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Salt Spring Apple Festival 2

Go to Slide Show Smaller Images This time with Kids


Helen and I went to Salt Spring Island to see the Apple Festival in 2007 and I proposed!  14 years and 2 kids later we decided to see the Market on Salt Spring as a day trip from Victoria and I got the idea - we should make a family weekend out of it and see the Apple festival again!  This the 21st year of the Apple Festival, but because of COVID it was canceled last year.  The Apple Festival was setup for Sunday but we decided to come over Friday night and visit for the whole weekend.

There aren't a lot of ferries from Vancouver to the Gulf Islands so you need to make a reservation well in advance.  We booked the 7:20 ferry on Friday night.  It arrived about 20 minutes late and we left about an hour late because a customer was abusive to staff and had to be backed off the ferry.  We had one stop at Pender Island before we got to Salt Spring, but 10 minutes after leaving Pender Island we turned around to drop off one more car that was forgotten.  We arrived at Salt Spring at 11pm, nearly 2 hours late.  Thankfully our AirBB was easy to find and the door was open!

Salt Spring Farmers Market

The Saturday Market in Ganges is a no brainer.  It's nice to arrive right at 9am before it gets busy and have first look at things.  The bread stand still had a decent stock (it sells out quickly) and we had our pick of scones. 

Nara Looking At Pottery
Helen spent some time looking at pottery (we bought two bowls) and the kids spoke at length with a few different artists.

Market Getting Started In Morning
The August Market had more farm produce, but there was still plenty of food to pick from.

Claira Has Loaf Of BreadFennelPine Mushrooms

Remaining Baked Goods
Salt Spring has at least three major bakeries - Embe Bakery in Ganges, Salt Spring Island Bakery on the south Island, open on Fridays only and Francis Bakery, just North of Ganges, available by pre-order, Saturdays only.  Helen placed a pre-order so we dropped by after the market.

  Francis Bakery Picking Up Preorder
 
  Mushroom

Ruckle Park

Picnic Tables At Ruckle Park
Claira was feeling tired from our late arrival the night before so she wanted a place she could sit in the car and read her book.  We decided to go Ruckle Park on the South Island where Nara and I could go for a walk and Helen and Claira could have a rest.
 
Pacific Crab Apple
 
Nara had a sprained ankle from fffa few weeks before (she rolled her ankle walking around Van Dusen Gardens) so we couldn't go far into the park.  We had visions of Arbutus trees hanging over beaches from a painter in the Farmers Market but in our brief walk we were unable to find the right view. 

Pitted SandstoneArbutus With View
On the walk back to the car we spotted a Brown Creeper slowing making it's way up a tree.  Because of the hill we were on, the Creeper was at least close to eye level so we tried our hand at photographing this hard to spot bird.

Brown Creeper

The kids don't forget an ice cream spot so we stopped in at Salt Spring Cheese Company on the way back to central island.  We arrived just before they closed so the crowds were small.

Salt Spring Island CheeseIce Cream

Fernwood Dock Morning Walk

One of the advantages of the fall is that sunrise isn't at some painfully early hour of the morning.  I rolled out of bed at 6:30 and drove the roughly 20 minutes to the Dock for a short walk around.  In my mind, the Fernwood Dock is iconic to Salt Spring - most "my trip to SS" blogs include a photo and I have never taken a photo of it.

Dock With Sunrise SkyFernwood DockCloudy Sky Looking South

It was low tide when I arrived so there were birds visible from the dock and some tide pools on the beach.  I think this destination might worth more time on a warm summer day.

Oyster Catchers On BeachAggregating Anemone Different Sizes

Apple Festival

Fulford Community Hall
Today is Apple Festival Day!  The Apple Festival has a website but there are very few details about this years Apple Festival.  When you arrive and pay for your admission sticker they give you a brochure full of details that helps you plan out your day.  There was a small market next to the community hall, but the hall itself didn't have the huge display of Apples it has had on previous years.


Our first destination was Apple Luscious Organic Orchard .  I have visited this farm in the past - it's a battleground between Blackberries and Apple trees.  The grow trees for purchase but also sold a wide variety of baking and eat apples.
 
