Finding great produce in the Okanagan is not that challenging; roadside fruit and vegetable stalls are as plentiful as...well... apples. On the other hand, you may have to do some searching to find the truly exceptional organic produce like that found at Covert Farms, a completely organic farm and winery located 8 kilometers north of Oliver. Covert Farms has just about everything going for it: a stunning landscape, produce to die for, and very hospitable people!
Gene and Shelly Covert have carried on with a family farming tradition established by Gene’s grandfather in 1959 when he pulled up stakes in California and settled on 700 pristine Okanagan acres. Like a well diversified portfolio, Covert Farms has a hand in a number of enterprises. There’s the certified organic "u-pick fields" of fruit and vegetables, Dunham & Froese Estate Winery and Pancho’s Market where authentic Mexican food is served.
In a stroke of brilliance and by deciding to go with the “u-pick farm model, Gene was able to reduce labour costs dramatically, and give customers an authentic farm experience, one that is sadly missing in our hectic city lives.
We spent the day harvesting fantastic roma tomatoes that we’ll slow roast back at the shop and then freeze for use throughout the year. Okay, so picking 160 pounds of organic tomatoes can be a little hard on the back, but it was incredibly satisfying, and at 50 cents a pound you can’t go wrong!
