APPLES:
"An Apple a Day Keeps
the Doctor Away!"
** Images Courtesy of www.bctreefruit.com
British Columbia is one of Canada`s apple-producing
provinces. The majority of the apples produced in British Columbia are
produced in the Okanagan and Similkameen
Valleys, although there are some apple orchards in the Fraser Valley
near Abbotsford. In 2002, approximately 300,000,000 pounds of
apples were produced in British
Columbia, more than for any other fruit or vegetable.
The main apples produced in the Okanagan Valley are
the golden delicious and red delicious apples. These apples grow
well under the dry, hot summers of the
Okanagan Valley, though some irrigation is needed during the drier
years. They are more cold-hardy than some other apples and thus,
can
deal with the subzero winter
temperatures of the Okanagan.
Some good websites for apple information:
1) Ministry of Agriculture
(British Columbia): www.agf.gov.bc.ca/treefrt
and www.agf.gov.bc.ca/aboutind/products/plant
This site provides a large range of information on apple diseases,
growing conditions, and a large number of statistics on apples.
2) BC Tree Fruits: www.bctree.com/fruits
This website provides information about the types of apples grown in
British Columbia and their characteristics.
Some good books for apple information:
1) The
Harrowsmith Book of Fruit Trees by Jennifer Bennett, 1991.
Camden House Publishing. Willowdale, Ontario.
This book provides information about the different types of fruit trees
in North America, their climatic requirements, and tips for growing the
fruits.
2) UBC Guide to Gardening in British
Columbia. Published by the Botanical Gardening Faculty of
UBC, 1991.
This book provides detailed information on the soils, climates etc..
that are best for growing different crops in British Columbia.
Wine
Grapes:
This image courtesy of
www.bctreetruit.com
"It'll Get You Drunk!" (Quoted from Samuel L.Jackson on
The Chapelle Show)
British Columbia's Okanagan Valley might not yet be
mentioned in the same breath as California's Napa Valley or France's
Champagne region by wine
connaisseurs, but it is quickly becoming a renowned wine-growing
region. The dry, hot climate of the Okanogan Valley is conducive
to the growing of
the white wine varieties Auxerrois, Bacchus, Chardonnay, Chasselas,
Ehrenfelser, Gewurtztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Blanc and the red wine
varieties
Cabarnet Sauvignon, Chancellor, Marechal Foch, Melot, and Pinot Rouge.
In 2002, over 30,000,000 pounds of wine grapes were
produced in British Columbia. The vineyards in the Okanagan
valley then processed these wine
grapes into the wine that you can buy at your local BC Liquor store or
cold beer and wine store. The wine industry in the Okanagan
valley has expanded into
the tourism industry, with wineries from Vernon to Osoyoos giving tours
of their facilities!
Some good websites:
1) Ministry of Agriculture:
www.agf.gov.bc.ca/aboutind/products/plant
This website contains information of a general nature on wine growing
in British Columbia. Other parts of the Ministry of Agriculture
site include detailed statistics on wine
growing and wine-growing reports in .pdf format.
2) BC Travel Okanagan
Website:
www.bctravelokanogan.com/okanagan
This website contains information on things to do in the Okanagan
Valley, including wine grapes touring.
3) BC Wineries Website:
www.bctravel.com/wineries
This website contains links to many of the wineries of British Columbia
and information about the wine-growing industry in British Columbia in
general.
Some good books:
1) General Viticulture
by A.J. Winkler, James W. Cook, L.M. Kilewer, and Lloyd A. Lider.
Published by the University of California, Los Angeles, 1974.
Contains general information on the climates and conditions conducive
to wine growing. Also contains information about the harvesting of wine
grapes etc...
2) From Vines to Wines: The
Complete Guide to Growing Grapes and Making Your Own Wine
by Jeff Cox.
Published by Transcontinental Press, Canada, 1999.
This book contains information on the climatic and other conditions
necessary to grow wine grapes. It also contains information on
the various steps of the
wine-making process.
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