19

The Catholic Mission buildings are new and very neat. All crops have been very good this past season and that without any aid from irrigation. I saw some very good tobacco of their own growing and was told by Fr. Richard that the total produce this year is not less than - wheat 1,000 bushels; barley 200 bushels; and potatoes 2,900 bushels.
Thus, the stage was set for the arrival and entrepreneurship of Frederick Brent - land that produced abundantly, an agreeable climate, and most importantly, settlers in need of a flour mill for the grain that was, by 1863, growing well in the Okanagan Valley.

20

Hop gardens at Guisachan
Circa 1892
Okanagan Mission Valley, Kelowna, British Columbia


Credits:
Kelowna Public Archives