Up
Coming Events
From Farm to Forest:
Capture the flavour of the Creston Valley all summer
long with local produce found at one of the many fruit and vegetable
stands along Highway 3 East or Erickson Street. Historically,
Creston has been famous for it's Spartan apples. Now the Lapin
and Sweetheart cherries from the Creston Valley are being shipped
worldwide. With tree fruit production second only to the Okanagan,
many of the local farmers will have signs luring you up their
driveways to try some freshly picked cherries, peaches, apples
or pears. To find out more about the orchards, take an orchard
tour at one of the many fruit and vegetable markets al
ong
Highway 3 East. If you are feeling especially ambitious, there
are many more locations where you can pick your own fruit or vegetables.
The Creston Flats have some of the best soils in
Canada and a climate to match. The wide open valley has a prairie
atmosphere with grain farms, beef and dairy operations, the province's
largest seed potato farm, and western Canada's largest ostrich
ranch. With the mild climate, two crops of hay and sometimes three
in a growing season are not uncommon. Many farmers enjoy raising
pleasure horses, llamas, goats, and sheep. A number of organic
market gardens are also sprouting up in the valley. The news is
they are barely able to keep up with demand! Check the list of
reopening dates on page 19, so you don't miss your chance at the
freshest of your favorite vegetables and fruits.
Spring finds the many nurseries and greenhouses
humming with activity as residents and visitors buy their annual
seeds and search for that special perennial or shrub to add to
their garden. Many of the residents have retired here from colder
climates and are delighted to find themselves able to grow peach
trees, rhododendrons, and magnolias.
Creston celebrates its agricultural heritage with
a number of events. The Blossom Festival over the May long weekend
celebrates the blooming of the fruit trees. The Garden Festival
in July is a chance for gardeners to share their gardens and knowledge.
The annual Fall Fair showcases the harvests of the valley, and
the season wraps up with the Harvest Ball in the fall when the
crops are in and the farming community marks another bloomin'
year.
Writen By: Chamber of Commerce
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