep, having first started in BC in the early 1800s with

Seasonal M J J A S O

Apples

Apricots

Blackberries

Blueberries

Cherries

Grapes

Melons

Nectarines

Peaches

Pears

Plums

Raspberries

Strawberries

European explorers introducing many fruits to North America. Stocks of grafted fruit trees were transported across the Americas and transplanted in regions of the Pacific Northwest where they thrived in the mild climate.

The development of commercial orchards started in coastal BC with the first on the mainland planted in 1859, seeing the rapid diversification to include not just apples, but peaches, plums and pears.

The spread to the Okanagan followed the Cariboo gold seekers and by the early 1860s fruit trees were being planted in Lillooet, Lytton, Cache Creek and other smaller settlements near Kamloops. The first apple trees in the Okanagan (Penticton) were planted by Father Pandosy in 1862, who also planted the valley’s first grapes for producing Sacramental wine.

The 194 hectares Coldstream Ranch near Father Pandosy’s Okanagan Mission saw two 40 hectares lots of orchards planted in 1892 by Lord Aberdeen, former Governor General of Canada and his wife. These orchards included crab apples, apricots, peaches, prunes, cherries, and plums alongside raspberry canes and strawberries.

The Aberdeens even started up a jam factory to process much of the fruit. At its peak, the Coldstream Ranch was one of the largest producers of fruit in the British Empire.

The spread to the Okanagan followed the Cariboo gold seekers and by the early 1860s fruit trees were being planted in Lillooet, Lytton, Cache Creek and other smaller settlements near Kamloops. The first apple trees in the Okanagan (Penticton) were planted by Father Pandosy in 1862, who also planted the valley’s first grapes for producing Sacramental wine.

The 194 hectares Coldstream Ranch near Father Pandosy’s Okanagan Mission saw two 40 hectares lots of orchards planted in 1892 by Lord Aberdeen, former Governor General of Canada and his wife. These orchards included crab apples, apricots, peaches, prunes, cherries, and plums alongside raspberry canes and strawberries.

The Aberdeens even started up a jam factory to process much of the fruit. At its peak, the Coldstream Ranch was one of the largest producers of fruit in the British Empire.