Brad DeMille鈥檚 upward momentum has begun with the purchase of an historic Salmon Arm orchard.
The DeMille鈥檚 Farm Market owner said he recently took ownership of the 29-acre Northyards Cider Co. property at 3181 11th Ave. NE. The property includes an extensive apple orchard that was tended to by the Hanna family for more than a century before it was sold to Northyards in 2021.
鈥淚鈥檝e been an orchardist for nine days!鈥� laughed the DeMille, noting Northyards will continue operation as a lesee on the property where, if things go according to plan, DeMille鈥檚 Farm Market will relocate.
Unable to go into details behind the move, DeMille said he has about two-and-a-half years to move his 12,000-square-foot operation located at the west end of town. Of the two options he looked at, he said the uptown Salmon Arm location was the best.
鈥淲e have a lot of work to do up there still 鈥� the rezoning application, permission from Agricultural Land Commission (ALC), the city 鈥� all this stuff, so it鈥檚 not an automatic for sure,鈥� said DeMille, noting he has a good relationship with the ALC and is optimistic.
鈥淭he idea of the land reserve, the ALC, is to make more farm land more viable and more food production. This should fall right within their target market. We are doing that and we want to do that but of course we need to have them onboard鈥�
鈥淚 believe we鈥檝e got the right formula鈥︹��
Part of that forumla is the orchard, which will continue to provide apples for Northyards.
鈥淲e鈥檙e in a supply agreement with them 鈥� there鈥檚 about 13 acres of trees there still in production,鈥� said DeMille.
About 500 trees on another two acres are in the process of removed as DeMille explained they are 鈥減ast their best before date.鈥�
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鈥淭hose trees particularly had some age on them that鈥� by the time you prune them and try getting them back, you鈥檙e probably never going to get your money on them鈥�,鈥� said DeMille. 鈥淥ur intention is we have the trees already in our nursery ready for going in next spring. There鈥檚 1,500 trees going back in to replace those 480 we鈥檙e taking out.鈥�
The trees going in will grow honeycrisps, ambrosia and McIntosh apples.
鈥�(McIntosh) have seen a real resurgence, especially as a juice apple, a cider apple 鈥� they鈥檙e very popular,鈥� said DeMille.
DeMille is receiving guidance with this new agricultural endeavour. He鈥檚 working closely with Lally Sidhu of Keremeos鈥� Lally Orchard. He said Sidhu is the farm market鈥檚 largest supplier and that he and Sidhu have been doing business for the past 23 years.
DeMille said he鈥檚 also received input from the property鈥檚 former owner, James Hanna.
鈥淛ames Hanna has been a great source of information for me,鈥� said DeMille. 鈥淗e鈥檚 walked me around the property so he鈥檚 helping me understand it and what he knows about it. Basically, him and his family had it for 110 years and we鈥檙e working very closely on advice from him directly in addition to what Lally sees.鈥�
DeMille also has plans for parts of the property where nothing is currently growing.
鈥淥f the 29 acres, there鈥檚 roughly 15 not treed now that are basically open grassland,鈥� said DeMille. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to try and improve that鈥� we鈥檙e going to be growing more food on there starting with squash and pumpkins and things like that, thinkgs that are going to be good for the land to build it back up鈥︹��
DeMille is also open to the idea of setting aside some space for a community garden.
Looking ahead, DeMille is already working on plans for community events at the uptown property, where he sees plenty of opportunity for the DeMille鈥檚 Farm Market brand to grow and flourish.
鈥淲hen you visit Salmon Arm you go to DeMille鈥檚 and that opportunity 鈥� we can just make it so it鈥檚 such a great place to start your visit in Salmon Arm鈥�,鈥� said DeMille.
