October 09, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Vernon, Farms & Markets
Find more information about Vernon - Farms & Markets
In September, I returned to my hometown to visit with family. The fall season in the Okanagan brought back one particular memory... APPLES!!! Fall meant the peak season for apples and as a kid I remember going to a family friend's orchard to collect apples that had fallen from the trees to make apple juice. The amount of labour was intense to make the juice but the rewards were sweet and we had concentrated apple juice for the rest of the year!
We no longer make homemade apple juice but I felt the need to share my childhood memories with my nephew so we decided to go to Davison Orchard to see the "apple patches" (as my nephew describes them)!
The orchard was decorated to display the seasons harvest - great orange pumpkins, a variety of apples and squiggly shaped Goose Gourds. To get a full tour of the orchard we hopped on the tractor-pulled Apple train for a "rollicking" ride! While on the tour you had the option to get dropped off to pick your own apples off the trees. The final destination of the tour was in front of the petting farm. A donkey "hee hawed" us welcome as we walked into the farm area where we also saw some bunnies, chickens, sheep and even fed some hungry goats! Then back to the main market for some apple samples and to try their caramel apple dessert for lunch!
I think we'll be back there again as it was a memorable visit for my nephew, so good in fact that you'll see his reluctance to go home in the video when we said good bye.