Strawberries

I currently grow strawberries hydroponically using a grow bag and channel system of my own design in the 20′ x 72′ high tunnel greenhouse.  I can plant 1200 day-neutral strawberry plants in this one greenhouse.  I plant in late April and they bear fruit from early July through late November.  Extending the season well beyond the normal June bearing varieties.  Field grown June-bearing strawberries are also available.

Haskaps

In the spring of 2014 my wife and I planted a one acre orchard consisting of 1000 Haskap (Honeyberry) bushes of 6 different varieties.  For those that do not know what a Haskap berry is I will tell a little about them.  They are a blue honeysuckle berry of Japanese and Siberian origins.  They are known as the fruit of “Long Life and Good Eyesight” in Japan and are held in high regard by the Japanese people for their nutritional properties ( See the chart below).  As you can see they have high levels of Vitamin C, Potassium, Phenolic compounds, and antioxidants.  Their flavor has been likened to a combination of blueberry, raspberry, and elderberry with a zing.  They can be used as a replacement for blueberries in many recipes and many new products from wines, beer, spirits, syrups, and even food coloring are being developed from this unique berry.  Our orchard should begin producing marketable quantities of berries this year and should be in full production in two years.  The berries are one of the first to ripen in the summer and are harvested in late June and early July before strawberry season.  I will be posting updates on  my blog page as the year progresses.