Jun 6, 2022

NASGA Summer Tour features 8 berry farms

The North American Strawberry Growers Association’s Summer Tour features eight farms in the Toronto area.

The farms on the Aug. 16-17 tour have unique features and most are operated by active NASGA members who are progressive, innovative growers, according to a news release.

The stops on this summer’s tour, as described by the NASGA, are:

• Herrle Country Farm Market: An excellent June strawberry grower with a farm market selling produce grown by the owners and from neighboring farms.
• Heeman’s Strawberries and Greenhouse: With 70-plus acres of berries, state-of-the-art greenhouses and a cidery in the works, there is no shortage of things to see at this bustling farm.
• Howe Family Farm Market: Grower of strawberries, watermelons, cantaloupe, squash, pumpkins, beans, garden vegetables and more, for its own customers and the wholesale market. In recent years, Howe’s established a tunnel for tabletop substrate strawberry production, and in 2021 added a new 6-acre block.
• Strawberry Tyme Farms Inc.: Strawberry Tyme Farms has added tunnel-grown tabletop strawberries and long cane raspberries to its outdoor cropping of June and day neutral strawberry production. It also grows strawberry plants destined for southern growers each fall.
• Blueberry Knoll Berry Farm: An excellent strawberry, raspberry and blueberry operation that focuses on soil health – and it shows in the quality and health of the plantings. An on-farm bakery turns the berries into some wonderful baked goods.
• Fenwick Berry Farm: Innovation is very apparent at Fenwick Berry Farm. Crops include June and day neutral strawberry production, long cane raspberries, tabletop strawberries, blueberries, tender fruit, garlic and more. Recently, it added nursery production of long cane raspberries and plug and tray plants of strawberries.
• ​Tigchelaar Berry Farm: Excellent day neutral strawberry grower with a large acreage of both day neutrals and June bearing strawberries. Tigchelaar grows many of its plugs for fall planting and is delving into tabletop production.
• Springridge Farm: The farm sits atop the Niagara escarpment and has breathtaking views, making it a destination for customers. The market and bakery have a tremendous assortment of produce, baked goods, prepared foods and gifts.

For more information and to register for the summer tour, visit the NASGA’s website.