Verger Belliveau Orchard

Congratulations to Verger Belliveau Orchard on the occasion of their 75th Anniversary! One of Canada’s leading growers and suppliers of apples, Belliveau Orchard is a component of Bourgeois Farm, which occupies extensive properties at 1209 Principale Street in the lovely country village of Pré-d’en-Haut, NB. Continuing a tradition of the earliest Acadian settlers of working on the land, the Bourgeois family has cultivated these orchards since 1932, expanding its operation over the years to offer state-of-the-art facilities in storage, packaging, and processing of apples for distribution to private and corporate customers throughout Atlantic Canada. The management and staff of Belliveau Orchard wishes to invite one and all to a special Open House to be held on Friday, August 24, from 2 PM to 4 PM. Drop in and help them to celebrate this important milestone with the music of local artist, Patsy Leger, free wine-tasting and cake, and wagon rides for the kids through the fields. This promises to be a terrific day of fun for the whole family!

Belliveau Orchard occupies an 85-acre expanse of fertile land in the Memramcook Valley. In its 75-year history, this exceptional family enterprise has continued to expand and thrive well into its third generation. Today, Belliveau Orchard offers a range of various apple varieties including McIntosh, Cortland, Russet, Spartan, Gravenstein, Jersey Mac, and Vista Mac as well as newer introductions from other regions across North America. "We are always experimenting with new varieties of apples," says Robert Bourgeois, "and we have the perfect location for our operations. We are on land along the Petitcodiac River that is very fertile and we experience our own micro-climate with no spring or fall frost. That is very important to our farming operations." Always on the cutting edge of new innovations in the apple-growing industry, Belliveau Orchard follows Canadian Fruit Industry guidelines for improving farm management and storage techniques to ensure a steady supply of apples year round. Under the Canadian Partners in Quality voluntary program, Belliveau Orchard conducts its own internal inspection to ensure product quality requirements are up to professional fruit growers standards.

Today, Belliveau Orchard employs the latest equipment and the best of modern technology. Brand new packaging techniques, an automated selection line for sorting apples by colour and size, and climate-controlled trucks for shipping are just a few of the latest improvements to production methods acquired in a constant commitment to producing the finest apples on the market. Belliveau Orchard cooperates with smaller local farmers in the Province of New Brunswick as well as Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia in purchasing apples from their farms to distribute to its wide customer base.

Belliveau Orchard is jointly owned and operated by Louis Bourgeois and his son, Robert Bourgeois. Day-to-day operations are overseen by Robert Bourgeois, who grew up in the company and who is well qualified with a diploma in plant science from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Together, they head a team of twenty-five full-time and ten seasonal employees, all skilled at the various positions they hold within the company and all intent on growing and supplying the best product. Proud of the rich heritage of fruit growing in New Brunswick, which dates back to the 17th century when early Acadians first cultivated the land, Belliveau Orchard today carries on a long-standing tradition of apple-growing in the region.

Belliveau Orchard offers tours of their facilities to groups of visitors such as churches, seniors and school groups, who, for a fee, are all welcome with reservations called in ahead of time. Belliveau Orchard is a popular destination in the spring when it holds its annual Apple Blossom Festival and in September during the harvest when U-Pick facility is open. Belliveau Orchard is designated an ÉCONOMUSEE® or Artisans at Work destination, showcasing traditional trades and crafts in New Brunswick with a museum, workshop, and boutique open to the public. Here, one can experience the daily workings of the orchard, learn of the heritage and history of growing apples and view the methods used in making cider and wine, which is also done on the premises. An onsite café offers fresh pastry, fruit juice blends and sparkling juices, and a boutique carries fruit products such as wine, cider, fruit jams, and jellies including cherry, pear, and berry products as well as a full roster of fresh vegetables from local farmers. The perfect vacation destination, it’s a great place to relax, have fun, and participate in a learning experience too. For more information, contact Belliveau Orchard at (506) 758-2325, fax at (506) 758-9778, or email at vbo@nbnet.nb.ca and experience one of Atlantic Canada’s most authentic apple orchards. Belliveau Orchard is where time honoured tradition meets modern technology in the production of perfect New Brunswick apples!

Woodchips What Knots – Bouctouche Baie

Summer is a wonderful time to go exploring, and our region is filled with beautiful scenic spots just right for taking in the sights and sounds of this most special time of year. Just northeast of Moncton along the Acadian coast lies the beautiful Town of Bouctouche – home to ocean vistas, warm, sandy beaches, and cosy specialty shops off the beaten track filled with unique treasures.

One of the most enchanting and delightful stops along Route 475, a little past the Bouctouche town centre, is Woodchips What Knots and Woodchuck’s Wood Carving Studio. Located at 1554 on the Baie Route it’s a little slice of heaven on earth. Overlooking Bouctouche Bay, this lovely spot is a photographer’s dream and a treasure hunter’s dream come true. There’s the main homestead, studio, and antique shop nestled along the coast surrounded by a quaint and colourful garden perfumed by the salt air that blows in gently from the bay.

Proprietor Cheryl Bernard of Woodchips What Knots is warm, personable, and very knowledgeable about the wonderful antiques and collectibles in her shop. "I attend local auctions and buy-outs of estate items," she says, "and I especially look for lovely and unusual items." With an eye for beauty and quality, Cheryl says, "I buy what I like, and very often it’s just the thing buyers want." Her shop is home to a huge collection of over 200 vintage hats from the 40's and 50's, elegant period lamps, heritage mirrors and carved picture frames, antique precious and fashion jewellery, perfume bottles, top quality glassware including collectible ruby glass and a host of other items such as china, figurines, silverware, and crockery. These are just a few of the categories of items Cheryl carries. It’s worth a trip to her shop to discover treasures of your own!

Adjacent to Woodchips What Knots is Charles Bernard’s studio. New Brunswick’s own woodchuck, Charles’ inviting and compelling personality is matched only by his boundless talent and complex mind, with the result that his wood carvings are unique, timely, funny, and informative. His life story and his varied and interesting past is all recorded in the unique wood carvings in his studio which is open for personalized tours hosted by the artist himself. It’s worth a visit just to view the pieces which are a testament to today’s political and social climate with timely issues that face us all. Drop in and discover your favourite wood carving. My favourite piece? The realistically carved Tim Horton’s coffee cup! Of course, the tall ship’s mast and the fore and aft decks off the shop’s side walls turn this studio into a worthy vessel for plying the waters of your imagination. Kids of all ages will love it.

This summer, seek adventures in the attractions that surround us. Take a leisurely drive along our coastal waters and be sure to stop for a while at Woodchips What Knots and Woodchuck’s Studio. You’ll be sure to have a laugh, make some friends, find a keepsake, and discover a very special corner of the world.