KEEPING IT SIMPLE – JUST BAKED NINE MILE, NARAMATA
“Indeed, to be simple is to be great.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
On summer mornings in Naramata, before the village is fully awake, the first sign of life is often the magical glow from a special little kitchen on the main road. Inside, the counters at Just Baked are already full of freshly baked goods, and owner Ashley Selwood is in her happy place.
“My days start at about 7 am. The bakery fairy has been and gone by then, so I make myself a coffee and arrange everything so it looks pretty when people arrive.”
What began as a late-night craving and playful idea evolved into something real, and in 2019, Just Baked was open for business.
EASTER WEEKEND ON THE NARAMATA BENCH
Easter Weekend on the Naramata Bench: Wine, Views & Slow Spring Moments
Planning an Easter weekend in the Okanagan? Here’s why the Naramata Bench should be at the top of your list.
If you’re looking for an easy, memorable way to spend the long weekend, this stretch of wine country offers something that feels just right this time of year – unhurried, welcoming, and quietly coming back to life after winter.
Spring arrives gently here. Bud break begins in the vineyards, patios start to open, and there’s a sense that the season is stretching awake. It’s not summer busy – and that’s exactly the point.
ARTERIES OF CONNECTION – HOW TRAILS BIND COMMUNITIES TOGETHER
“When we see a bicycle in the city, we rejoice as if we saw nature itself; when we see a bicycle in nature, we rejoice as if we saw two great friends!”
~ Mehmet Murat ildan
Kurt Flaman owns Freedom Bike Shop in Penticton. For him, bicycles are more than just transportation or exercise; they’re the best way to experience a place he loves.
“For the past 25 years, my crew and I have been collaborating on everything from bicycle sales to service to rentals.”
A GEM WITHIN A GEM – CREATING MAGIC WITH MODESTY AND PATIENCE
“Everything in moderation…including moderation.” ~ Julia Child
For Mark Morrison and Tanya Tougas, Modesta Winery didn’t start as a business plan; it was a feeling. A story of a couple trading life in city life for a tiny, mid‑century farmhouse on the Naramata Bench, crafting low‑intervention wines with personality, patience, and a light touch on the land.
THE SEASON BETWEEN SEASONS
The Season Between Seasons
Why early spring might be the most beautiful time to visit the Naramata Bench
There’s a moment on the Naramata Bench when winter hasn’t quite let go, but spring is clearly on its way. The sun lingers longer. The lake starts to stir. The wind feels just a little warmer on your face.
It’s not quite full bloom, not yet – but everything is reaching toward it. And that slow, steady shift might just be the best time to be here.
A CEILING OF STARS
Naramata’s quest to become BC’s first Dark Sky certified community
“All species are impacted by light pollution. Flooding a nocturnal environment with artificial light destroys habitat, no less than bulldozing trees in a rainforest.” — Bettymaya Foott
HARVEST IN NARAMATA
Every season has an end – for a harvest to begin. Embrace the process!” ~ PROPHETESS DINA ROLLE
Seasons of Change
Depending on where you are, each change of season means something different—an evolution from one stage to another. Just as tourism slowed down during the transition from summer to autumn, yet another shift has occurred here in Naramata. When local farmers began rolling up their sleeves to give one final push before Old Man Winter arrives. A time of preparation, reaping the rewards of previous months’ work, and collecting the fruits of their labour.
NATURAL CONNECTION
“ONE TOUCH OF NATURE MAKES THE WHOLE WORLD KIN.” ~ William Shakespeare
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” A common question children hear in their youth. Most have professions on their radars, such as doctors, teachers, firefighters, astronauts … the list goes on, only not long enough.
“Kids aren’t even aware of the job possibilities in the outdoor world at the moment. Like me, I didn’t know I could make a career for myself the way I have. I just thought about traditional work. But there are so many opportunities. You can be a guide or work in conservation, or even be a travel writer. There are so many options that can give you purpose and connect you to your surroundings. It just isn’t common knowledge so most of what’s possible unfortunately flies under the radar.”
A DESTINATION IN ITSELF – EXPLORING THE KETTLE VALLEY RAIL TRAIL AND THE REOPENING OF THE ADRA TUNNEL
A railway turned recreation trail, a tunnel and a new beginning. Carved out by humans, tampered with by Mother Nature, and repaired out of passion, the Adra Tunnel along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail (KVR) has recently reopened to the public after being blocked off for far too long.
A LITTLE RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS – ON THE WATER WITH SUN ‘N SUP
