Prunings
Kidston family for receipt of a Century Farm Award from the provincial ministry of agriculture this fall.
F
The Kidston Farm has been in the family for several
generations. The property was originally bought in 1904 by John Kidston, who served the District of Coldstream for many
years. Kidston was also a member of an agricultural commission
arming. Where would it be without families?
Congratulations first to the
Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster, right, presents Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Kidston with a Century Farm Award. The Kidston farm has been in the family since 1904.
that surveyed and reported on the condition of the province’s fruit industry at that time.
In 1977, the farm’s current owner, Jamie Kidston bought out his father James. Today, the orchard produces seven apple varieties, including Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, Golden Delicious, Spartans, Nicola and Gala... As this issue was going to press, the Outstanding Young Farmers' National Competition was being held in Victoria. Among the competitors were Gene and Shelly Covert, winners of the 2010 B.C. Outstanding Young Farmer Award. They run a third-generation fruit and vegetable farm in Oliver and are also the parents of three young children. When Gene's father died in 2004, the Coverts were faced with about 142 hectares (350 acres) in production, hundreds of seasonal workers and low margins.
Today, nearly half of Covert Farms produces organic crops grown in biodegradable, GMO-free cornstarch mulch. The operation relies almost entirely on ladybugs for pest control. The farm also features an organic winery, and a country market with food service and a cappuccino bar. Every year, around 2,000 people visit for the Festival of the Tomato, a one- day event that celebrates local agriculture.
The Coverts are among entrants from seven regions for the annual
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competition, which recognizes farmers between 18 and 39 years old who exemplify excellence in their profession and who earn most of their income from on-farm sources... The Gebert family in Kelowna celebrated crushing their 25th wine vintage this fall. They produce the St. Hubertus and Oak Bay Estate wines, and lost their crop, their winery and one home in the 2003 wildfire, but just a few grapevines. The owners are Leo and Barb Gebert and Andy and Susan Gebert, who all hail from Switzerland (two brothers married to two sisters)...
Mixed media artist Julie Elliot of Oyama used her art to
encourage discussion
between consumers and orchardists this fall, with an installation at the Lake Country Art Gallery. It depicted the size of the orchard industry south of the border, by use of 110 block prints of apples, labeled “IMPORT: Washington State” compared to that in B.C., depicted by three fresh Ambrosias, with the B.C. leaf logo, skewered on boards. Each square represented a million boxes of fruit.
The 110 block prints versus three fresh apples made a powerful statement about the overwhelming size of the Washington crop and the importance of consumers supporting local growers. Elliot and her husband Jim, who is also president of the Okanagan Tree Fruit Co- operative, are Oyama orchardists... The 40th annual BCFGA Horticultural Forum will be held as part of the annual fieldmen’s group
workshop in 2011 at Trinity Baptist Church in Kelowna,
Julie Elliot
March 10 and 11. No details about the agenda or speakers were available by the Fruit Grower deadline... The
Okanagan-Kootenay Cherry Growers' Association is planning to hold its annual general meeting in conjunction with the hort forum and fieldmen's meetings...
The federal government is helping vintners uncork new international market opportunities for Canada's top-quality wines. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Stockwell Day, president of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, have announced an investment of more than $475,000 to help wine producers increase exports and strengthen their production processes.
The money will support two projects: $213,206 through the AgriMarketing Program to help the Canadian Vintners Association work with its members to implement their long-term international strategy; and $266,150 through the Canadian Integrated Food Safety Initiative (CIFSI) to upgrade the CVA's Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points-based material, which outlines step-by-step food safety standards for wine producers. In 2009, Canadian exports of wine exceeded $19 million, with more than 10.7 million litres of wine going to international markets, of which all but about one million litres went t0 the United States...
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British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Winter 2010-11
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