For
three generations, the Van Meekeren family has grown and maintained
apple orchards in Nova Scotia. Inspired by his father‘s work, in 1964,
Frank Van Meekeren bought an apple farm in Lakeville, Nova Scotia. Over
40 years later, this productive family farm remains Van Meekeren Farms
Ltd., managed by Frank’s two sons, Stephen and Michael. It was on their
orchards based in the Annapolis Valley that the “Wink Organic” brand
was pioneered.
While still maintaining conventional
practices on one section of their orchards, the Van Meekerens saw the
need for organic production and established their own certified organic
orchard of Cortland apples in 2009, after beginning the transition in
2006. That decision has helped them diversify within the apple
industry, and proven beneficial on many levels. Additionally, the
skills learned from their organic production have allowed for more
sustainable practices to be adopted on their conventional
orchards.
The farm is proud of its “CA -
Controlled Atmosphere” storage facility, used to extend the life of
apples, which are seasonal and picked only in the fall. In this
airtight room, the oxygen level is kept very low and the carbon dioxide
level is higher. This method slows the ripening process to a
crawl, and allows “Wink Organic” apples to last year-round, so that
they remain as fresh and crunchy as when they were first picked. No
chemicals, just air!
Van Meekeren Farms also
boasts the only certified off-farm apple-packing house in the
Maritimes, providing year-round storage of thousands of bins full of
apples. From this facility, which functions as a packing and
distribution center for organic fruit growers around Nova Scotia,
apples and pears are shipped throughout Central and Atlantic Canada.
When
asked why the family is still committed to farming after all these
years, Michael says, “It comes down to simply enjoying this way of
life.”
You can find “Wink Organic” brand
apples at farmers markets across Nova Scotia, as well as small and
large retail outlets throughout Atlantic Canada.
