It’s apple time on Salt Spring
See — and taste — 450 varieties of organically grown apples in one place at the Salt Spring Island Apple Festival, Sunday at various venues on Salt Spring Island.
This is the 18th year for the event, which offers the biggest selection of apple varieties in Canada in one place. This year’s theme is: Go right to the tree that grows your favourite apple.
The island’s connection with apple production dates back to the 1860s, when a number of orchards supplied fruit to both the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island markets.
The apples will be on display at Fulford Hall, where volunteers will set up 14 eight-foot-long tables groaning under their weight.
You can visit 18 farms, many not usually open to the public, to both taste the fruit and see the trees from where they were picked. One farm, Apple Luscious, will have 80 varieties for visitors to sample, with at least 23 varieties of red-fleshed apples.
You can also purchase trees from the apple farmers. Some, such as dwarf varieties, are already potted and available to take home immediately, while others can be pre-ordered for pickup in the spring.
You can take away educational information on organic apple growing or consult with apple experts, who will also help to identify apples brought to the festival.
If you like your apple in pies, you are in luck. The Pie Ladies will offer at least 15 labelled varieties of apple baked into 150 pies. Buy by the slice, a whole pie or mix and match six slices to make up one pie.
Other desserts, such as apple tarts, will also be available.
This year, orchard bee and honey bee experts will be on hand to answer questions on pollination.
If you get tired of tasting apples, you can purchase lunches prepared by island chefs at many of the farms.
You can admire apple art by local artists or get your face painted — adults as well as children.
Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students and free for children. The event runs from 9 to 5 p.m. Oct. 1 at Fulford Hall, 2591 Fulford Ganges Rd., and at various orchards (a map of participating farms is not released until 9 a.m. Sunday).
Tickets are available at Fulford Hall and the Ganges Tourist Information Centre, 121 Lower Ganges Rd. For more information, go to saltspringapplefestival.org.