Okanagan fruit belt roots: The legacy of Paynter’s Farm
Explore one of the best fruit belts in Canada
In mid-July, individuals with an unusual skill make a pit stop in the Okanagan Valley for a chance at glory. The Great Cherry Pit Spitting Contest signals the arrival of the local cherry harvest, where competitors spit pits for distance. While it may not be the first place on Earth to host a cherry pit spitting contest, it shows that people will do almost anything to enjoy an Okanagan cherry—or any fruit grown here.
The Okanagan Valley is home to one of Canada’s premier fruit belts, where approximately 800 farms dot the landscape, many of which grow strawberries, apricots, grapes, peaches, pears, plums, and berries, and a plentiful supply of cherries and apples. But it hasn’t always been this way. The region rests in the rain shadow of the Coast and Cascade Mountains.
Experiencing Canada host Nathan Coleman with Jennay Oliver, owner of Paytner’s Fruit Market, touring Paytner’s Farm.
When moist air from the Pacific Ocean is pushed against the mountains, it cools as it rises, hitting the western slopes and releasing moisture as snow and rain. It becomes dry as it moves over the mountains into the Okanagan Valley. This hot and dry area proved suitable for cereals and ranching but offered little else until entrepreneurs and companies diverted water from lakes through canals to develop irrigation systems. Orchards began to flourish, including Paynter’s Farm, established in 1919.
The Paynter family emigrated to Canada in 1909 from Alnwick, England, where the town’s castle was featured in the Harry Potter films. Edwin Paynter, a lawyer, came to Canada with the specific intention of farming. That’s when the real magic began. After a brief return to England during World War I, he and his wife, Margaret, returned to the Okanagan in 1919 to plant their first orchard. The orchard flourished, and on July 7, 1951, they added a roadside fruit stand to sell cherries. Pits began to fly, and people returned for the freshest seasonal fruit.
Today, Edwin Paynter’s great-granddaughter, Jennay Oliver, manages the Paynter’s Fruit Market and farm. They grow fruits and vegetables on a 40-acre property, which features 15 acres of mixed fruit trees, a pick-your-own orchard, and a 2,000-square-foot market. Fresh produce is available from June to October, depending on the seasonal offerings.
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