Absence w
Up Front
A
on’
By Bryden Winsby
t make everyone fonder
nother year, another session of
the “orchardists’ parliament”—
four-year program for
scientific agricultural
a topic that’s been atop most minds
Association convention, or annual
a.k.a. the B.C. Fruit Growers' research.
lately — the recession. How deep it’s
going to get is anyone’s guess, but
general meeting, whichever you
we’ve got the thoughts of Desmond
prefer.
and other annoyances
Management of pests
is approached in
O’Rourke, who guesswork is probably
as good as anyone’s, and there’s also
in Penticton wasn’t among the more
January’s gathering at the Lakeside articles on the the situation facing cherry growers,
memorable, certainly not in terms of
continuing effort to who may be looking at an excellent
spirited debate over a lengthy list of
reduce the starling crop this year, but a serious sales
contentious items. No packed
population, and get a challenge.
meetings, no riveting speeches,
although things ran smoothly and
regulations for open burning of plant
better handle on new
grape harvest, whose prospects are
Also excellent was the latest icewine
some important matters were
waste. detailed in Between The Vines, where
addressed. The usual keynote speech
you will also find the latest on what
from the provincial agriculture
department we have the scoop on the
From the better-late-than-never
has transpired since the Covert family
minister took an unfortunate turn
latest winners of the BCFGA’s unveiled plans several years ago for a
with the death of Stan Hagen. His
horticultural awards, which, as noted, vineyard village on their well-known
successor, Ron Cantelon, managed to
were to have been presented at the South Okanagan farm. We also profile
fill in despite being nowhere near up
annual hort forum last fall, but got Manfred Freese, president of the B.C.
to speed on what the portfolio entails,
postponed because of another Grapegrowers’ Association, and Gary
especially insofar as the fruit industry
annoyance, the closure of Highway 97 Strachan talks about how fungus can
is concerned.
because of a rock slippage above the
widening project near Summerland.
be your friend. Well,
anyway.
sometimes,
part was sparse, and that seemed to
Attendance at the AGM for the most Enjoy.
be especially so by board members of
column, Associate Editor Peter
In his Orchard Management
the new Okanagan Tree Fruit
Waterman describes how vigilant
Cooperative and reps from B.C. Tree
evaluation of new apple varieties by
Fruits. Much has been made of the
various stakeholders goes a long way
industry’s strategy to streamline and
toward determining their success.
be more unified, but it seems a mite
On the marketing side, we touch on
peculiar that so few from the packing
operations and marketing side were
on hand to participate in the meeting
or even listen to growers’ concerns. irrigation & farm supplies
Orchard, vineyard,
two-bits’ worth. As for the nuts and
There, you have our unsolicited
bolts of the BCFGA meeting, this issue
• Post, fencing and trellis
doesn’t have ’em all, but there’s a
system supplies
significant amount of space devoted to
• Soil sample and fertilizer
what went on.
recommendations
Associate Editor Judie Steeves delves
Before you get there, though,
• Pruning products
into a subject that has been given a lot
• Crop management products
of attention in these pages over the
• Adcon weather systems
years, and will continue to receive it:
water. It’s a commodity whose use
Authorized dealers for:
and misuse is in the Okanagan-
(MAIN OFFICE)
KEL O WN A PENTICT O N
360 Okanagan A venue
Similkameen is of critical importance
2605 Acland Road
East
to the tree fruit and grape industries.
Kelowna, BC V1X 734
Penticton, BC V2A 8N3
As time goes on its stewardship will
T el 250-765-4500
T el 250-493-2885
become even more important for
Fax 250-765-4545
Fax 250-493-8153
growers, from the standpoints of their
own efficiency and of their
www .gr o wer s-supply-co.com inf o@gr o wer s-supply-co.com
involvement in water’s overall
governance as the region becomes
increasingly urbanized.
include the Sterile Insect Release
Other matters to receive an update
PWP posts now domed!
4
effort and its relationship to a new
British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Spring 2009
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40