Archibald’s Orchard & Estate Winery in north Bowmanville has been family owned and operated for almost 60 years. They offer over a dozen variations of apples from Honeycrisp to Ambrosia, and families flock there each season to go apple picking and wine tasting.
“We planted the first trees in 1968,” said co-owner Fred Archibald.’ “It wasn’t always as it is today.”
He explained that it initially started as a hobby farm for his father and grandfather. “The concept was, basically, [to] put apples in a box, put it on the back of a truck, and then somebody else would look after [them]. That’s what we call wholesale growing.”
Since those early days, they have moved to planting smaller trees over time. They are now planting dwarf trees, which are between 8-10 feet tall but produce large quantities of apples. “It gets us into production earlier,” he said.
Archibald said that, over the last couple of years, they have been working on introducing more non-alcoholic options. “We have six non-alcoholic options,” he said. “[They] are a little more complex, but they’ve really taken off.”
He also explained that they maintain a low carbon footprint thanks to their position as an orchard, and their reliance on the energy grid is minimal. “We run a cold storage [room] about half the year, but most of the building isn’t heated for most of the year. We try to keep it at ten degrees, which is also good for the apples and wine fermentation.”
Of course, there are also concerns about how orchards manage issues like pest control and food safety.
“Our approach to pest and disease management has changed an awful lot in the last 50 years,” he explained. “Back in the late 60s, we were still using materials that were developed in the postwar era. The material we use now is more sensitive to the pests and much more [environmentally friendly].” He added, “we’ve got strict regulations on how close to harvest we can use certain materials – and we have to be licensed.”
Archibald stated that they keep detailed records on their fertilizer use and crop protection processes. They do this by testing the soil periodically and sending leaves off to a lab to be tested. From those tests, they can determine if the tree is getting an efficient uptake in nutrients.
Another concern for growing crops is soil erosion, which according to the provincial government, refers to the “wearing away of a field’s topsoil by natural physical forces [such as] water and wind.”
“We’re in permanent sod, which is not an issue, even though we’re on a hillside,” he explained. “I don’t think I’ve lost a bushel full of soil in the last twenty years.”
Fred concluded that, while changes in the climate can have negative impacts, he believes that, overall, it also holds some benefits from an operational standpoint. “Apple trees are fairly sensitive plants. They can handle some cold in the winter, but there is a limit. If it gets down to anywhere below -25, we start worrying about bud or full tree damage.”
Jess Archibald, Fred and Sandy’s daughter, didn’t expect to work in the family business, but after eight years working as an architectural designer, she returned home.
“I decided that working at a desk was not for me,” she said. “I wanted the kind of lifestyle that a farm [or] winery business can provide.”
While she has been working at the orchard off and on her whole life, she began working full time about five years ago. “I love my co-workers, and I love that there are different things to do every day,” she said.
She added that in the future, she’d like to see the business move beyond apples. “The idea of growing things other than just apples is something I’ve thought about and we’ve talked about,” she said.
She added that they want to keep their list of offerings the same but will continue to change up the flavours. “Don’t change what’s working well but evolve with the times.”