1 of 4
Billy and Shawna Boerboom 1st place Jonagold
Billy and Shawna Boerboom 1st place Jonagold
Growers from Summerland, BC. They have both an onsite packing house, as well as a fruit market called The Apple Barn.
The Boerbooms grow apples, pears, and cheries on 13 acres of land and market the fruit to local customers in the Summerland area.
2 of 4
Julie Sardinha 3rd Place Gala
Julie Sardinha 3rd Place Gala
Julie Sardinha of Sardinha Orchards in Summerland, BC and has been involved with farming since 1981. After taking over the family orchard from her inlaws in 1998, Julie and her late husband Joe Sardinha began a massive replant of their orchard, utilizing new techniques and new apple varieties.
3 of 4
Peter Simonsen 1st place Golden Delicious
Peter Simonsen 1st place Golden Delicious
Peter Simonsen is a grower from Naramata, BC who farms several organic orchards located in both Trout Creek and Penticton. Peter also sits on the board of directors for Summerland Varieties Corporation in which he participates and helps in many ongoing projects.
Peter grows the apple varieties Spartan, Gala, Ambrosia, Jonagold.
4 of 4
Steve Brown 2nd Place Gala
Steve Brown 2nd place Gala
Steve Brown has been growing fruit with his father Bob Brown on the family farm, Happy Valley Harvest, for over 12 years in Summerland, BC. Steve recently worked for the BC Tree Fruits Coop program as a Field Service representative, where he was able to give growers a down to earth perspective on growing.
BC apples captured the top spots in the Ambrosia, Golden Delicious, Aurora Golden Gala, and Heaviest Apple categories at this year’s National Apple Competition at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF) in Toronto, Ontario.
The agriculture fair is held in the heart of the largest urban centre in Canada. “BC apples did great again this year in the national apple competition, a fitting tribute and a finale to the BC Fruit Growers’ Association celebration of its 125th year,” said Fred Steele, President of the BCFGA.
Commercial Varieties
Class Gala
2nd - Steve Brown, Happy Valley Harvest, Summerland
3rd - Julie Sardinha, Sardinha Orchards, Summerland
Class Johnagold
1st - Billy and Shauna Boerboom, Windmill Orchards, Summerland
Class Golden Delicious
1st - Peter Simonsen Northern Lights Orchard, Naramata (certified organic)
Class Champion and Reserve
Grand Champion
Patrick Behan, Moore Orchards, Cobourg, Ontario (Courtland)
Reserve Champion
Stephanie Levaseur, Coeur De La Pomme Senc, Frelichsburg, Quebec (McIntosh)
Heritage Varieties
Class Other named
1st - Devin Jell, SunOka Fruit Farms, Summerland (Granny Smith)
New Varieties
Class Ambrosia
1st - Devin Jell, SunOka Fruit Farms, Summerland
2nd - David and Arlene Sloan, Matheson Creek Farms, Okanagan Falls
Class Aurora Golden Gala
1st - Keith Johnstone, Naramata
2nd - Jack Machial, Machial Enterprises, Oliver
3rd - Tom Ouchi, Ringoen Orchards, Vernon
Class Other named
1st - David and Arlene Sloan, Matheson Creek Farms, Okanagan Falls (Pinova)
3rd - Devin Jell, SunOka Fruit Farms, Summerland (Pink Lady)
Class Champion and Reserve
Reserve
Keith Johnstone, Naramata (Aurora Golden Gala)
Best Collection of 5 Varieties
2nd - Devin Jell, SunOka Fruit Farms, Summerland
(Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, Aurora Golden Gala, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady)
Heaviest Apple
1st - Devin Jell, SunOka Fruit Farms, Summerland
The BC Fruit Growers’ Association represents 550 commercial growers in BC, with a mandate “to foster a business environment for the long term prosperity of BC tree fruit growers”.
To view more winners:
www.royalfair.org/sites/default/files/820%20Apples%20Combined.pdf
Read about the participants below:
Billy and Shauna Boerboom
Billy and Shauna Boerboom are growers from Summerland, BC. They have both an onsite packing house, as well as a fruit market called The Apple Barn. The Boerbooms grow apples, pears, and cheries on 13 acres of land and market the fruit to local customers in the Summerland area.
Devin Jell
Devin Jell of SunOka Fruit Farms in Summerland, BC has been farming his 26 acre, high density apple orchard for 7 years. His family has been growing in the Summerland area for over 120 years and has been competing in treefruit related competitions for a century. Devin grows Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, Aurora Golden Gala, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady.
Keith Johnstone and Sue Seddon
Keith Johnstone and Sue Seddon of Sedjoh Orchards are tree fruit growers in Naramata, BC. They have been farming their orchard for almost 30 years and are also members of the Born in BC program; through which they market the majority of their apples, as well as selling at the Penticton Farmers Market on weekends during the fall.
Steve Brown
Steve Brown has been growing fruit with his father Bob Brown on the family farm, Happy Valley Harvest, for over 12 years in Summerland, BC. Steve recently worked for the BC Tree Fruits Coop program as a Field Service representative, where he was able to give growers a down to earth perspective on growing.
Jack Machial
Jack Machial and his family have been growing treefruits in Oliver, BC for over 30 years. Along with his wife and family, Jack grows many apple varieties including Gala, Ambrosia, Early and Late Fuji, Golden Delicious, Sunrise, and Honeycrisp. Jack looks forward to entering the contest again this year to see how his fruit performs on the national stage against a strong competition.
Tom Ouchi
Tom Ouchi of Ringoen Orchards in Vernon, BC has been farming in the Bellevista area since 1992. He took over orcharding from his father who had started the farm in the 1950’s. Tom grows the Ambrosia, Aurora Golden Gala, Macintosh, Spartan and Gala apple varieties. He also has his own onsite vegetable and market garden from which he sells much of his produce to local customers.
Peter Simonsen
Peter Simonsen is a grower from Naramata, BC who farms several organic orchards located in both Trout Creek and Penticton. Peter also sits on the board of directors for Summerland Varieties Corporation in which he participates and helps in many ongoing projects. Peter grows the apple varieties Spartan, Gala, Ambrosia, Jonagold.
Dave and Arlene Sloan
Dave and Arlene Sloan of Matheson Creek Farms are third generation farmers who
have been growing treefruits in the eastside road area of Penticton, BC since 1978. The Sloans maintain and operate their own onsite fruit stand; from which they sell a huge majority of their apples, as well as vegetable crops to local buyers. They strongly support new apple varieties and innovative techniques, and currently grow 15 different kinds of apples.
Julie Sardinha
Julie Sardinha of Sardinha Orchards in Summerland, BC has been involved with farming since 1981. After taking over the family orchard from her inlaws in 1998,
Julie and her late husband Joe Sardinha began a massive replant of their orchard, utilizing new techniques and new apple varieties.