Best workplaces
The ample, glossy red blush on this smooth, yellow, conical-shaped apple is eye-catching. The bite is crisp and releases a slightly perfumed scent.
The taste of the cream-coloured flesh is sweet and subtly honeyed.
The name of this apple is fittingly Ambrosia, food of the gods.
And Robert and Jane Mennel of Muckabout Orchards in Cawston grow the best Ambrosia in Canada.
The couple just won the Ambrosia category at the National Apple Competition at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.
Not only that, their Ambrosia apple was crowned new varieties champion, picked up the Canadian Horticultural Council Trophy for new varieties and was the reserve grand champion of all varieties.
“Usually, we don’t enter competitions,” said Robert.
“But during the middle of harvest, someone from the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association came by and collected eight of our beautiful, organic Ambrosia apples, all the same size and same colour with absolutely no defects. They said they wanted to enter us in The Royal. The funny thing is, we’re not even members of the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association.”
New varieties are apples that haven’t been around that long, like the 26-year-old Ambrosia, and other relative newbies such as Salish, Aurora, Fuji and Pink Lady.
Commercial apple varieties have decades more history and include Red Delicious, McIntosh, Gala, Spartan and Golden Delicious.
Another Okanagan grower was tops in another new-variety category with Davison Orchards in Vernon winning for its Aurora apple, a cross of Golden Delicious and Royal Gala.
Davison also won the Golden Delicious and Gala categories.
Ambrosia’s origin isn’t know for sure because it was discovered as a chance seedling in the orchard of Robert’s brother, Wilfred, in the early 1990s.
But, its suspected parents are Golden Delicious and Starking Red Delicious, which were both growing nearby.
All the Ambrosia apples now grown in the world come from cuttings of that original tree, grafted to root stock of other types of trees.
Robert said Ambrosia is so widely grown now (it represents about a third of the apples produced in B.C.) that it’s become mainstream and may not be considered a new variety for much longer.
The other Okanagan winner at the fair is Gutknecht Orchards of Vernon, which was tops for Red Delicious.
Winners in the dozen other categories came from Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.
Best workplaces are just that, great companies where employees love to work.
Workers at these businesses are appreciated, paid well, supported, have access to training and promotions and in return are productive and deliver amazing customer service.
Eleven such companies, which have locations in the Okanagan, have made the list of 31 Best Workplaces in B.C.
The list doesn’t rank the companies, but rather states them alphabetically.
They are: Boston Pizza, Cactus Club Cafe, CapriCMW Insurance, Cobs Bread, Connect Hearing, Credit Counselling Society, Industry Training Authority, Joey Restaurants, Prospera Credit Union, Tommy Gun’s Original Barbershop and Urban Systems.
The Best Workplaces list is compiled by Great Place to Work, a global consulting firm that advocates high-performance work culture and develops rankings around it.
Chute Lake Lodge
Chute Lake Lodge is currently closed and is undergoing a facelift for a Dec. 1 relaunch under new owners – Penticton-based Hoodoo Adventures.
A Hoodoo-led investor group took over the 4.4-acre property with historic, rustic lodge with eight rooms, 60-person dining room, 36 campsites and eight cabins in October.
The purchase price wasn’t disclosed, but it had been listed for sale for $1.2 million.
As the name of the lodge indicates, it’s located on the shore of Chute Lake in Naramata, about half way between Penticton and Kelowna right on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail and the edge of Okanagan Provincial Park.
The rail trail is popular with cyclists and Chute Lake is popular with anglers and canoeists.
“It has amazing potential,” said Hoodoo co-owner Lyndie Hill.
“We look forward to working with our partners to create a unique destination to stay, play and take advanage of all the Okanagan has to offer.”
For individual, group or corporate bookings for accommodations, activities and catered functions check out HooDooAdventures.ca.