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Abundant apple harvest in N. Okanagan

Sep 11, 2019 | 6:00 AM

The Okanagan’s apple harvest has begun and farmers are happy with the abundance of varieties.

“It looks really good,” said Kevin Shaw of Davison Orchards in Vernon. “The apple quality looks really high this year and we’re right in the middle of picking.”

Apples now being picked include Royal Gala and Honeycrisp as well as the ever-popular Macintosh.

The lesser known Arlet apple is also being picked right now.

“Arlet is a fabulous apple,” said Shaw. “It’s Swiss and not too far off Gala but a little more tangy.”

Shaw said the rain and cool temperatures in July slowed down growth earlier in the season but that sun and heat in August have made the crop look good.

As far as the B.C. market goes, Shaw says things look good there as well.

“It’s a super healthy snack for families.”

He says Davison mainly sells its apples in the Okanagan and B.C. although some make it to Alberta and further east.

He’s not so certain how the U.S. market will cope this year, stating there could be some difficulty for orchardists.

“Washington State has a record crop so farmers have a lot of apples to sell and there’s uncertainty about the export market.”

Over 20 different types of apples are grown at Davison Orchards.

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