source: Farm and Food Report
When one looks at the Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association’s (SFGA) map of members’ location, one gets a sense that there is something special happening here.
Charon Blakley, the SFGA’s Secretary-Treasurer, couldn’t agree more.
“There are 71 listings of different orchards with 15 different fruits available to pick across Saskatchewan. Some people have no idea of how diversified our fruit offerings are. Of course, strawberries and saskatoons are the most popular fruits that are picked.”
Many people are getting into raspberry and cherry production, and apples are also gaining in popularity.
“The pickers can be a family dying to get out of town — into the countryside. They long for the quality, the taste and the juiciness. Freshness is everything to them and they will drive a long way to acquire what they seek.”
Marilynn Lazorko owns LorMar Orchard with her husband Lorne at Bankend, near the Quill Lakes, where they grows mostly strawberries and saskatoons.
“We have folks driving as much as 75 kilometers just to come out here, because we are the closest strawberry grower to them. They seek the fresh fruit, but they also come because they enjoy the whole experience. We have planted grass between our rows of saskatoons and placed straw between the rows of strawberries, for the comfort of the pickers and the efficiency of the growing plants.”
“We have some seniors who like to park their car right between the rows. This makes it more convenient for them and more pleasurable in general. We started this agricultural diversification adventure 10 years ago and we have since added raspberries, Nanking cherries, highbush cranberries, tart cherries, grapes, apples,chokecherries and pincherries.”
“Whether you pick your own or buy at a local market, fresh berries are always a treat. Saskatoon’s are available year-round, fresh or frozen.”
Here is a basic schedule of availability for fresh fruits:
Saskatoon berries are usually ready from mid-July to mid August.
Strawberries can be picked from late-June through to September.
Raspberries are ripe from mid-July to late August.
Apples, which many producers grow organically, are available from late August to late September, depending on the variety.
Chokecherries await pickers from late August to early September.
To help the fruit lovers get the most out of what finds its way into their basket, the SFGA is publishing a fruit recipe book titled “The Fruits of Our Labours.”
You can acquire your copy of this 50-page colour cookbook by calling 1-877-97-FRUIT.
To find out more about the Saskatchewan fruit industry, visit: http://www.saskfruit.com
Charon Blakley
Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association
(306) 743-5333
http://www.saskfruit.com
Marilynn Lazorko
LorMar Orchard
(306) 576-2336
When one looks at the Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association’s (SFGA) map of members’ location, one gets a sense that there is something special happening here.
Charon Blakley, the SFGA’s Secretary-Treasurer, couldn’t agree more.
“There are 71 listings of different orchards with 15 different fruits available to pick across Saskatchewan. Some people have no idea of how diversified our fruit offerings are. Of course, strawberries and saskatoons are the most popular fruits that are picked.”
Many people are getting into raspberry and cherry production, and apples are also gaining in popularity.
“The pickers can be a family dying to get out of town — into the countryside. They long for the quality, the taste and the juiciness. Freshness is everything to them and they will drive a long way to acquire what they seek.”
Marilynn Lazorko owns LorMar Orchard with her husband Lorne at Bankend, near the Quill Lakes, where they grows mostly strawberries and saskatoons.
“We have folks driving as much as 75 kilometers just to come out here, because we are the closest strawberry grower to them. They seek the fresh fruit, but they also come because they enjoy the whole experience. We have planted grass between our rows of saskatoons and placed straw between the rows of strawberries, for the comfort of the pickers and the efficiency of the growing plants.”
“We have some seniors who like to park their car right between the rows. This makes it more convenient for them and more pleasurable in general. We started this agricultural diversification adventure 10 years ago and we have since added raspberries, Nanking cherries, highbush cranberries, tart cherries, grapes, apples,chokecherries and pincherries.”
“Whether you pick your own or buy at a local market, fresh berries are always a treat. Saskatoon’s are available year-round, fresh or frozen.”
Here is a basic schedule of availability for fresh fruits:
Saskatoon berries are usually ready from mid-July to mid August.
Strawberries can be picked from late-June through to September.
Raspberries are ripe from mid-July to late August.
Apples, which many producers grow organically, are available from late August to late September, depending on the variety.
Chokecherries await pickers from late August to early September.
To help the fruit lovers get the most out of what finds its way into their basket, the SFGA is publishing a fruit recipe book titled “The Fruits of Our Labours.”
You can acquire your copy of this 50-page colour cookbook by calling 1-877-97-FRUIT.
To find out more about the Saskatchewan fruit industry, visit: http://www.saskfruit.com
Charon Blakley
Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association
(306) 743-5333
http://www.saskfruit.com
Marilynn Lazorko
LorMar Orchard
(306) 576-2336
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