All images copyright Melissa and Dave Dobernigg. Used with permission.

an okanagan orchard with stories to tell—one glass at a time

The Doberniggs have been on the farm since Frank and Anna Dobernigg moved their family from Alberta in 1946. 

They bought the orchard from pioneer and taxidermist, William C. Pound. He had established the orchard after buying the 6000 acre ranch in Vernon from Frances Jones Barnard of “The Barnard’s Express”, an iconic stagecoach company that serviced the interior of BC during the famed Caribou Gold Rush and beyond. The introduction of the automobile and rail system may have caused the demise of the “BX”, but the name lives on at the farm and in their Character Series Ciders.

The family is thankful for this heritage and would like to acknowledge that the land on which the orchard grows is the unceded territory of the Syilx (Okanagan) Peoples.

Dave Dobernigg took over orcharding full-time in the early 2000’s. In 2008-2009, as a way of adding value to the business, Melissa travelled to the state of Washington to take cider-making courses from renowned cider authority Peter Mitchell. After that, any time not spent with apple trees or her family was spent learning and perfecting the art of making cider. 

In 2013, they formed The BX Press Cidery & Orchard (BX Press). Since then, production and sales have grown with each season. The cidery building itself was expanded in 2018 and in 2019 they added a pizza oven and patio to host live music events. They have expanded the BX Press culinary experience to include a small farm-to-table restaurant that complements their ciders and extends the season for visitors.