The Davison family has reinvested in their business again and expanded with a new barn to host the farm animals.
“It’s been on my bucket list for over 10 years,” said Tom Davison, “and now it is a reality, a great log barn with real character.”
You’ll find Ocana Construction and Paul Ploegman’s fingerprints all over Davison Orchards. Ploegman’s first project with the Davisons was in 1998 when he turned Aunty May’s original farmhouse into what is now the Deep Dish Café. Since then, he’s had his hand in the Marketplace, the Cannery, the Crazy Cow Kids Corral and now the new animal barn in the Critter Corral. Most of the buildings he’s worked on at the farm come with a story and the barn is no different.
“In 2015, Rock Creek, B.C. was devastated by a wildfire that destroyed 30 homes and 4,400 hectares of forest. Where others saw a burned wasteland and left the trees to rot, Paul and a local rancher saw potential; they salvaged the burned logs from Rock Creek for the barn,” said Tamra Davison. “In order for the logs to be ready for construction they had to be milled, using a band saw and chainsaw. More than 18,000 board feet of lumber was used to build the barn and all of it was salvaged; no live trees were cut down.
“Not only does it add character to the barn through unique woodgrains and beetle holes, but it also makes great use of the waste timber.”
On Saturday, the Davisons hosted a Barn Opening Party to celebrate the barn’s completion. The animals have been moved in and everyone is invited to come visit them in their new home.
Davison Orchards is at 3111 Davison Rd., off Bella Vista Road in Vernon.