Perhaps to some people it seems odd that we can grow strawberries this far north! But as you can see, it is possible. The strawberries flourish with help from my owners, Sue and Gerry, and all the kids that come and help them take care of the plants and berries throughout the season. Of course, I also help; I am a great supervisor!
First the fields need to be prepared...
Then its time for planting! We get our plants from Nova Scotia and they arrive near the middle of May. Every year we plant new plants. The year the plants are planted we remove the blossoms so that they won't make strawberries, but rather will make runners to make even more plants. Then the following summer there will be lots of strawberries on them. So every year, half of the fields are growing strawberries for next year and half of them are growing strawberries for this year. This way we get the best quality berries!
Because of our northerly location we do get frost well into June and the strawberry plants need protection from the cold. The way we protect them is by spraying water on them on the cold nights. It may seem like an odd way to keep plants from getting too cold, but it works! This is also the way we irrigate the fields.
The strawberries growing nicely, with the help of me and humans...
Near the end of June all the hard work pays off and there are strawberries galore...
And then all the people come and pick their own strawberries.
The resulting bucket of fresh delicious strawberries!
Kids do all the selling and help lots with the work on the farm. Its fun and educational for the young workers. Here they proudly display their product!
In the fall the plants that will make the berries next year need to be protected from the cold winter. All the plants are covered in a nice warm blanket of straw so they will be ready to start growing their big red strawberries next year! The plants that made the berries already in the summer are pulled out of the ground and new ones will be planted in their place in the spring. And the cycle continues!
