Year’s top growers honoured
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horticultural
By Judie Steeves
S
ome orchard families are very
successful at carrying on
Presentation of the first orchard
traditions.
industry award was made 42 years
ago to Louis Van Roechoudt of
Okanagan Centre, who won the first
Compact Orchard Award for being a
pioneer in planting to higher density
apples.
Fruit Growers’ Association
At November’s 40th annual B.C.
Horticulture Forum, the Golden
JUDIE STEEVES
Apple Award was presented to his
Golden Apple Award winner Marc Van Roechoudt, left, with daughter
son, Marc Van Roechoudt, who is
Madeleine and orchard manager Raymond Fisher.
now passing on the reins to his
daughter, Madeleine.
most of the soft fruits just months
later with a heavy freeze in January of
closer together than the traditional
exhibit excellent orchard
All applicants for awards must
1950.
large trees.
management, fruit quality and yield,
eventually others came around,”
“People thought he was crazy, but
explained agriculture ministry fruit
wide variety of apples and soft fruits
However, he persevered, growing a
specialist Jim Campbell, organizer of
for many years before focusing on the
commented Van Roechoudt.
the competition and one of the three
planting of dwarf apple trees, planted didn’t even have a tractor and used a
At the beginning, he says, the family
judges. The other two are Cheryl
Hampson from the Pacific Agri-food
Research Centre and Charlotte
Leaming, a field services staff
member with the Okanagan Tree
Y
Fruit Company.
A
ou mak
sk for the best equipmentsk for the b
e the best cider
est equipment
recommended by field staff, but the
Campbell said some are
competition is open to any growers
who wish to apply for an award.
award, he commented how glad he
As Van Roechoudt accepted the
Introducing our new fruit press
was to have his daughter take his
Single belt press
place and carry on the tradition at
PFC 200 : 400 to 500 L/ hour
Dorenberg Orchards, a 60-acre farm
PFC 500 : 800 to 1000 L/ hour
where they’ve now specialized in
PFC 1000 : 1800 to 2000 L/ hour
Conveyors, crushers and washing systems options
growing just three varieties, Sunrise,
Royal Gala and Ambrosia.
Other Equipment
Stainless steel tanks of all sizes
Pumps and more
changes he has seen in the industry
He looked back on some of the
and recalled when his father first
bought the orchard in 1949, things
Get a quote online now at www.raynoxinc.com
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British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Winter 2009-10
13
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