Valley apple growers recognized at Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

KELOWNA – Okanagan apple growers were honoured at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.

Similkameen growers Robert and Jane Mennel of Cawston received the Canadian Horticultural Council Trophy for Grand Champion of new varieties with their Ambrosia entry, while Tom Davison of Davison Orchards in Vernon took Reserve Champion for their Aurora Golden Gala entry in the New Varieties category, according to the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association.

The Mennels have been farming in Cawston since 1973. They were the first commercial orchard in the valley to plant Ambrosia apples and also grow Gala, Spartans and Honeycrisp apples organically. The Davison family has been farming their Vernon operation since 1933. The business is famous locally for fruit and pies as well as their agri-tourism business.

B.C. apples also placed in the top of the commercial categories of Red Delicious, Gala, and Golden with Vernon-based entries from Bruno Gutknecht and Tom Davison.

Gutknecht purchased his Vernon orchard from his father in 1965 and has since planted the farm over to newer varieties. He and his son grow Ambrosia, Gala, Spartans, Macs and Red Delicious. This was their first entry into the Royal Winter Fair.

Third and fourth place finish for the most unusually shaped apple went to Billy and Shauna Boerboom of Summerland’s Apple Barn. The Apple Barn’s varieties also placed in several other categories. Boerboom’s Summerland farm is a popular place for consumers to purchase apples at the farm gate.

"The National Apple Competition raises awareness of the many great varieties and the outstanding growers. The show is a fun event demonstrating the team approach that we have in the Canadian Apple Industry,” BC Fruit Growers’ Association General Manager Glen Lucas said in a media release.


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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