Salt Spring Apple Festival volunteers Sharon Williamson, left and Kate Stephenson sell one of the first tickets to the festival from the Ganges table on Sunday, Sept. 29 to Aislinn (Ace) MacCulloch visiting from Calgary. Ace ended up accompanying Driftwood photographer Rob Lowrie on the festival tour.
Driftwood photographer Rob Lowrie spent a beautiful Sunday, Sept. 29 touring the island and participating in the Salt Spring Apple Festival while taking many photographs, and with an unexpected guest to accompany him.
As he explains: “When I arrived at the Ganges ticket tent to purchase his ticket and get a photo of the two Apple Fest volunteers, there was also a young woman from Calgary present. Aislinn (Ace) MacCulloch came to the island to see the festival but didn’t realize a car was necessary, so she was patiently waiting for someone to come along who might want the unexpected company. She ended up joining me for the day and got a pretty good idea of the extent of apple growing on Salt Spring as a result. I enjoyed her company and she was an excellent navigator too.”
We hope you enjoy Rob’s virtual festival tour and that it will inspire you to get a ticket next year — or to buy some local apples and apple products this fall and winter.
With a small handful of their 465 varieties of apples are Peri Lavender and Brian Webster of Salt Spring Apple Company and Ciderworks now with 3,560 trees in the ground.Belinda and Ron Schroeder with Jim Erickson (centre) of Pipe Rabbit Farm on the south end, a popular destination at this year’s festival.Touring the beautiful grounds of Bloom Castle by-the-Sea are mother and daughter Yael Wand and Naomi Griffin.Toasting the apple festival from Whims Farm with their freshly pressed apple juice are, from left, Conrad Pilon, Mark Cleveland, Gary Bywater, Mike Larkin and Larry Appleby. Nik Skoufis and Heather Sherlock from Vancouver capture a festival moment at Fulford Hall.In their orchard, the family behind Sweetwater Distillery is, from left, Fiona Walls, Jen Walls (holding her daughter Bia Mece), David Walls and Christina Haase.Royal Roads University president Philip Steenkamp at his first apple festival since RRU became owners of the participating Bloom Castle by the Sea property and heritage orchards earlier this year through a bequest from the Estate of Susan Bagley Bloom.Marjorie Lane with a basket of apples at Ruckle Farm.Mike Lane feeds Emily, one of the Ruckle Farm Highland cow herd, her favourite snack at this time of the year.Maia can’t get enough of Ruckle Farm border collies Isabelle and Lewis.Laurie Steffler brings apple fest levity with her beautiful merino wool felt butterfly to Bloom Castle gardens.Volunteering at the Apple Luscious Organic Orchard tasting table are Carol Becker, top, and Roberta Skye. Apple festival founder Harry Burton of Apple Luscious Organic Orchard is happy with another fantastic event turnout.Salt Spring Apple Festival volunteer Neale Smith holds two of the 372 apple varieties on display at Fulford Hall as part of the Sept. 29 festival. Feeding the apple press at Whims Farm for the 24th Salt Spring Apple Festival are Mike Larkin, left, and Mark Cleveland.Christina Haase with apples at Sweetwater Distillery.
Islanders are being asked to donate high-quality items for the Help Ukraine fundraiser set for Fulford Hall on Saturday, April 30.
Running from 2 to...
