Over the past few weeks, I’ve been updating a few of my website resource materials (as one does when one has some time and some motivation). This has gotten me thinking about the past (and the future). Over the years, I’ve had lots of opportunities to think about and provide some counsel, suggestions, or recommendations to lots of different people that were/are considering starting up or getting into the fruit industry. Most of them have been specifically interested in the berry industry on the Canadian Prairies (being located here), but there have been others in other countries (Scotland, USA, etc.). It is a fascinating opportunity to get a glimpse into someone’s blossoming passion for something new and see a little bit of what they see and feel a bit of what they feel. It is exciting to be able to fill in the blanks and provide information and connections that bridge the gaps. The challenge comes when you have to pick apart their passion or douse the “flames of enthusiasm” with a bit of the “waters of reality”. As a consultant, that’s the job, and it is interesting.
Feeling thus inspired by these thoughts, I decided to put together a couple of blog articles about the opportunities that I see for prairie fruit production.
For this article, I am going to focus on bush fruit crops, which I will differentiate from shorter duration or lower statured berry fruit (which will be the subsequent blog post). Bush and berry crops are often lumped together in the overall industry, but they differ a fair bit in some of the specifics. I want to give a quick description of the crop, and then provide a few points for (obvious/potential wins) and a few points against (cautions) each of them. Then, I’ll share one or two things that I think would be the most important thing to consider for each crop. It won’t be all-inclusive or comprehensive, but maybe it’ll give you something to think about, which is what I think information sharing is all about.
Saskatoon berries
Saskatoon berries are a classic Prairie fruit. They are definitely the standard for all Prairie bush fruit crops and have the largest number of acres in production. Saskatoons are native to the Canadian Prairies, although you’ll hear mention of them from time to time in other regions (usually by another common name). As a proud Saskatchewan boy, there is a big place in my heart for this tasty, smoky-sweet fruit.
Saskatoons are juvenile for about 4 years, and usually reach their productive peak around 8 years. They don’t require multiple varieties to be fruitful, so you can just plant one type and you are all set. Saskatoons can be hand-picked or can be set up for mechanical harvest with either over-the-row or side-row harvesters. A healthy orchard can last decades with regular maintenance pruning. A properly pruned and maintained plant will be around 6-8 feet tall, but an overgrown one can reach much greater heights and widths. Saskatoons can be grown without supplemental water after establishment, but may be more productive with a more consistent water supply.
Saskatoons are typically harvested starting in mid-July, concluding in mid-August (depending on the season and the cultivars you are growing). Saskatoons are typically frozen and then processed into pies, sauces, jams/jellies, and other products that can use a frozen product. They can be eaten fresh, but don’t have a very long fresh shelflife.
Opportunities / Pros
- For anyone that has been on the Prairies for any length of time, the Saskatoon is well known, which makes the marketing pretty straightforward (see Challenges for the “but”).
- This is a native crop, and is very reliably hardy and tolerant of our climate, so there is rarely any concern about winter survival in most areas, provided you don’t kill it in some other more creative way.
- This crop can be grown without supplemental moisture, once it is established, but would benefit from supplemental, surface-applied water, if you have it.
- This crop is compatible with other bush fruit, in terms of equipment and operational function, so you could have multiple bush fruit crops and make it work pretty efficiently.
- In terms of harvest timing, Saskatoons fit in and around Haskaps and June-bearing strawberries, and come before Dwarf Sour Cherries, Raspberries, and Black Currants.
- You (and your minions and/or customers) can probably comfortably u-pick 5 acres without too much difficulty, but once you get to 10, it might be challenging. The ROI/benefit for a mechanical harvester definitely improves over 10 acres, closer to 20.
Challenges / Cons
- But, despite how well known this fruit is on the Canadian Prairies, there are lots of people that aren’t familiar with it, and may prefer other similar fruit (like, <gag>, blueberries). It will require some work to reach those new customers, as there are very limited amounts available in your average grocery store, which is going to limit easy exposure.
- Getting into alternative or less common markets (like retail) will be challenging.
- Saskatoons take quite awhile to reach a mature, fully-productive stage of production, needing about 8 years to really hit their peak productivity.
- To stay productive, regular renewal pruning will be required in the dormant season (winter/very early spring) – it is a lot of work.
- Since this is a native crop, there are lots of pests (diseases/insects) that are very familiar with Saskatoons and can/will have a significant impact on this crop. As a result, it is almost impossible to grow without some protective pesticide applications. I won’t fully close that door, but it is really hard.
- This crop requires a lot of labour for a fairly short period of time, meaning you will either need to pair this with other crops to stretch things out and make it easier to find workers, or you will need to find the right workers. You’ll also need staff to work farmers markets, if you go that route.
Key Advice
- While Saskatoons are pretty straightforward to grow, they aren’t super competitive while they are establishing. You will need to take good care of them while they start their journey, and you will need to invest a great deal of time and effort preparing things for them (which reduces the required effort after, thankfully)
- Success in Saskatoons really comes down to being (and staying) ahead of the potential issues. This means that you need to anticipate and proactively address the problems, whether they are pests, marketing, etc.
