Trisha Shanks
Arrow Lakes News
Construction is underway at a former residence on Highway 6 and Lakeview Park Road in Burton.
The building is being converted into a Cidery — a brewery to produce apple cider.
Owners Barbara and Alan Ross are prepping the location for Burton’s latest entrepreneurial endeavor. Barbara Ross explained that she thinks Burton is a good location with highway frontage around the corner from a campground with a small local market for the cider.
Having a cider mill has long been a dream of Barbara Ross’s and it is finally about to happen.
“If the stars all align, we will start production in May,” she said. “My kids said to me, ‘mom you’ve been talking about it for eight years’ and they finally said put up or shut up so here it is.”
In preparation for the endeavour, orchard fencing went up last summer and timber framed entrances are now visible along the front. Two hundred and fifty apple trees are being planted which are slated to mature and bear fruit in about five years but until then, the Rosses have plans to use apples from their other Burton property supplemented by Okanagan fruit.
The name Pomona Cider Mill takes inspiration from Pomona, the Roman Goddess of fruit trees and orchards.
“She seduced fruit trees as this valley has seduced us,” Ross said.
As Calgarians, the couple was delighted that so many different things grow in this climate and their Burton residence has several mature apple trees bearing fruit annually.
“What to do with all these apples — they seem like a good idea when you plant them. So I started making cider for our own consumption,” she said.
That took them to England to take a cider making course at The Cider and Perry Academy with world-renowned cider expert Peter Mitchell.
The Ross’s who commute between Calgary and Burton for Alan’s job, bought the Burton property in May 2014.
After several months of planning, construction started last month building on extensions. They intend to have a production area and a tasting room and potentially one day will also host events such as dinners and weddings.
“We’re urban city slickers; every step has been a new adventure,” says Barbara of her foray into a new business in an industry she is just getting familiar with.
Their goal is for Barbara to work part time but also to hire people, creating a few jobs in Burton. Currently they have two people clearing land for the new orchard.
There will be planting, seasonal help on production, bottling, marketing — it takes a community to build things.
“I like the idea of working together on that,” she said.
“It’s nice to have another little business in Burton,” RDCK Area Director Paul Peterson said. “I can’t wait to have a sip. I really hope this takes off and does great.”
Barbara has been working on the legalities of producing an alcoholic beverage and dealing with the liquor board which can add to the timeframe between making and selling Pomona Mill Cider. She is hoping to be able to start a batch in May and have some ready for August/September.
