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Picking Strawberries is Good for your Health!

We are always excited for the first ripe strawberry! I watch the peony beside our house closely in these last days of May, because every year, like clock work, the first peony bloom on that plant tells us that somewhere out in the field, there is a ripe strawberry waiting to be found. James loves the delight on peoples’ faces at market when they see that the first fruit of the season is finally ready. He always tells me that strawberries are his favourite thing to sell 🙂 I could go on and on about the health benefits of eating freshly picked fruit…the nutrient value is at its peak when the fruit is picked when it’s ripe and when it’s consumed as close to picking as possible. Most of you probably know that on some level…but I bet fewer of you have thought of the health benefits of picking your own strawberries.

The First Peony 2018

Much is reported in the news about mental health these days. In fact there are few of us that are not touched in some way by mental health, particularly anxiety and depression. Now, I am not proclaiming to have the cure to anxiety or an antidote to depression! However, logic would tell me that a quiet drive in the country to a farm on a back road with very little traffic would go a long way to help the stress of your work week fall away. There is a sense of accomplishment that comes from filling the baskets that you take to the field, not to mention saving money by using your own labour to pick the berries. Making a connection with the people that grow your food can serve to broaden your perspective on life and help you feel positive about where and how you’re spending your grocery money. Picking strawberries with your children is an activity you can do side by side without the interference of devices, teaching them teamwork and providing the opportunity for conversation while you work. Finally, being out in the country can make you want to breathe more deeply, getting more oxygen to your brain, thereby helping you to think clearly.

The physical health benefits of picking your own strawberries are perhaps fewer, but no less significant. Walking out to the strawberry field to warm up your muscles… Moving from standing to kneeling to bending over while you pick are movements that should help you maintain your flexibility. Carrying a basket, laden with juicy strawberries, back to your car is way more fun than any weight training routine! And reaching for your 3 year old child or grand child before they put their 16th strawberry in their mouth sharpens your reflexes and improves your agility!

Life is fast paced and often seems to prevent us from stopping to smell the roses…or in this case, the strawberries. It is so easy to lose your sense of purpose in the busyness of everyday demands. I am learning that I need to carve time out of my busy days for things that are important…things that give my life purpose and meaning and activities that will be a blessing to other people. While it might seem like a stretch to put picking your own strawberries in this category, I would argue that taking time out of your busy schedule to drive to a farm and use muscles that have been dormant for a while suggests that you believe that picking your own fruit is important for your health.

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Farm Market

Our farm market is open Monday-Friday 9am-6pm and Saturdays 9am-5pm from May-October. The rest of the year, you are welcome to stop in or call ahead Monday to Saturday. We have pure maple syrup, honey, baking, freezer beef, preserves, jams and jellies. All of our baking, preserves, jams, jellies are made from scratch, in our farm in our own health inspected kitchen. We also carry other local produce including eggs, and greenhouse tomatoes.

Gift baskets in a variety of sizes are also available. Clean washrooms with flush toilets are available in our market.

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Seasonal Farm market hours (May-October):

9am-6pm Monday-Friday (Open til 8am-8pm for our pick your own strawberry season)

9am-5pm  Saturday

Closed on Sundays

Please call ahead at other times of year to ensure that someone will be available to serve you.

Raspberries
Fresh picked or PYO fall raspberries starting early September
Rhubarb
Available fresh in May and early June, and available frozen the rest of the year.
Strawberries
Strawberries will be ready early in June. Our Day Neutrals or Ever-bearing strawberries are available from Mid May to October. Want to know the day they are ready to pick? Call or email us and we will add you to our email list. Try some of our fresh made strawberry jam.
Sweet Corn
We grow 7 varieties of both yellow and bi-colour sweet corn from mid July until October. Mmmm!
Peas
Shell peas (you just eat the pea) and Sugar Snaps (you can shell them or eat the pod and all- very sweet) will be ready sometime in June.
Pumpkins
We have all sizes and shapes. Come to the farm and pick your pumpkin and enjoy some hot cider and other fresh vegetables and the corn maze in October.
Squash
We grow a wide variety of squash for decorating and for eating.
Sweet Potatoes
Mmmm! and good for you too.
We will have lots of sweet potatoes starting mid Aug.
Tomatoes
Plump juicy tomatoes are available Late July to October.
By the quart, 6qt, or bushel.
Beef
Richardson natural beef is available by the pound, half or quarter
Call or email for information or to order yours today.
Maple Syrup A variety of sizes available from 40ml flavours to 4 Litre jugs. Contact us for pricing.
Jams and Jellies
Comes in many seasonal fruit varieties.