Haskaps
Haskaps, or Edible Blue Honeysuckle, or Honeyberries (not my preferred descriptor), are a relatively new crop on the Prairie fruit scene. This crop really started to hit the spotlight in the mid-late 2000s, and hasn’t really looked back after the first commercial cultivars were released. While the Haskaps that most (Canadian) people will be familiar with originated out of the University of Saskatchewan fruit breeding program, this crop has leaped far beyond the Canadian Prairies and can now be found growing pretty much from coast to coast, as well as in parts of the United States.
Haskap is a tough and durable bush fruit that has origins in the northern islands of Japan and in Siberia. It is also a really great tasting and healthy fruit, with incredible juice colour. The fruit itself is unique in both shape and flavor. I always describe it as a bit of an elongated blueberry. It tends to taste a bit like a Saskatoon berry / raspberry / blueberry, without the seediness of Saskatoons, or the skin-feel of blueberry. The plant doesn’t get too big and doesn’t grow too fast, but it can take pretty much anything our winters throw at it. It has been the fastest growing fruit in terms of acreage expansion in the Prairies, I’d say.
Opportunities / Pros
- This is a really hardy crop, with very little risk of winter damage or death
- The stature of the Haskap means that you don’t need as much space to grow it, even if you are planning on mechanically harvesting it
- Haskap is compatible with the rest of the Prairie bush fruit, and can be picked by hand or mechanically, although it would be best with a harvester that can get low to the ground
- There are few pests and problems for this crop, so far
- These plants don’t sucker, with shoots growing from the base of the stem, so pruning isn’t as huge an issue.
Challenges / Cons
- This fruit requires careful consideration of pollination and compatible pollinizers. Thankfully, with new cultivars being developed and released, with this sort of consideration in mind, it is easier than it was initially.
- These are pretty tender and delicate fruits, so they need to be dealt with very quickly after harvest, as they deteriorate quickly. Flash or quick freezing is best, if you want to preserve their unique shape and not have a drippy, staining, mess.
- This isn’t a tall plant, and can be challenging to harvest if you have the branches near the soil surface. The fruit can also fall off easily (although newer cultivars have solved this mostly).
- Birds. They are a major problem. You will need to consider netting this crop, to ensure that you actually get a crop off.
Key Advice
- Like all prairie fruit, spend the time before planting preparing the soil and getting weeds and other potential problems under control. It’ll save you a lot of pain and effort in the future.
- Make all your plans in advance, including bird management (netting) and harvest methods, to help reduce the challenges of adjusting after the fact
Dwarf Sour Cherries
Dwarf Sour Cherries are mainly those that were developed out of the University of Saskatchewan, and produce some sour/tart cherries of incredible quality. One of the first DSC producers in Canada made a chocolate-covered cherry that was given to Queen Elizabeth.
This crop is self-compatible, so you don’t need more than one plant or cultivar to get a crop. Bees will increase pollination. Having more than one cultivar will spread out your harvest to some degree. This crop can be hand or mechanically harvested, or somewhere in between.
As a tart cherry, DSC are mostly used for processed products, ranging from jams/jellies/sauces to juices and pies. They have tremendous colour and sweetness for a tart cherry.
Opportunities / Pros
- This Prairie-hardy shrub/tree can be trained/grown as a tall multi-stem shrub or single stem tree. It is dwarf on its own rootstock, meaning if dieback occurs, it will come up true to the crown.
- Once it reaches maturity and peak productivity, a DSC bush can produce a good yield.
- Most flowering occurs over the course of about 1 week, making harvest fairly uniform.
- This crop is harvested after most of the other bush fruit and berries, other than fall-bearing raspberries and day neutral strawberries.
Challenges / Cons
- As a member of the genus Prunus, DSC is susceptible to Black knot, which is a pervasive and common disease.
- It can take about 5 years to reach a decent level of production.
- Harvest can be challenging, requiring specific equipment and/or planning to ensure it is smooth. Hand harvesting is possible.
- Cherries are sensitive to spring frosts, and harvest-time rainfall.
Key Advice
- Like all fruit, spend the time before establishment working to build a solid foundation that will reduce competition and supply the needs of the crop. Add in preparation to avoid Black knot, such as ensuring that there aren’t other hosts around to supply the inoculum.
- Be prepared for post-harvest processing, as this is where most value will come from.
Black Currants
Black currants (or red, white, or pink) are a pretty popular crop in certain parts of the world, and for a time, were a pretty significant crop in Alberta. Now, there aren’t all that many acres of commercial black currants left, but it is still a nice crop, and has a place in the industry.
Black currants are a pretty hardy crop. Despite their locational preferences, they do reasonably well in most spots. You don’t need more than one variety or cultivar to grow these, but multiple varieties can stretch out your harvest period. Black currants don’t grow super tall, and can be harvested mechanically or by hand. They benefit from a little bit of early season fertilization, and supplemental water will make your harvests more consistent, but dryland production is possible.
Opportunities / Pros
- There are lots of opportunities for different value-added processed products, as it is a more well known crop than some others.
- The time to maturity and productivity isn’t terribly long, although it will take several years.
Challenges / Cons
- There are several pests of this crop that can be problematic, if they get established. Careful monitoring and management will be required.
- This crop has some specific needs in terms of their growing conditions.
Key Advice
- Have a clear market and labour strategies. This isn’t as obvious a crop as some of the others, so make sure you know who will buy it, and what you might do with it.
Other bush fruit
There are other bush fruit crops out there, but most of them occupy a pretty minor place in the industry, whether as shelterbelt crops, or as some novelty product.