A Harvest Worth Celebrating | Jan’s Blog

Now that September has arrived, it feels like the real beginning of the year to me. I know most people look to January for that sense of a fresh start, but not me. For me, it’s harvest that signals new beginnings. A new vintage. A new season. A new chance to look ahead with purpose.

Out in the orchard, the apples are already tumbling to the ground, and we’ve started collecting the first windfalls for pressing. Before long, you’ll see bins of apples rolling through the wash, the grinder, and finally the press. Honestly, even after all these years, it still amazes me – watching fruit transform into cider right here on the farm. Yes, we really do farm, and yes, the cider is truly made here at Merridale. It’s one of those simple but profound reminders that life keeps renewing itself.

Harvest also brings a different kind of new beginning for me – choosing the two charities Merridale will support this year. For a long time, we said yes to almost every request: tours, tastings, gift baskets, meals, products. The requests came in by the dozens a week. Almost all of them were worthy, and saying no felt horrible. But the truth is, we’re not a big company. We couldn’t support them all. Our giving felt scattered, like we weren’t making the real difference we wanted to.

So, we are making a shift. Now, instead of giving a little bit everywhere, we will focus deeply on just two charities each year. That way, we can give with more heart, shine more light on their work, and – hopefully – create ripples of change.

How do I choose? My motto is “close to home and close to heart.” I look for causes rooted here on Vancouver Island, so the giving stays in our backyard, and I choose ones that connect with who I am. I’ve always had a deep love for animals (which is why your dogs are welcome at Merridale. Yes, I mean all the muddy paws and wagging tails). And I never take for granted the wild beauty of where we live – the mountains, the ocean, the wildlife. It’s breathtaking, and it deserves our care.

So, this year, we’re standing with two charities I’m proud to support. The first is Raincoast Conservation Foundation, a group of scientists and conservationists working to safeguard the land, waters, and wildlife of our coast. The second is BC Guide Dogs, who train and place service dogs – whether that’s guide dogs for those with vision loss, autism service dogs for children, or PTSD service dogs for veterans and first responders.

Will Merridale’s support to these organizations make a large dent in the issues they are addressing? Of course not. But here’s what I believe: if each of us does something, then together, those “somethings” add up to real change. And that feels like a harvest worth celebrating.

From the orchard, with heart,