The fruit season is on its way, coming in early- to mid-July, when haskaps and cherries start things off, followed by many other delicious Saskatchewan offerings — to help you get ready, the Moose Jaw Express is highlighting three orchards in the region that shouldn’t be missed!
Bouvier’s Berry Basket
Bouvier’s Berry Basket, owned and operated by Elaine Bouvier, is just about two hours drive south and west of Moose Jaw, between Kincaid and Glenbain. It has been open to the public since 2000.
“I started the u-pick in about ’91 or ’92, and just planted a couple of rows. I was thinking, you know, maybe there will be enough for us, and maybe a couple of neighbours might come by,” Bouvier explained.
“So, every year I just add a few hundred more trees. It takes between six and seven years for things to really start producing, so I didn’t start selling in larger amounts until around 2002 to 2005. It takes a while to get established.”
Bouvier is now retired, and loves putting her time into her orchard, although she notes it is a labour-intensive job, dependent on the weather and often at the mercy of pests such as grasshoppers, which stripped many bushes bare last year.
Haskaps and strawberries are first, followed by Saskatoon berries, raspberries, and cherries. Apples are in September.
“It’s worth coming down every few weeks in July and August to see what we have,” Bouvier said. “It doesn’t all happen at once. … We quite enjoy having people out. At first I was a little concerned, because yeah, you’re inviting strangers into your yard, but we’ve made lots of really good friends over the years. Most people are appreciative and good to work with.”
Bouvier recommends always calling before heading out to a u-pick so you can hear what’s currently fruiting and get advice about what to bring for the outing. She can be followed on Facebook and on her website at bouviersberrybasket.com, and contacted at 306-264-7980.
Bend in the River Berries
Bend in the River Berries is located less than 15 minutes south of Moose Jaw and includes the Urban Escape Café and the well-reviewed two-room Orchard View Bed and Breakfast. Their season typically starts between July 5 and 10, depending on the weather.
Saskatoons, haskaps, gooseberries, and rhubarb are the first to ripen, followed by sour cherries and raspberries. The orchard also offers pre-picked bags of Saskatoons and sour cherries.
The Orchard View Bed and Breakfast is open now until September 9, and can be booked by calling owner Lisa Thul at 306-630-7074, or on their website at bendintheriverberries.com.
“We do also post on our Facebook page,” Thul said, “so people can follow us there for when we have a better window of when our picking season will start.”
Bend in the River Berries is at facebook.com/upickberries.
“And then, the Urban Escape Café is only open during berry-picking season, typically just the month of July,” Thul added. “We offer just desserts there, so pies, frozen pies, milkshakes, sundaes, jams, cheesecake-in-a-jar, that kind of thing.”
Treasure Valley Markets
Treasure Valley Markets is just over two hours drive from Moose Jaw, approximately 50 kilometres south of Swift Current. It is a historic farm, homesteaded by Karl and Adeline Metke in 1912, and still in the family. They grow a bit of everything: strawberries, Saskatoon berries, haskaps, sour cherries, raspberries, plums, pears, apples, and more, which means their picking season can often extend right into October.
They also have a large selection of vegetables, and their own apiary for honey.
“It’s a market garden u-pick, a petting zoo, ice cream shop, playground,” said Linda Metke. “It’s one of these mixed-up farms.”
The farm/orchard is named for its dam, deemed an irrigation ‘treasure’ by the Metke family when they finished it in 1939. It supplies all of the farm’s irrigation needs, and also provides recreational activities — visitors can take paddleboats out on the water and see ducks, geese, and possibly even a turtle or two.
There are golf carts to take around the farm, pies, jams, jellies, pickles, and sauerkraut for sale, tours showing off the innovative irrigation system and organic farm practices, a picnic area, a fire pit, and lots of games to play.
“It’s over 100 years old now, and we’re always improving,” Metke said. “I have a website with some pictures and you can read up on the history of the farm, how the dam came to be and all that.
“Spring was a little later this year, but usually things are getting going in the first week of July. We can’t wait to start welcoming people out.”
Learn more at treasurevalleymarkets.com, and give Linda a call at 306-785-4602 to plan your visit.
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