Sing me your songs you Lake Country Girls…
Bruce Coughlan’s song casts a spell over the listener as he regales us about the story of the Lake Country Applebox Belles. This raconteur always strives to be authentic, and is taking care to make sure that his latest song contains accurate details about the workers of the apple packing houses. His website, https://songsmith.ca/, describes him as a “soul singer, songsmith, and celtic balladeer.” (A person who sings ballads.) His songs are a reflection of the many paths he has tread during his decades-long career as a musician. He’s had a long career with 14 albums, beginning in 1984. And he’s not done yet!
One of Bruce’s current projects is writing a song about Lake Country. He focuses on the Applebox Belles. So who were these Belles of the applebox?
The Okanagan Valley has a long history as an agricultural hub. During the First World War, when the men went off to fight overseas, the women stepped up and answered the call to work. They worked in factories, shops, and most importantly for us, the apple packing houses. Who here hasn’t driven past an apple orchard? In the old days, each apple, once picked, had to be sorted and wrapped manually. And it all fell to the Applebox Belles to do it. The “summer girls” came from all over – Oyama, Nelson, and elsewhere.
The job was difficult. The women had to work as fast as they could. It was piece work, so the more apples they packed, the more money they made. The long hours spent bent over boxes strained the back, and the constant fast wrist movements could contribute to carpal tunnel. But even though it was a hard job, it was a good job. The women took pride in how fast they could work. They participated in apple packing competitions that took place in the packing houses – locally, regionally, nationally, and even internationally!
In fact, in 1937, Winnie from Winfield went to compete in an international apple packing competition in England. She proved herself the fastest apple packer of them all, and won. What other community can say that they’re the home of world class apple packers? Not only that, but what community can say that an excellent artist like Bruce Coughlan has taken an interest in a facet of their history?
Few can… Except for some of the communities here in BC. Bruce Coughlan has written many songs over his five decade-long career, featuring subjects and characters such as the steamboat Jamiesons, five brothers who had the hardest luck and all died in various accidents while piloting their steamboats. (Except for the sixth brother, who wisely stayed home in Scotland.) Bruce Coughlan entwines music and history wonderfully, and his next work will not disappoint.
A song for the Applebox Belles…
By Jintia Ross-Van Mierlo