ERICKSON – Hazelnut production was the focus of a field day Kootenay and Boundary Farm Advisors organized September 30 at two Creston Valley farms. Led by BC Hazelnut Growers Association president Zachary Fleming, approximately 15 participants from around the Kootenays saw both a fledgling planting barely two years old and an established farm in production …
CROPS
BC pumpkins weigh in
From the Kootenays to the Fraser Valley and as far away as California, BC pumpkins have impressed crowds with their colour and size. At Top Crop Garden Farm and Pet in Cranbrook, 2,300 people turned out on a rainy September 30 to see who grew this year’s largest pumpkin. “People came out in droves, rain …
Apple crop down, quality up
BC’s apple harvest is in full swing, and early estimates indicate a slightly smaller crop but high-quality fruit. Overall production is expected to be down about 10% this year, thanks in part to a 5% decline in acreage as well as weather. The growing season in the Interior started about two weeks later than usual …
Crop failure wins wineries concessions
With this year’s wine grape harvest set to be as much as 50% below normal, industry advocacy group Wine Growers BC is toasting recent measures by the province to support hard-hit wine producers. WGBC says the “well-documented ‘crop failure’” the industry is suffering this year as a result of an extreme cold snap last December …
Moon shines among BC grape growers
PENTICTON — The BC Grapegrowers Association’s fifth annual Viticulturist of the Year award has gone to an industry veteran from a commercial winery. “The Viticulturist of the Year award recognizes those in our industry who strive to grow the very best grapes,” BCGA president John Bayley says. “Vineyard management, environmental stewardship, equipment, human resources, peer …
Lake Country packing house sold
BC Tree Fruit Co-op has sold its Lake Country packing house as part of its long-term plan to consolidate operations. The sale, to an undisclosed buyer, closed on August 31, 2023 for $15.8 million. “This was a planned sale as part of the cooperative’s consolidation plan that began in August of 2022,” says Laurel Van …