What’s a Farm Family Without a Tractor!
Four generations have enjoyed the 9N tractor which was used on the Bee & Thistle Orchard farm. From oldest to youngest: our father, Ron MacInnis, followed by his son, Peter, the CEO of both the Bee & Thistle Orchard and Bee & Thistle Winery. The third picture is Peter’s son, Ben, followed by Ben’s son, Blake.
Ben MacInnis
Peter and Margie’s son, Ben, came from Victoria, BC twice to help with winery construction activities. His industry expertise was invaluable for designing the front and back walls of the winery; he had considerable acumen calculating the best way to lift and place the winery’s steel ribs. Ben is a professional drywaller and has two apprentices working under him; he subcontracts to a well-known finishing firm in Victoria.
Devon MacInnis
Collin’s son, Devon, joined us for the 2019 harvest. His main role was to transport the Haskap berries from the orchard to the processing station. Once at the processing station, he moved and washed the berries through the system quickly for immediate freezing.
Shane MacInnis
Collin’s son, Shane, joined us for the 2020 harvest. Shane assisted with time-sensitive processing tasks required to freeze all berries before transporting them on pallets to a commercial freezer in Saskatoon. Shane was also tasked with ensuring daily operational activities had the necessary inventory in place prior to harvester startup. Shane was an asset in helping Collin position and fasten the decorative siding to the front and back walls of the winery. Shane has his Professional Cooking Diploma; he is currently enrolled in the Butchery and Charcuterie Management program at SAIT. His future looks bright!