Riverbank Acres

Home
Canada
Keremeos, BC
Riverbank Acres

We live seasonally, grow peaches, plums and nectarines and use the old ways to preserve them to enjoy all year long.

08/30/2026

Sunset ribbon

07/27/2026

This big beauty is my pride and joy in the kitchen garden.
I had grand plans for this mighty garden in the spring but when my dream job at the Grist Mill and Gardens came up, I grabbed ahold of it with both hands.
Tending to the kitchen garden (and the house, animals and friends) have all fallen by the wayside as I navigate my work. The weeds in my garden are standing three feet tall. But you know what’s standing even taller? The sunflowers. And do you know what’s growing down below, among the weeds? Peas, lettuce, cabbages, artichokes, beets, turnips, potatoes, leeks, onions, tomatoes, garlic, beans and cucumbers. And melons and squashes. I don’t think the carrots or peanuts will make it. I’m sure the yields won’t be as high as they would be with proper love and care, but as my cousin Kathryn said to me: “Who cares what it looks like? The point is that you’re growing food. And you’re doing that.”
Cheers to ‘good enough!’ 🙌🏻 🍻

07/19/2026

This summer I’ve been learning how to make extracts to use in cooking and baking. Most, like vanilla or peppermint extract, are as simple as steeping dried herbs and spices of your choice in vodka for as long as you can wait.
Homemade almond extract requires a steadier hand. Traditionally it’s made from the kernels of bitter almonds steeped in alcohol. However, these kernels are incredibly difficult to get ahold of in North America due to their naturally high levels of cyanide. Also, the climate is too harsh for the trees to thrive.
A good North American alternative, which we have an abundance of in the Similkameen Valley, are kernels from the Rosaceae family (apricots, peaches and/or cherries).
The kernels have many of the same naturally occurring chemical compounds as bitter almonds including both cyanide, which can kill you (undesirable) and benzaldehyde, which gives off the intoxicating marzipan aroma many of us enjoy (desirable).
Thankfully, the toxicity from apricot, peach and cherry kernels is easily neutralized by placing the pits in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes. Once cooled, you fold the pits in an old, clean dishcloth and crack them with a hammer to remove the little kernels.
Chop up the kernels, place them in a clean jar, pour some inexpensive vodka over them and wait a few months (ideally three) before using as you would almond extract

07/15/2026

We planted our Early Red Haven peach trees in spring 2025 which means we’re mostly focusing on growing the trees themselves at this point. (So we don’t let them bear fruit). But after some begging and pleading, Bart agreed to leave a blossom or two on each tree for us to enjoy this summer. And today is our first pick of the crop!
These are the “juice is running down your chin and arm while you eat them” type and we are giving them two sticky thumbs up!

06/19/2026

It was a Saskatoon berry, cornbread and honeybutter kind of a morning.

My son’s only criticism was that he’d very much been looking forward to Lucky Charms for breakfast. 🫠

05/17/2026

Moody May roses

04/12/2026

Magnolia wonderland up on our rooftop 🌺

04/05/2026

The first nectarine blossoms, just in time for Easter 🐣 🌸
Happy Easter everyone!

Address

110 Bridge Street
Keremeos, BC
V0X1N3

Telephone

+12504999802

Website

http://riverbankacres.ca/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Riverbank Acres posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Riverbank Acres:

Want your business to be the top-listed Hotel in Keremeos?