Picking Information

Current Conditions - June 29, 2009

Strawberries are blooming and green berries are starting to form. We will open for picking sometimes after mid-July. Opening picking day will be annouced about a week in advance, as we continue to monitor crop conditions.

Please note strawberries may be in shorter supply this year because some plants suffered winterkill. There are fewer strawberry plants due to warm temperatures in early/mid April, followed by very cold temperatures last week of April. This will not affect taste or quality on surviving plants, but few plants means fewer berries (yield). Updates will be posted.

Terms of Payment:

CASH ONLY. We no longer are able to accept electronic payments of any kind, therefore please come prepared to pay with cash. Thank you for your understanding.

All berries are sold by weight. There is approximately 5 lbs in a level 4 litre pail.

Cost

All fruit - Check back in July 2009.

What's Available:

Please check back in mid July

Hours - please check back July, 2009

Before driving out to the farm, check this website or call (403) 934-2412 to check on strawberry picking conditions. A recorded message will keep you informed.

Picking/Harvest Season

All dates are approximate, please call to confirm.

Strawberries:

Early July to mid-July, through early August to mid-August. The nature of the Kent strawberry variety (developed in Kentville, Nova Scotia) is that the berries ripen all at once and are gone all at once, over a 4-6 week period. Picking is light for the first week, with supplies steadily increasing into peak season in late July and early August, and lighter picking at season's end.

2003, opened July 13 and closed August 17.
2004, opened July 16 and closed August 15.
2005, opened July 11 and closed August 7.
2006, opened July 6 and closed August 10.
2007, opened July 11 and closed August 6.
2008, opened July 16 and closed August 17.

Vegetables:

During strawberry season until sold out.

Saskatoons:

Varies, but usually mid-July to late July through mid-August.

How to Pick Strawberries

Please respect the field supervisor who will give you verbal instructions. To make your strawberry picking a pleasant experience, we ask that you carefully read and follow these instructions:

Pick ONLY in the row you are assigned. Generally, we assign two people/row. Please leave the adjacent rows for other pickers. You will be asked to begin picking at a pink flag and to place the flag where you finish picking. The next person will begin where you finished - at the pink flag.
As you pick, take special care to ensure that your feet or knees do not accidently damage the plants or the berries on them. Please do not straddle rows.
Pick your row clean by picking ALL red ripe strawberries, small and large. Once berries are red, they do not become any larger. Ripe berries that are not harvested will spoil and rot and be wasted before we return to this area of the field. You will find the red ripe berries ready for you to harvest by parting the leaves with your hands and looking for the berries underneath.
Remove red strawberries from the plant by grasping the stem above each berry between your forefinger and thumbnail and pulling with a slight twisting motion.
With the stem broken about one-half inch from the berry, allow the berry with its green cap (hull) to roll into the palm of your hand. Do not remove the hulls as berries will last longer. NOTE: There is an extra charge for hulled berries.
When you have 3 or 4 berries in each of your hands, to avoid bruising the berries, carefully place (do not throw) them in your container. Also, do not pack down or heap the berries as they will bruise.

Happy Picking!!!

What to Bring

Picnic tables are available, if you wish to bring your lunch. Remember to bring 4 liter pails (if you have them), sunscreen, hat, insect repellent and drinking water. We are open, rain or shine. In case of rain, there is lots of straw between the rows to keep you and the berries from getting muddy. You may get wet, but you will not be muddy.

Strawberries, saskatoons and all vegetables are sold by weight, priced per pound. If you have 4 litre ice cream pails, we encourage you to recycle and bring your own. If you do not have pails, containers will be provided for you.

A cooler with ice packs will keep your produce cool on the drive home.

Farm & Field Rules

As Serviceberry Farms wishes to continue to offer you top quality strawberries, we ask that you note and respect the following:

Pets are NOT allowed on the grounds or in the fields.
Children must remain with an adult and be supervised at all times. Unsupervised children and/or persons not following field rules, will be asked to leave the field.
We cater to individuals and small family units. Due to staff shortages, we no longer are able to accommodate bus or large tour groups. Groups of 10 or more people must contact us in advance (min 48 hours) and we will advise if we are able to accommodate the group.
Minimum charge, 1 pail (5 pounds) for every two people picking in the field (includes children).
There is to be no running in the field OR jumping or stepping over strawberry rows OR throwing of berries.
Pick ONLY the row you are assigned. Please pick all red ripe berries to avoid waste and spoilage. Please leave adjacent rows for other pickers.
Thank you for NOT SMOKING on the farm grounds. In addition to air pollution, this can also be a fire hazard on the dry straw and grass.
Serviceberry Farms is not responsible for injuries, damages, lost or stolen items, however caused...

We at Serviceberry Farms, appreciate your business and thank you for respecting the farm and our desire for our continued livelihood.