Bumper crop expected for Manitoba strawberries

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This article was published 02/07/2024 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Oh, how sweet it is.

After raising cattle and hogs, Angie Cormier decided to try something new, so she planted strawberries on one acre of the farm she owns with her husband near La Salle, south of Winnipeg, 18 years ago.

Cormier’s Berry Patch U-pick operation has grown to 15 acres.

“We really love that we can grow something that can bring people so much joy and that we’ve been able to be a part of those family memories for those that have come out year after year,” said Cormier.

She and her husband enjoy farming even more thanks to the berry-pickers. Cormier’s number one tip is to check with local growers about when they will open before heading out.

Cormier, who is the executive director of the Prairie Fruit Growers Association, expects the upcoming season to be a bumper crop.

Rainy weather and cool temperatures during the spring were perfect for Manitoba-grown berries, said Cormier. It allows the berries to slowly ripen, taste sweeter and grow larger.

In previous springs, there’s been less rain, which makes Cormier and other farmers appreciate the rain that’s fallen this year.

She said berry growers usually have some form of irrigation, but nothing can replace a downpour.

She said demand for local berries, especially strawberries, has grown following the COVID-19 pandemic and there’s more despite to support local growers and businesses.

“We are all seeing, as fruit growers, that there are more people interested in coming out to our farms just to see where their food comes from,” said Cormier.

“We have this great opportunity as one of the only commodities in agriculture that’s allowing people to come to our farms to harvest their own food and to see the processes that are involved in growing the fruits that they eat.”

At Jardins St-Léon Gardens in Norwood, Louisa Glenn and their partner, Kristen Luongo, were shopping for local berries and vegetables. The pair, who arrived in Winnipeg on a road trip from Nashville, went to the garden market because they wanted fresh fruit and vegetables that were locally sourced.

“We find that people in these sorts of places are more knowledgeable about the food that they’re selling or that they’re growing and the result is a healthier and better selection,” said Glenn on Monday.

Glenn was looking for any niche fruit, such as haskap berries, which are the first batch of local berries at the market.

Colin Rémillard, co-owner of Jardins St-Léon Gardens, said haskap berries have gone from an unknown variety to a well-loved berry in the province.

However, strawberries are the real crowd-pleaser.

“It’s like the Honda Civic for Honda. It’s basically the biggest-selling item we have,” said Rémillard. “Once the strawberries come in, everyone is under the impression that summer has started.”

The arrival of strawberries also marks when fresh produce is delivered daily and when the most customers head to St-Léon Gardens.

Rémillard hopes to have boxes of fresh local strawberries ready for sale by next week. The market also brings in local raspberries, saskatoons, sour cherries and gooseberries throughout the summer.

Because Manitoba’s growing season can be unpredictable, Rémillard tries to adapt with the changes and bring in produce he knows he can sell.

While the wet spring was great for berries, Rémillard said it’s had a negative effect on vegetables.

“When it comes to rain, it’s physically difficult to harvest when it’s wet in the fields,” said Rémillard. “Yeah, like crops like rain but it’s tough for the farmers.”

Rémillard expects to have more vegetables arrive as the summer goes on, including local potatoes which are the best-selling vegetable at the market.

matthew.frank@freepress.mb.ca