2005 News

Strawberry Picking Season Underway!

June 17, 2005

By Kim Thompson

Get your buckets ready because it is strawberry picking season in the Pemberton Valley. Berry pickers have a three-week window to get June-bearing strawberries from McEwan’s Farm and North Arm Farm, both near Pemberton.

Potential pickers are encouraged to bring buckets and a willingness to get dirty. Jordan Sturdy, North Arm Farm owner, said pickers can skip their daily yoga sessions. North Arm Farm is in the shadow of Mount Currie and the buckets fill up fast. Allen McEwan of McEwan’s Farm admits there is a technique to picking the right berry. He said the McEwan variety is not a deep red colour like store-bought varieties. His strawberries tend to be orangish in colour and he recommends picking the strawberries with colour right to the tip of the fruit.

“The start of our season varies a little bit with the weather and we had a little earlier-than-average start this year. The berries ripen according to sunlight,” McEwan said.
Both farms are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

McEwan said Pemberton is a prime location for strawberry production. “We have a great place for growing any of these crops because of the soil, water and climate,” he said. “We also run a ready-pick service for those who prefer to phone ahead.”

The strawberries at North Arm Farm are also ripe for the picking. Sturdy said folks need to process the fruits right after they’re picked because they are fed with organic fertilizer rather than fungicides and pesticides. He said people should not expect berries to look bright and shiny after a few days in the fridge.

“Jams should be made quickly and you won’t see our berries in the local supermarkets because they don’t have the same shelf life of a commercial berry,” Sturdy said. “If we get hot and dry weather, the berries should firm up a little bit. Overall, our crop is in good shape.”

Local berries have short but brilliant life as a mo re flavourful version of the store varieties. Sturdy plants six to eight different strawberry varieties and also grows day-neutral strawberries for picking later in the summer.

“June-bearing berries ripen around summer solstice, whereas the day-neutral strawberries stick around until September,” Sturdy said. “We also have high-alpine berries, which go to the restaurants. I think you get two berries on your $30 plate.”
North Arm Farm is located between Pemberton and Mount Currie along Highway 99. McEwan’s Farm is north of Pemberton on Pemberton Meadows Road.