The Rural Voice, 1978-08, Page 17There's
money
in
pick
your
own
Iby Debbie Ranneyl
These days. the phrase "Pick your own" has become popular
around the countryside as growers of fresh fruit entice
consumers to the lower prices and exercise of picking their own
strawberries. raspberries or whatever the case may be.
In Western Ontario the pick your own process has become
increasingly successful, and farmers and consumers are pleased
with it.
David Horst of R. R. #3. Brussels planted a little over two
ages in strawberries this year and plans to plant five acres next
year. The Horsts just got into the berry business two years ago.
Although he originally only scheduled picking days for
Mondays. Wednesdays and Fridays Mr. Horst said he had such
a good crop of berries that they later decided to stay open every
day.
"We pretty w ell got them cleaned off. We lost hardly any at all
and there were hardl% an% small berries." he said.
He said that raspberries would soon be ready. The Horsts have
a little over three acres of pick your own raspberries and
hopefully plan to plant another five acres next year.
Oyer 11.000 quart boxes of strawberries were picked from the
Horst's two acre patch. The price was 40 cents a box.
52 Cars
Although he couldn't begin to guess how many people came to
pick their own straw berries Mr. Horst said that last summer he
started counting cars one day and the\ had 52 cars in the
morning.
Jack Bell of R. R. #2, Kippen had a 15 acre patch of
strawberries.
He started his business tie ears ago. with three acres, then
went to six then to eleven and then to 15. Mr. Bell also has a two
acre raspberry patch which he k going to start picking this year
and he will expand that to four acres next year.
Bumper Crop
He said he had a bumper crop of strawberries this year and
that he had a 25 per cent Toss this year due to the bumper crop.
the hot weather and the fact th,.i big orders aren't going out this
year. He also said some consumers may have fruit left in their
freezers from previous years.
He said the number of pickers was about the same as other
Stoop and pick in Colborne Township
•
years. it was just that there was a lack of big orders.
Although he had no idea of the number of people that stopped
-there he said he thought that next year out of curiousity he'd get
a guest book.
He charged 45 cents a quart for strawberries and will be
charging 75 cents a quart for raspberries.
Mrs. Bill Horst of R. R. #1, Newton, has two and a half acres of
strawberries. This was the first year she's grown for pick you
own and she hasn't really decided whether she'll expand her
acreage next year or not.
She thought that somewhere around 10,000 quart boxes of
strawberries had been picked.
In mid-July, people were still coming in for a few boxes but
they were almost done. She charged 45 cents when they started
and 25 cents near the end.
There seemed to be a pretty good response. Mrs. Horst said
and added "for the first year we're satisfied."
First in Huron
The Leonard Lovells were the first people in Huron County to
have a pick your own strawberry patch which they started in
1969.
It is now a 13 or 14 acre patch and they don't intend to expand
anymore than that. Mrs. Lovell said that this year two sets of
blossoms came on at once so they had a lot of berries.
When the Lovells started they had strictly a pick your own
operation but now that they have a fruit stand on the highway
they also hire their own pickers to supply it according to Mrs.
Lovell. Lovells charged 45 cents a box for pick your own berries.
Three Brussels men Rev. Ken Innes. Doug Hemingway and
Reeve Cal Krauter have gone together into the pick your own
strawberry business on an acre of land. half an acre of which was
planted in strawberries this year.
The men had 3.000 plants and 3.000 are also going in for next
year. Mr. Innes said they had no trouble getting rid of the
strawberries.
He added that this year. was a big year for strawberries
because there was lots of moisture in the spring. The men had a
good crop because they had a good watering system and didn't
have any frost damage on the blossoms.
RURAL VOICE/AUGUST 1978 PG. 17