Summer is coming to an end and with that brings apple season. Wildsight wants to help you get the most of your apple trees by hosting a Pick and Press event, alongside their Apple Capture project.
Apple Capture connects willing fruit tree owners (who don’t want their fruit or don’t have the ability to pick their fruit) with community members through an online tree registry. Simply add your address to the registry and community members can come by to harvest un-used fruit and windfall from your trees.
Equipment for every step of tree care, harvesting and processing is available through Wildsight’s equipment bookings. This year, with the help of funding from the City of Kimberley and Columbia Basin Trust, Wildsight will be hosting Pick and Press events in Kimberley and Cranbrook.
The two-day Kimberley event takes place on Saturday, Sept. 22 and Sunday, Sept. 23. On Saturday Wildsight will lead volunteers to pick from the Kimberley tree registry and on Sunday they are invited to press the fruit into juice. Pick and press activities will run from 11a.m. to 3p.m. both days with a group meeting at the Kimberley Open Gate Garden on Rotary Drive. The Sunday press event will slightly overlap with the fifth annual Harvest Party, also hosted at the Open Gate Garden. Volunteers are encouraged to attend the party afterwards, where some of the fresh juice will be served.
The Cranbrook event takes place on Sunday, Sept. 30 from 10a.m. to 4p.m.. Apples will be picked from the Cranbrook tree registry and pressed into juice the same day. Participants are asked to meet at the Cranbrook Public Produce Garden beside MacKinnon Park to start the day.
James Christie-Fougere, Apple Capture Volunteer Coordinator says that Pick and Press events are great all-ages activities and a wonderful way to give back to the community.
Arrive prepared for all types of weather and bring a snack and water. Apples and juice will be available for volunteers to take home, return to tree owners or donate to the food bank.
For more information contact kimcranapples@wildsight.ca or call 250.427.2535.