Sudbury strawberries ripe for the picking

When spring was slow to arrive this year, Robin Charbonneau has his concerns about what kind of strawberry seasonwas ahead.

But with favourableweather over the last few weeks, he says he isnow picking one of the best berry crops he has seen in years.

Other strawberry producers in the northeast:

• Leisure Farms, WestNipissing
• Becker's Berry Patch, Nipissing
• LisesStrawberry Farm,Chelmsford
• Emiry's Berry Patch, Massey
• Thomson Strawberry Farm, Sault Ste Marie
• White Blossom Farms,SaultSte Marie
• AidieCreek Gardens,Englehart

Charbonneau and his family ownand operates the Ruby Berry Farm in Chelmsford, a fixture in the community for 25 years.

Over the years the number of varieties of strawberry planted have grown to more than a dozen.

"It comes down to personal taste," Charbonneau said."That's why we grow so many different varieties."

No fall berries

Last year Ruby Berry Farm went further and tried to extend the season with an ever-bearing variety that produced fruit in the fall, but Charbonneau said it was an experiment that won't be repeated this year.

"They didn't really work out for us. With the amount of labour and the return just wasn't there, so we haveabandonedthat," he said. "It was a great trial...it just didn't work out."

Charbonneausaidthe length of the local strawberry season varies, but it can last close to month if mother nature co-operates.

Robin Charbonneau of Ruby Berry Farm showed the CBC's Megan Thomas how to pick the perfect berry:

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• Each week through the summer, CBC Radio's Morning North will profile more families in the northeast who grow and produce the local food that makes it to local tables. Listen in Sudbury at 99.9FM.