We couldn't have made it through this berry season without our amazing community of supporters, seasonal staff and incredible harvesters! I have spent the last week since we formally closed the harvest trying to wrap my head around all that our 2024 season was, and find words to sum it up.
In short, we harvested double the berries we brought in last year, in almost half the time, starting two weeks earlier than usual. There were more people for pick your own than we have previously had; and to top it off, the seasonal progression didn't follow the usual pattern because of the climatic conditions of 2024 in our area.
Incredibly, we had more than 50 people register to be hand harvesters with us; and due to equipment and capacity issues in our processing space, we had to limit that number to a dedicated crew of 15. We had a team that was a fantastic mix of international students from Collège Boréal and also St. Charles locals. They brought tears of joy to my eyes a few times with their community and spirit in the fields. With 6 different countries from the West Coast of Africa, and Canada, represented, there was singing, laughter, hard work and a cultural exchange taking place that was an incredible and beautiful thing to behold. La francophonie du monde était ici à la ferme en pleine forme!
Back at the shop, our dedicated seasonal staff worked hard sorting, cleaning and packaging all the berries brought in for fresh market and the freezer. It was a non-stop stream of beautiful haskap to be hand-sorted and carefully prepared. We ended up having to borrow additional freezer space at another local farm and from friends with spare freezers. We are so grateful.
So, why this abundance? For the most part, it is the ongoing maturing of our orchard, and this was the first real explosion of harvest in a couple of our fields. However, our changing climate also played a big role, especially with the unanticipated intensity and shorter harvest period. Following a winter that was milder than living memory can recall, we had a spring that was early, wet and warm. Flowering in the orchard was a full month ahead of schedule, and because the winds that usher in spring did not happen simultaneously as they usually do, blossoms stayed on the bushes longer. This meant more pollination and a higher yield.
Then, the fruit ripened two weeks ahead of schedule, and the haskap varieties that we have did not follow their usual sequence of ripening. Some later season varieties were ripe much earlier in the season. We also had high levels of rain this season and so while the berries were plump, we needed to bring them in sooner to prevent rot, fermentation and drop.
All in all, it has been a wild ride of very long days for a month. Now, we shift into transforming the harvest into our haskap product line and working with collaborators to bring frozen fruit and haskap products to your table. Please do reach out through our online store or by email to labelleviefarm@gmail.com if you would like to place an order, work with us to develop product, or learn more about haskap and what we have to offer!
Cheers to an amazing season! Merci! Thank you! Miigwetch!
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