The birth of a business

Every era has its symbols of success. In the 19th century, owning an orchard was a sign of knowledge and wealth. In fact, acquiring a large plot of land and investing in the purchase and maintenance of trees required basic knowledge.

It was educated men like notaries and businessmen like general merchants, who owned orchards to sell fruit. On a smaller scale, villagers, like farmers, cultivated a few fruit trees for family consumption.

Farmer Chrysologue Dubé’s family in the shade of an apple tree in the family orchard in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, ca. 1900. Other fruit trees can be seen on the left.

The 1800s saw a gradual improvement in travel by rudimentary roads and by the river in schooners.

The schooner Grosse-Isle, oned by Didier Épars, on the St.Lawrence River opposite the Côte-du-Sud, 2018

Between 1830 and 1870, the Côte-du-Sud region was second only to the Montreal Plain in terms of agricultural production. Everything was shipped by the river.

Merchants added fruit tree cultivation to their business activities. Curious and passionate people worked miracles to grow new varieties of fruit. Agricultural institutes were founded, and religious communities continued to play an active role in fruit growing.

The next few stories are dedicated to the visionaries behind the heritage trees still found in our orchards. You’ll be amazed at what they’ve been able to achieve.