Childers' Berry Farm

Q What kind of raspberries do you grow? A 3 kinds: Meekers for machine picking and Cascade Delights, a larger berry, and Saanich for U-Pick. Q How long do the plants last? A About 5 years, usually. Q After you plant, how long before you can pick? A 2 years. Q How do you harvest raspberries? A We have a machine that straddles the berry vines and shakes the berries onto a conveyor belt where 4 people clean debris off and put the berries in crates. Q What is the best way to freeze berries? A One way is to place them on a cookie sheet to freeze them and then put them in bags for storage. Another way is to just place them in freezer bags or other containers and freeze them. Q Do berries need to be washed first? A Raspberries are very fragile, so we don’t wash ours. Q How quickly do we need to use our raspberries? A ASAP. If you’re just going to make jam and don’t have time, freeze them until later. Q What are the benefits of raspberries? A Raspberries are a longstanding summer favorite with many people. But the sweet red fruit is more than tasty; it is also healthy. Raspberries are loaded with vitamin C, folate, iron and potassium. They also provide insoluble fiber (thanks to all those little seeds) as well as soluble fiber pectin, which helps control cholesterol levels. Red raspberries are a delicious and nutritious source of antioxidants. Elegiac acid is a phenolic compound that is well known to be a potent anti_carcinogenic/anti_mutagenic compound. Red raspberries are a great addition to recipes or as a healthy fresh snack by the handful. Raspberries don’t have to be fresh to be nutritious. Frozen and canned produce might be more nutritious than fresh items whose nutrients have diminished through shipping and long storage, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.