Stories

The Art of Wine

‘Wine is narrative‘ is the slogan for Michael Bartier and David Scholefield’s Bartier Scholefield (BS) wine. The truth of that statement is keenly felt in the Okanagan, where local pub and coffee house conversations often revolve around stories of wine and vines, with banter about the best methods for pruning, dealing with pests, when to pick, when to crush and so on. This lively repartee is usually accompanied by good natured ribbing from one winemaker to the other for the way they do things. Read more…

Vintage and Vogue

A short but sweet era

For those lucky enough to have been at the December 1st, Art Deco Bash at the SS Sicamous, it was a last opportunity to experience a production put on by Penticton’s Vintage and Vogue. Read more…

Feature - Accent Chocolates in Penticton, BC

Accent on the Chocolates

“Magnificent”

Eva and Les are a couple of characters. They are also chocolatiers and the owners of Accent Café and Chocolates in Penticton, where one bite of a truffle will turn you into a hardcore addict.

True Grain Bread

True to old world principles

Fresh – Local – Handcrafted – Organic

It is fitting that when the Cake Box Bakery owners decided to sell, a new bakery stepped in to take over.

In any community the world over, the bakery is the heart of the town and if you are in Summerland and are an early riser passing by, you will want to stop for a moment to enjoy the smells of fresh baked goods coming from True Grain Bread. It is an experience that is warm and comforting and appeals to all of us through time eternal.

Salish apple - new to high-end retailers

The Salish Apple – Born in BC

Raised in the Okanagan

The Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre (PARC) sitting high on the hillside above Summerland’s Trout Creek, is a high-level security facility for research and development of various fruit varieties.

PARC is owned by the federal government and has a long and interesting history with its labs and kitchens having played an instrumental part in the success of a number of fruit-based businesses such as Summerland Sweets and the Kettle Valley Dried Fruit Company.

Denise and Richard MacDonald - Aurora Golden Gala orchardists

Just Livin’ the Dream

Ei-Ei-O

Denise and Richard MacDonald’s property overlooks Giant’s Head Mountain and Paradise Flats.

They are one of about 25 Aurora Golden Gala growers in the Summerland area, and produce 200,000 pounds of apples a year made up of five varieties; Jonagold, Aurora Golden Gala, Gala, Spartan and Ambrosia.

The Summerland Heritage Cider Company

Fallen Apples and the Seeds of Discontent

It all started with the leftover apples. Summerland farmer Tom Kinvig didn’t like wasting them but they were the lower grade apples from the annual harvest and there wasn’t much use for them. Until one afternoon, when Kinvig came up with the idea of turning them into apple cider.

Summerland Fall Fair - commemorative quilt celebrating 100 years in 2009

The Summerland Fall Fair

A Community Affair

The annual Summerland Fall Fair, now in its 103rd year, celebrates the harvest, as wreaths of red and gold and straw-stuffed scarecrows welcome fair-goers at the entrance to the Summerland arena.

Jeremy Guard testing HP2 bike in Summerland BC

Heading out

A motorbike trip around the world

It’s 4:00 a.m. and JG’s watching a video he shot the previous fall of riding through Waterton National Park. The Who’s Eminence Front is playing on his iPhone and he doesn’t hear me come into the room but I can see it’s been another sleepless night.

An awesome shredding

August 2012 Giant’s Head freeride event

8:00 a.m. Saturday morning, at the Beanery Café on Main Street and the clack-clack sound on the pavement heralds the start of the annual Giant’s Head freeride event.

Each year, since 2008, longboarders head up to Summerland for the August long weekend where according to Wikiskate, the Ride the Giant Freeride “promises to be the most intense weekend of riding with participants having the privilege of riding this very special mountain.”