Here’s the walking trail above the orchards west of my house in late winter. Notice how the path is as wide as a road, is packed down from human traffic, and is […]
Communicating With Deer
Time to Plant the 2023 Okanagan Garden
Yup. These lovely scallions were planted in 2019, and overwintered twice. The white onions were mature a month ago, as you can perhaps see, but the red onions are perfect right now. […]
The Strange Little Man of the North Okanagan
A small white explorer discovering a vast, unknown land. And staying in that moment forever, while below him, people camp out in the remains of a wetland squeezed now between two highways. […]
Nice Teeth, Bullsnake
OK, so, not teeth, but a great bluff. Look how the eye markings extend the size of the eye as well, and make the eye appear to look to the back of […]
The Karma of Deer
Whatever else 12 foot tall fences are for, they are not to keep deer out of orchards. Here, you can see that the goal is to keep the neighbours out. With their […]
The Best Wine Takes Finesse
Grapes have the ability to deliver nutrients, water and sugar to any point in the plant at which they are needed. It’s not just a matter of raising the vines into the […]
Settler Culture = Terroir
Here’s the grape terroir in the Similkameen Valley. That’s right. There are no grape plants. They would die here. Should one plant them (and someone has across the road behind us), one […]
Dancing in a Fur Coat
Sure, the picture is not precisely in focus, but what the heck. The bee is the star here. Look at her answer the call of the balsam root. Look at the balsam […]
Of Wine, War and Peace
Wine is largely made in laboratories. What is grown in the field is grapes. The result is a decreased ability for the plant to distribute potassium where needed. The additional remove of […]
Definitely Not Terroir
I think there’s too much money in this country. Vineyards get draped to keep off birds. At the same time, a native berry, Oregon grape, goes through the winter without appreciable harm […]
Okanagan Okanogan 