A subarctic orchard? Why not, says pioneering Yukon fruit grower

Every summer, it seems to get a little easier to find locally-grown vegetables for sale in Yukon from cabbageand carrots to beans and peas.

Locally-grown fruit, though (not counting the plentiful wild berries)is all but impossible to find.

Untilyou stumble upon the Klondike Valley Nursery,John Lenart'sremote andfertile little off-grid Eden, just outside of Dawson City.

There you'll findcurrent bushes, cherry trees, grape vines and apple trees lots of apple trees.

"I knew I had this passionfor growingand what'sdeveloped out here is just an expression of that," Lenart said."We're certainly pioneers with developing techniques for Northern growing."

The long-time Yukoner hadbeen growing andselling ornamental conifers for years, but more recently, people began asking him for apple trees.

75 varieties

"It was food security that pulled me back into it.The concernthat people have now for climate change, that renewed interest people have for growing their own fruit," Lenart said.

Selling fruit trees is a big part of his business now. Last year he sold about 20, this year it's been closer to 60.

Apples are his main passion right now, he's growing about75 varieties, experimenting with different breedsand different types of growing shelters.

"Now that we've got types of apples that work up here, we're trying to get them out to people," he said.

"We're raising themand introducing them to people in the territory, along with methods of how to do it. We've written a bit of a guide on how to grow fruit in the north."

'People can't find you'

So far, most of the appletrees he's sold have gone to the Whitehorse area.

"There's going to bemuchgreater-producing backyard orchardists there, if everything works out as we hope."

But, operating his nursery from a remote, off-grid spot in central Yukon presents business challenges as well as horticultural ones.There's no road to the Klondike Valley Nursery;you get there from Dawson by boat (in summer)and by foot.

"Economically, it's a very seriouswhat's the word? Impediment to success," Lenartsaid.

"People can't find you, they can't drive up into your yard and buy stuff. So it's all made it very, very difficult."