1

Richter's orchard in bloom
1890-1910
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Keremeos Museum

2

When Mary Ann Cawston arrived as a bride in 1885, she found established orchards on the "R" Ranch, which her husband, Richard Lowe Cawston, and his aunt, Ella Lowe, had purchased from Richter the previous year. This orchard was a result of Richter's foresight twenty years before, when he had, with some difficulty, had fruit trees of various types brought in by pack train over the Hope Trail. Planted on his original homestead, the trees had flourished.

3

Helen Richter in the Richter vineyard
1907
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Taken by Rev. A.H. Cameron
Keremeos Museum

4

Gordon Ramsay with a pile of his zucca melons
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

5

Potatoes and other vegetables had been grown in the valley at the H.B.C. post; there were some experiments made with different varieties of oats and wheat as well. In a letter dated October 19, 1861, from John C. Haynes to Sir James Douglas, Haynes wrote:
"I herewith enclose samples of wheat and oats grown at Keremeous (sic) by Mr. Francois Deschiquette, the officer in charge of the Hudson's Bay Company's Station at that place".

6

A display of giant pumpkins, potatoes, squash & corn grown in the valley
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

7

The bottom lands, so desirable for the rich soil that they contained, were used by the ranches for some years to grow hay and grain. Over time, this land was divided into smaller parcels of five, ten and twenty acres and sold as farms. The Cawstons went to live in Ontario in 1903, so that their four sons could be educated there; in 1909 R.L. Cawston returned to oversee the sale of the ranch. About 3000 acres were sold to the Similkameen Fruit Land Company, which proceeded to parcel the land and sell it. At first the lots sold quickly; as the First World War came on the property sales slowed, leaving some sections unpurchased. Unfortunately, the company still owed money to Mrs. Lowe and there was a great deal of trouble and time spent in trying to straighten out the affair.

8

The Keremeos booth at the First National Apple Show
1910
Apple show, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

9

Wooden stave irrigation pipeline under construction
1909
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Keremeos Museum

10

The Keremeos Land Company had better success. John J. Armstrong was in charge of this company and had a significant impact on the development of fruit properties. Among the projects that they undertook was that of providing irrigation - water was brought by pipe and ditch from the Ashnola River, covering a distance of eight miles. From the Keremeos Trumpet, Friday, April 17, 1908:
"The definite announcement by the management of the Keremeos Land Co. that work on their big irrigation ditch is to be rushed through so as to permit of the water being turned on by the end of November, means much toward the immediate development of Keremeos and district. With a definite assurance that water will be available for next spring the fruit plots around here will sell like hot cakes, and there is every indication that a very large number of intending settlers will build their homes this summer or fall and spend next winter here. The invasion of home seekers from the Prairie Provinces may be looked for as soon as seeding operations are over."
The benchlands at Cawston were opened up for settlement as part of the Veterans' Land Act (V.L.A.) in 1950. Irrigation was introduced to that part of the valley, allowing even more land to be put to agricultural use.

11

Keremeos-Ashnola pipeline
1909
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Photograph by Rev. A.H. Cameron

12

Irrigation flume wrecked by a gale
1890-1910
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Keremeos Museum

13

With the coming of the irrigation water, the growth of crops was assured. Fields of tomatoes were planted and the output justified the start of three canneries: Eastern Canning Company, in Cawston, managed by S.R. Manery; Keremeos Packing Company, run by J.J. Armstrong's son, Harry; and Dominion Canners. Of the three, Dominion was the biggest, the Armstrong concern being about half the size, and combined with a packing house for fruit.

14

Packing school at the Big Store
1910
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada