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Photo courtesy of Davison Orchards
The Davison family.
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Photos courtesy of Davison Orchards
Apple Juice Products
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Photo courtesy of Davison Orchards
Nickie Killback, Davison Orchards
Nickie Killback at the apple tasting bar.
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Photos courtesy of Davison Orchards
Apples on display
Third generation farmers, Tamra and Tom Davison of Davison Orchards near Vernon had a decision to make 30 years ago. They recognised the way they were running their farm was not sustainable and it was doubtful it could be passed along to future generations. There was simply no money in it.
“Back in the day, my dad and I were winning awards for our apples, but we weren’t making any money,” said Tom Davison. “I told him we had to do something radically different. We changed our marketing plan to respond to the wants of our customers. Because of this we now have three of our kids and two of their spouses working here full time. The great thing about having young people involved in your business is it energizes it. You are going to miss a lot of things if you don’t have the younger generation working with you.”
Davison Orchards is now one of the must see stops for locals and tourists alike. Everything they grow is used on site. Fresh fruits, vegetables, pies, tarts, jams, butters, and juices are all made or grown right here.
“We collected a survey from our customers last year, and from that survey we came up with the some changes,” explained Shane Landreville, the marketing and events coordinator for Davison Orchard. “We changed the farm tours to make them more engaging and fun for all ages. Now our Johnny Popper train makes various stops throughout the orchards. Each week, depending on the season, we bring kids and adults into the orchard and show them the different flowers and describe how fruit changes from a flower to a full-grown fruit.”
At the moment, Davison Orchards has numerous fruits and vegetables grown on site, including 25 varieties of apples. The logic behind it is pure marketing genius. “In September/October we may have 10 - 12 varieties ripening at one time,” explained Davison. “We set up a tasting bar with all the ripe apples for everyone to try. This way they can compare and find the apples they really love. Our guests enjoy learning which apples are best for baking and which are great to juice and which taste the best straight off the tree. Our customers have become connoisseurs,” he laughs. “Instead of being wine snobs they are now apple snobs.”
Twenty-five varieties is a lot for a small farm, but they make it work. “By having that many varieties of apples, we have something different than what you’ll find in a grocery store,” he said. “In the stores it’s not always about flavour. Many times apples are chosen to sell in stores because they are long range shipping varieties. We focus on flavour for everything we grow – from cantaloupe to tree fruits. It’s one of the ways we stand out. Everything is tree ripened and has tons of flavour.”
Of the 25 varieties, Davison has an acre and a half planted in Arlet from Switzerland, (around since 1958), and Mutsu, from Japan, (around since 1930). “They both have unique characteristics,” he said. “Mutsu is large with great flavour and makes the best applesauce ever. I love applesauce and I can tell when my wife is making it with Mutsu just by the aroma. Arlet is a long storage apple with great flavour and it’s fantastic in our juice. We blend six or seven varieties together. Having a lot of different varieties works well because every season the fruit is a little different. We hear so many comments from people when they taste our juice. For most, it takes them back to a slower, less hectic time in their lives.”
Last year Davison Orchards planted 20,000 new apple trees. They currently have 15,000 in a nursery, which will double their farm to 60 acres of apples. It’s in these orchards that visitors can ride the Johnny Popper Train and learn a little more about agriculture. For some, the visit to Davison’s is about the old John Deere tractors that pull the Johnny Popper train. “We get quite a few older farmers from the prairies who just stand and listen to the engine of the tractor. That old 2-cylinder John Deere poppin’ away brings back memories. I’ve even seen some tear up after awhile of listening.”
Davison and his family know that their farm is a business and it has to work financially; however, it’s some of the smaller rewards that truly make what they are doing worthwhile. “When you see a dad and his daughter playing checkers out front it brings a smile to your face,” said Davison. “The entire area, even though it is sloped, has been made stroller and wheelchair friendly. Anytime you see family come together and slow down, when they reconnect and enjoy what we’ve built, that’s a great reward.”
Davison Orchards has achieved what many farmers want. They’ve created a business they can hand down to all the generations to come.
