A festival dedicated to apples... Every foodie's dream come true!
Salt Spring island holds this amazing event every year. It's goal is not only to show off the island's beautiful bounty of apples, but to educate people on the variety of fruit that one small land mass can produce. There are more than 350 different varieties of apples grown here!!! That's a huge portion out of all the types of apples in the world! The reason why they have so many apple trees is because the island has an important history of growing them. Salt Spring was actually the main producer for BC, before the heat of the Okanagan was discovered.
So to get to the apple festival we didn't take the ferry. My dad and I bobbed our way up ourselves, on our sailboat; Grace. Saturday we motored from Oak bay harbour to Sidney spit. Early the next morning we were on our way up the strait. This year's theme for the festival was 'to let the kid in you escape'. Traveling to an island on our family boat definitely let the kid in me escape!
Exicited and overly happy to be there, we quickly caught a ride to the Fulford hall, where all the apples had been gathered. It was a sight! Every type of apple grown on the island that year was displayed on a circling table. Hundreds of red ones, small ones, pink ones, sour ones all with their name tag and a bit about themselves.
Exicited and overly happy to be there, we quickly caught a ride to the Fulford hall, where all the apples had been gathered. It was a sight! Every type of apple grown on the island that year was displayed on a circling table. Hundreds of red ones, small ones, pink ones, sour ones all with their name tag and a bit about themselves.
As we walked around the tables (me in giggle and awe) my dad told me "In your orchard project at your school, Eden, you could have plaques in the ground with the name of fruit tree, when to harvest it, how to use it and the people that it's history is connected to!". It was his 'AHA!' moment when he realized what this orchard project I had been talking about for so long really meant. And the awesome opportunity it was for us to be there, surrounded in people and apples to talk to taste, to learn more about orchardeering and best of all-get inspired. This trip wasn't just about coming to the island to be an apple connoisseur, but to learn how to grow more fruit that everyone can enjoy for free!
My proposal is to plant fruit trees in a small field beside the garden at my school. Unused and empty the space stays, just waiting for food bearing trees to call it home. It would be an orchard open to the public, so that people walking through from fernwood square would be able to stop and pick some fruit for their family or simply sit and enjoy the beauty and life that comes with an orchard. In September/October the staff and students would be able to enjoy the bounty too. At this stage, it is only an idea, no plans have been made on paper or official people involved, but by going to the apple festival we got to talk to people that want to help.
I don't know what I'de do without my community or my family. There always seems to be people that want to help. And share in their love for what they do. I am so appreciative of all the people that helped in the making of this festival. Including my dad for building a boat to bring me to this festival and giving continuous support.
Thank You Everyone
(and all the apples)
(and all the apples)