Although this year's Apple Festival was diminshed by the passing of Bruce's Country Market founder Bruce McEachern who died this year at the age of 89, his family has grasped the torch and ensured that this important little corner in Albion will remain bustlling and vibrant for years to come.
This years Apple Festival was well attended and to my surprise featured my favortite heirloom varietal, the Golden Russet. The Russet has a freckled appearance and is not the prettiest apple in the world but it's firm flesh makes it an amazing pie making apple and I'm rather fond of it's flavour. I can remember visiting my grandfather, Thomas Leaf's homestead, on 272nd street in Whonnock in the late Summer and Fall. Getting out the ladder and picking apples from the Golden Russet tree he had and many of the other varities he had strewn all over the property.
If you did not bring the kids down this year you missed having them try some of the amazing heirloom varities that may not have the shiny, waxy, ultra-sweet flavour that the Supermarkets sell but have a flavour and connection to this land and our ancestors like no others.
I hope you enjoy this video blog of the 2009 Bruce's Country Market Apple Fest
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