Harvest Experiences in the Thompson Okanagan
Fall is just around the corner and as the days get shorter and the leaves start to change, many in the Thompson Okanagan are serving up a taste of harvest this year.
Check out some events, farms, and businesses that are serving autumn flavours, farm-fresh produce, and pumpkin spice goodies.
Photo by Destination BC/Tanya Goehring
Blackwell Dairy Farm
Blackwell Dairy is located in Kamloops, BC. Their fresh milk products can be found in specialty grocers around the region. Along with their “famous chocolate milk,” Blackwell Dairy offers seasonal flavoured eggnog, and this autumn you can enjoy their pumpkin spice eggnog.
McMillan Farms
McMillan Farms is located in Kelowna, BC, and their farm is the perfect place to celebrate the arrival of fall. With a stroll through their corn maze, their selection of pumpkins, corn, apples, and squash, and a ride through the farm on the back of a tractor, you will be in the fall mood in no time. Along with their homemade pies, breads, and soups, try their fresh, locally sourced apple juice, made with love and apples grown right in Kelowna.
Photo by Jordan McGrath/Tourism Vernon
Photo by Jordan McGrath/Tourism Vernon
Davison Orchards
August to October is prime time for apple harvests, with 15 different types of apples available, Davison Orchards is your stop for fresh produce. Every Wednesday to Sunday in September, visitors can enjoy u-pick apples at Davison Orchards, where they can take an orchard tour, learn from a farmer, and pick their apples right from the tree. Davison Orchards also makes fresh pressed apple juice with the apples from their farm, utilizing five different apple types in each batch, offering a taste of what Vernon has to offer.
Farming Karma Fruit Co.
Farming Karma Fruit Co. is a family-run agri-tourism facility located in Kelowna, BC. There are lots of places to buy Karma Sodas in stores across Western Canada, but going to their tasting room in Kelowna and trying their wide array of fruit flavours is truly a farm-to-table experience. Be sure to try their flagship product - the Farming Karma Apple Soda made with a single Kelowna-grown apple per can and perfect for a warm fall day.
Photo by Destination BC/Andrew Strain
Summerland Heritage Cider Co.
Head down to Summerland, BC, for a taste of locally grown and produced cider at Summerland Heritage Cider Co. Heritage Cider uses European heritage apple varieties to make the cider that they serve to visitors today, all grown on the very property that their tasting venue - the Cider Barn - is located. Stop by for a tasting flight or a glass while enjoying the view of Trout Creek from their patio.
Summerland Fall Fair
The Summerland Fall Fair is happening September 13 & 14, 2024. On Friday September 13th, the Summerland Community Centre is hosting a Kickoff Evening with a night of dancing, live music, and local food and beverages. The Fall Fair is an annual free event that celebrates and supports the local agriculture community in Summerland. Visitors can enjoy locally sourced goodies from food vendors and stands and check out the local exhibition entries.
Photo by Summerland Chamber of Commerce
Okanagan Feast of Fields
The 14th annual Okanagan Feast of Fields will be held at Niche Wine Co. in West Kelowna on Sunday, September 15, 2024. Feast of Fields is a gourmet harvest festival that features locally produced goods from the Okanagan’s top chefs, bakers, food artisans, vintners, brewers, distillers and other beverage producers. Proceeds raised from Feast of Fields go towards strengthening BC’s sustainable food systems.
About the author
Nadia is a proud former Thompson Okanagan tourist who now lives in beautiful Kelowna, BC. She hopes to tell the stories of the region’s beauty and hidden treasures while rediscovering the destination she spent enjoying on family vacations.
