Berry farmers in Manitoba have run into some challenges this season, with excessive heat and heavy rain.
Some berry farmers in the Keystone Province are reporting significant loss of crops, and damage to fields due to less than ideal weather.
But George Neudorf, owner of Grand Valley Strawberries in Brandon, tells CKDM things have been going well on his end — and has already started welcoming the public to start picking.
“We’ve been fortunate too with the weather. After the rain, we’ve had some good wind and some sun — so that helps to dry things up and get things back on track,” he said.
He tells us the protocol for picking berries will be a bit different this year, with provincial guidelines requiring physical distancing and increased hand hygiene. He says visitors to the farm will have all the new rules explained to them before picking.
One other important rule on berry farms this year — no eating while you're out in the field.
Wayne Brezden, co-owner of Saskatoon Place about 5 miles north of Asheville, says the province’s rule against eating while you pick shouldn’t be an issue, saying it’s “something we’ve never had a problem with anyway.”
(CKDM personality Tamara Michèle at Saskatoon Place in 2019)
Brezden says he’s got between 4 to 5 acres of Saskatoons berries, and that things are looking good, despite a late start to the growing season.
“Actually, right now we are looking at having one of the best crops that we’ve had in years. We attribute that to the dry spring that we had. Saskatoon berries do not like wet; the fact that we’ve had a really dry spring has really helped us. We’re looking at a really good harvest.”
Brezden expects the public will be able to start picking his Saskatoons in the 3rd week of July — all depending on the weather.