 Entrance To Apple Luscious OrchardApples To BuyApples On Tree

Bright Fall Dahalia
Our second destination was Pipe Rabbit Farm a new farm to me.  Unlike the warren of narrow trails at Apple Luscious, this farm has acres of grass and a very tidy farm area.  We arrived by 11am but they were already sold out of most of their products.

Destressed White Barn Door

Another repeat from previous year is the Beddis Castle.  This beautiful home has gardens all around including an apple Orchard across the street.  The streets near the castle were packed full of car making parking a challenge.

Beddis CastleCovered Walkway In GardenKids On Circular Bench

Reflecting PondSkull Collection

Apple On Tree Trunk
We found an empty picnic table in the orchard and had our lunch of found and brought items.  It was a beautful sunny day to enjoy eating outside.

Lunch At Park




Apple Tree At Indolent PoultryKids Found Mushroom Ring
Our next stop was Indolent Poultry - a retirement home in the far South of the Island.  The apple trees here are more recently planted but use an interesting raised bed approach and sometime quite extreme pruning.


Our last stop of the day was Salt Spring Apple Company.  Even when we drove to the Hall in the morning to get our tickets, the road near the farm was parked up.  This company is by far the most commercial of our destination - they are harvesting apples in quantity and making cider and other premium food from them.  They had a huge apple display showing all of their varieties and had hundreds of trees available for sale.  I was very impressed.

Apple Display At Salt Spring Apple CompanyApples In Farm Box
 

Roadside Farm Stands

String Of Onions For Sale
While you drive around the island you see all sorts of farm stands at the side of the road.  Some are large enough to be super markets but many have only a handful of specialized products.  As a photographer, it can be hard to get started - you probably have somewhere you want to get to and you have already passed one so you will never have photos of them all.  Ambledale Farms farm stand broke me - it was so beautiful with such a great variety we had to stop and I started to take photos.

Ambledale Farms Farm Stand

As an engineer, I like specialization.  Near Pipe Rabbit Farm, we found a farm stand that just sold basketry willow.  When I think of living in an Island, I think of things I might miss - restaurants that close at 11pm or large art supply stores.  When you see a farm stand like this, it reminds you at things you can gain on a small island - art supplies you will never find in the city.

Willow Basket Farm StandWillow For Sale

Mavericks Farm Stand

Another really cool farm stand was Mavericks Frozen Treats.  Their stand was a freezer and a place to put money.  They got our money today.


 We had a ferry reservation at 7pm, but had to be at the terminal by about 6pm to be sure to get on the boat.  Many restaurants on Salt Spring close by 5pm (except for the high end restaurants) so we had to have a plan.  We decided to try out Al's Gourmet Falafel and Fries in Ganges.  Outdoor seating, real food with vegetables - we were happy we got there before it closed at 5pm.

Als Gourmet Falafel And FriesFood Porn Shot


After a leisurely meal, we headed over to the Ferry terminal.

Broad Leaved Stonecrop On Rocks
The ferry terminal had some beach access and we had some wait.  Down on the rocks I spotted stonecrop fighting to hang on.  Stonecrop are one of my favorites families so it was hard for me to resist taking a few photos.

