Strawberry picking around Vancouver

[Chocoholic]

I am thinking about taking the family out strawberry picking this weekend. Does anybody know a good place for u-pick strawberries at a reasonable (<2hr drive) distance from Vancouver?

[Daddy-A]

A berry picking thread [CLICK] from last year. (Too bad the thread gets somewhat derailed by those two Burnaby boys reminiscing about the good ol' days )

Funny ... the first post in that thread is in June and says we're "almost" at berry season. Are we that early this year?

A.

[Mooshmouse]

Driediger Farms on 72nd Avenue in Langley is where I used to go when my cousins and I were kids.

Thanks for the idea Stephan. It might be high time for me to take Noah on his first berry-picking expedition.

[Dining Diva]

oddly enough, pao pao and i were talking about going strawberry picking as soon as the berries are ready to be plundered. we passed a few fields out in richmond and that looks like a good place to start as any. the link to that thread is great daddy-a! thanks!

[Chocoholic]

It turns out I am too early, I saw somewhere on the web that BC strawberry season is May-July this year which prompted my inquiry. However I just called Driediger Farms and the lady told me I have to wait another month.

[Keith Talent]

How is it that Shelora is talking about fresh berries over on the island?Fresh berries in Victoria?

(edited to add link. Ever helpful so I am.)

Edited May 11, 2005 by Keith Talent (log)

[PaoPao]

Last weekend my boo Yummy, Dining Diva and I drove out to the Westham Island Winery to sample their fruit wines. On the way we passed a few u-pick farms on the island. Here is a link to a map of the Westham Isl. Winery which will get you to the u-pick farms as well. As of last week there wasn't much in the way of picking. Another 2-4 weeks I was told should land you in the middle of the season.

[appreciator]

The Fraser Valley Strawberry Growers Association website has directions to several farms. It appears to be out of date however but does indicate that the season should come into swing around June 10th.

I've been to Bissett Farms several times and have always been pleased with their berries. They have quite the variety of other berries as well as the summer progresses.

[Sam Salmon]

Last year when I was @ Westham Island Winery they had flats of Strawbs for sale -excellent berries for a bargain price as I recall.

[Badiane]

The Strawberry stands out here are in full swing...going to be a short season, so if you want them, this is the weekend to get them. Tomorrow it will be jam jam and more jam at our house. Test driving the fancy new maslin pan from Lee Valley.

[Edible Vancouver]

Up here in the Okanagan, strawberry picking began a couple of days ago. I was out at Covert Farms yesterday eating berries from the fields! If you come up for the weekend, you are sure to get your fill of fresh asparagus, rhubarb and strawberries.

Enjoy!

Eric

[PaoPao]

Saturday we we're off to Westham Island for the opening of Strawberrw season.

The berries we got we're alot smaller than last year and looked a bit rough.

We we're told to come back in about another two weeks and the berries should be looking great then.

[SushiCat]

PaoPao, or others - where/what is Westham Island? I want strawberries and I want them now, (along with summer tomatoes). I know it is too soon on the tomato front, so strawberries would help, but I guess today is not the day ... blasted rain!

Everyone keep us posted on any good pickings!

[PaoPao]

^ Here's a link to a map for the Westham Island Winery. If you follow it you will pass two Strawberry picking Farms (2nd is better and cheaper).

Then another click or two down the road is the Winery to dull those pains in your back from bending over and picking all those berries.

[maxmillan]

Picked strawberries yesterday at No. 4 Road and Steveston. One dollar per pound and decent strawberries. However, next to this farm is Featherstones, my usual haunt, and they are opened TODAY!!!!

Their strawberries are usually good and they cost around $1.10 a pound.

As I said last year, BC strawberries are not as sweet as I remember. They are better than US strawberries still, but I'm finding there's is almost no difference now. Have BC changed the type of seeds they're using?

Good luck with the picking. It looks like another good week left if the weather holds out.

[rm_blizzard]

For anyone heading up to Whistler, McEwans farm in Pemberton opened for picking today ($1.25/lb). We'll be feeding ourselves strawberries from there for the next few weeks, then it will be raspberry season over at Sturdy's.

[Sam Salmon]

As I said last year, BC strawberries are not as sweet as I remember.  They are better than US strawberries still, but I'm finding there's is almost no difference now.  Have BC changed the type of seeds they're using?

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Yes the varieities of Strawberry have changed/are always changing.Todays berries are hardier but certainly less flavourful than those of yore.

I remember buying some one year @ a place in Richmond-they tasted like potatoes

[Jeffy Boy]

Picked up a flat today at Surrey Farms (152nd & 51ish) for $9.99. Some great strawberries! Ate a whole bunch for lunch right over the kitchen sink. Doesn't get any better.

[sanrensho]

As I said last year, BC strawberries are not as sweet as I remember.  They are better than US strawberries still, but I'm finding there's is almost no difference now.

Out of season US (California) strawberries used to be almost uniformly atrocious until 1-1.5 years ago. Recent US strawberries have been much better and are, more often than not, acceptably sweet.

[Mooshmouse]

An article in this Tuesday's edition of the Langley Advance heralds the arrival of strawberry season in BC. A list of Fraser Valley farms is included in "Agriculture: Berries delicious".

"Our strawberry fields are the best they have been in 10 years," said Mike Driediger of Langley's Driediger Farms. "We had lots of sunshine at the right time and everything came together perfectly. We are expecting excellent strawberries; size and quality should be great this year"

Driediger reminded strawberry lovers that the season for the red berries will be too short for most people that are used to supermarket shopping: "Our harvest season will be over by the end of June or earlier if we get hot weather."

[sanrensho]

It's that time of the year again.

Does anybody know of any farms open this weekend? The BC Strawberries site pegs the start of the season as June 18.

Thanks in advance.

[CanadianBakin']

I live in Mission and work in Abbotsford and I haven't seen any U-pick strawberry signs up anywhere. The roadside stalls that are common during berry season are not up yet either. My guess would be that it's a bit too early. If I notice them in the next while, I'll post.

Edited June 10, 2006 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[sanrensho]

I live in Mission and work in Abbotsford and I haven't seen any U-pick strawberry signs up anywhere. The roadside stalls that are common during berry season are not up yet either. My guess would be that it's a bit too early. If I notice them in the next while, I'll post.

Thanks, CanadianBakin'! I guess the heavy rainfall last evening didn't help things. That would be great if you could let us know once the U-pick gets going.

BTW, do you happen to have a favorite U-pick place for strawberries? I was pleased with the raspberry U-pick at Driediger Farms last year, but I'm not really familiar with the other U-pick places in the area.

If confidentiality is an issue, please send me a PM!

[demiglace]

I got a post card from Krause Berry Farms today..it says harvesting for strawberries starts June 15 but to call ahead to confirm

6179 248th Street Aldergrove

Raspberries July 1

Blackberries July 15

Blueberries July 20

Cukes, Corn and Veggies Aug 1

[sanrensho]

I got a post card from Krause Berry Farms today..it says harvesting for strawberries starts June 15 but to call ahead to confirm

6179 248th Street Aldergrove

Raspberries July 1

Blackberries July 15

Blueberries July 20

Cukes, Corn and Veggies Aug 1

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Thanks for posting the above info. Mmmmmm, raspberries. (Begins taping wrists and forearms in anticipation of raspberry thorns...)