South Okanagan farmers are seeing full blossoms on their stone fruit trees this year, renewing harvest hopes after a year of loss.

"Good blossoms. They are looking very nice. They are healthy," said Kuljeet-Kaur Kaler, owner of Peach Hill Farm in Osoyoos.

The pink flowers on Kaler's peach trees have come in earlier and fuller compared to last year, where farmers saw virtually no blossoms.

"Last year, we had no blossoms at all, just leaves," Kaler said.

Beantjit Chahal, owner of Nature's Basket in Oliver, said when she touched her peach blossoms last year, they turned to dust.

Those conditions, following a harsh 2023-24 winter, translated into virtually no peaches, nectarines, or apricots Okanagan-wide.

"We exported the stone fruit last year, and we put a sign on every single thing, on which ones we brought from somewhere else: 'This is BC. This is not BC.' We did that, and people helped us," Kaler said.

"We are expecting a very, very good crop this year," Chahal said.

Peaches, apricots, nectarines, and cherries are currently in bloom, and plums are expected to come in later in the season.

According to the province, roughly 400 tree fruit growers will likely benefit from the milder winter, and if the weather remains favourable.

Despite lack of stone-fruit in 2024, and resorting to U.S.-imports to stock shelves, some farmers said they had a decent business year.

"We really appreciate people helping us last year; business was not bad. I hope we have a better year than last year," Kaler said.

At Osoyoos' Peach Hill Farm, growers had to rip out one acre of dead apricot trees from last year's losses, which costs a pretty penny.

"Almost $1,200 per acre, to pull out those trees."

B.C. has promised over $20 million to farmers experiencing extreme weather from a couple of programs, but not many have caught wind of that on the ground yet. The provincial government had said some financial relief could be expected in the spring.

"We applied for that, but we didn't have anything yet. They're supposed to send us application, but we didn't hear anything after that. We didn't get any emails. We didn't get anything yet," Kaler added.

Incidentally, the ongoing U.S. trade war could bring more business to local fruit stands this summer.

"We're hoping there will be more tourists this year because of the [added peach] fruit and tariffs," Chahal said.

"People should come down to see the Okanagan," Kaler said. "Good fruit this year. They can enjoy that because the last year, everybody missed that."

Now, Okanagan Valley farmers are hoping people take the "shop Canadian" sentiment to heart. Many South Okanagan fruit stands will begin opening mid-to-late May.

"Come and join us and buy [fruit]. Help us," Kaler said.

Photo: Sarah Crookall

South Okanagan stone fruit farmers hopeful for peaches and nectarines.