A few months ago we INTRODUCED you to Scott Hawthorn. As the co-owner of Salt Tasting Room, Judas Goat, Alfresco outdoor guerilla dining and Native Shoes, as well as being the founder of The Parking Spot art space, Scott is a cultural entrepreneur like few this city has ever known.
If you're wondering why Scott's smiling in the photo below it's because he's holding some of the fruits of his latest labour - an orchard that he bought in Naramata BC! Minutes before I shot this he had returned from a trip to the Okanagan to help with the harvest, and I had just returned from the bank where I had grabbed some money to buy that 20 pound box of cherries off of him!
Scott in front of Salt's menu board, seconds before the word "Cherries" was added to it
20 pounds of sweetness
Now while some of the cherries (and pears, and apples) that he grows at Picker Shack Orchard will be sold through a co-op and to friends, perhaps the sweetest thing about Scott's orchard investment is that the fruit is being used in the menus of both of his local Vancouver restaurants (Salt and Judas Goat) as well as others in the Heather Hospitality Group. In fact it's up on Salt Tasting Room's menu right now, so you might want to pop in for a visit and enjoy some soon.
Below are some photos that Scott allowed us to use, showing the orchard from early in this season to harvest time...
Bees are essential to pollenating the trees! These are the Picker Shack hives...
What looks like millions of cherry blossoms get pollenated...
Soon after, the trees are filled with cherries...
Then picked by folks like Patrycja Kamska and Christie Baumgartner...
Then ultimately they're delivered to Vancouver where they'll find their way into some people's fridges (ahem!) as well as into dishes on some menus.
If you followed Picker Shack on their Tumblr or Facebook Group you'd already know this story! Subscribe and keep up to date on what's happening on the property!