Broad Leaved Stonecrop Gone To Seed


Willow For Sale
Altitude: 47m (154 feet)
Location: Go To...
Bright Fall Dahalia
Altitude: 50m (164 feet)
Location: Go To...
Market Getting Started In Morning
Altitude: 7m (22 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: market, Salt Spring Island
Ice Cream
Person: Claira, Nara
Altitude: 79m (259 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: ice cream, Salt Spring Island
Oyster Catchers On Beach
Species: Haematopus bachmani (Black Oystercatcher)
Altitude: 3m (9 feet)
Location: Go To...
Fennel
Altitude: 4m (13 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: market, produce, Salt Spring Island
Skull Collection
Altitude: 6m (19 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: bone
Covered Walkway In Garden
Altitude: 19m (62 feet)
Location: Go To...
Pacific Crab Apple
Species: Malus fusca (Pacific Crab Apple)
Altitude: 5m (16 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: apple, Salt Spring Island
Apple Display At Salt Spring Apple Company
Altitude: 119m (390 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: apple, Salt Spring Island
Willow Basket Farm Stand
Altitude: 47m (154 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: farm, Salt Spring Island, stand
Broad Leaved Stonecrop On Rocks
Species: Sedum spathulifolium (Broadleaf Stonecrop)
Altitude: 9m (29 feet)
Location: Go To...
Apples On Tree
Altitude: 41m (134 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: apple, Salt Spring Island, tree
Kids On Circular Bench
Altitude: 6m (19 feet)
Location: Go To...
Claira Has Loaf Of Bread
Altitude: 7m (22 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: bread, market, Salt Spring Island
Fernwood Dock
Altitude: 23m (75 feet)
Location: Go To...
Pine Mushrooms
Altitude: 7m (22 feet)
Location: Go To...
Aggregating Anemone Different Sizes
Altitude: 2m (6 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Salt Spring Island, tide pool
Apple Tree At Indolent Poultry
Altitude: 38m (124 feet)
Location: Go To...
Broad Leaved Stonecrop Gone To Seed
Species: Sedum spathulifolium (Broadleaf Stonecrop)
Altitude: 10m (32 feet)
Location: Go To...
Nara Looking At Pottery
Altitude: 6m (19 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: market, pottery, Salt Spring Island
Apple On Tree Trunk
Altitude: 1m (3 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: apple, Salt Spring Island
Salt Spring Island Cheese
Altitude: 80m (262 feet)
Location: Go To...
Lunch At Park
Altitude: 5m (16 feet)
Location: Go To...
String Of Onions For Sale
Altitude: 62m (203 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: produce, Salt Spring Island
Brown Creeper
Species: Certhia americana (Brown Creeper)
Tags: bird, Salt Spring Island
Pitted Sandstone
Altitude: 1m (3 feet)
Location: Go To...
Kids Found Mushroom Ring
Altitude: 35m (114 feet)
Location: Go To...
Food Porn Shot
Altitude: 6m (19 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: food porn, Salt Spring Island
Entrance To Apple Luscious Orchard
Altitude: 48m (157 feet)
Location: Go To...
Cloudy Sky Looking South
Altitude: 2m (6 feet)
Location: Go To...
Reflecting Pond
Altitude: 6m (19 feet)
Location: Go To...
Mavericks Farm Stand
Altitude: 78m (255 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: farm, Salt Spring Island, stand
Ambledale Farms Farm Stand
Altitude: 55m (180 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: farm, Salt Spring Island, stand
Apples In Farm Box
Altitude: 110m (360 feet)
Location: Go To...
Beddis Castle
Altitude: 6m (19 feet)
Location: Go To...
Arbutus With View
Altitude: 2m (6 feet)
Location: Go To...
Picnic Tables At Ruckle Park
Altitude: 12m (39 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: picnic table, Salt Spring Island
Remaining Baked Goods
Altitude: 20m (65 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: bread
Francis Bakery Picking Up Preorder
Altitude: 20m (65 feet)
Location: Go To...
Dock With Sunrise Sky
Altitude: 2m (6 feet)
Location: Go To...
Mushroom
Altitude: 24m (78 feet)
Location: Go To...
Fulford Community Hall
Altitude: 13m (42 feet)
Location: Go To...
Als Gourmet Falafel And Fries
Altitude: 12m (39 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: food truck, Salt Spring Island
Destressed White Barn Door
Altitude: 50m (164 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: barn, door, Salt Spring Island
Apples To Buy
Altitude: 45m (147 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Salt Spring Island(19), market(4), apple(4), farm(3), stand(3), produce(2)
People: Claira(1), Nara(1)
From: John Harvey Photo > John's Overnight Page > Salt Spring Apple Festival 2
From: John Harvey Photo > Blogs for 2024 to 2005 > Salt Spring Apple Festival 2

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Last Modified Sunday, January 22nd, 2023 at 00:11:08 Edit
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