WATCH: It’s been nearly four years since the Irving-owned Halifax Shipyard was awarded a $25 billion dollar contract to build the next generation of Canadian combat ships. A lot has happened over the last few years, as work to start production on the ships ramp up. As Global’s Natasha Pace reports, today another milestone was reached.
ANNAPOLIS VALLEY, NS – It’s been a tough few years for Nova Scotia strawberry producers. Two years ago, a virus decimated crops right across the province, but it appears they’ve turned the corner and are expecting big things from this year’s crop.
Bruce Kennie, owner of Kennie’s Strawberry Farm, says his crops are slightly behind, but they’re growing well. “We’re expecting a tremendous crop, the biggest crop of our history on our farm.”
Webster Farms in Cambridge is also expecting a bumper strawberry season. “We’re expecting a much healthier crop this year and much better yields,” said Chris Webster, the Co-owner of Webster Farms.
Two years ago, Webster Farms plowed under 13 acres of strawberry plants after two viruses struck, costing them about half a million dollars. But producers feel they have the problem under control, and they’re getting berries from new plants.
Get breaking National news
“With these viruses we’re just harvesting our fields for one year and moving them,” said Webster.
The harsh winter didn’t hurt the strawberry plants. “It was late melting, which made them a little bit later, but we’ve had a warm spring and in fact, our start date is going to be the same as last year,” said Kennie.
Kennie expects to have berries in stores by next weekend. “This is a Wendy berry,” Kennie pointed out. “It’s an early berry – very popular – nice and sweet.” Kennie has three other varieties spaced out to ripen later on.
Webster has a new variety – in fact, it’s so new, it doesn’t have a name. “It’s a variety that came out of the Kentville Research Program that we happen to like,” said Webster, “and they haven’t decided whether they’re going to name it or not. It’s more of pure mid-season berry. It’s a very sweet berry,” he added.
Webster will not have a U-pick, but Kennie will, starting the first week of July. He’s expecting more people than the last two years. “They were possibly too expensive to freeze or make jam when we had the virus and the price was a little bit higher,” said Kennie, “but I think they’ll be more reasonably priced.”
Dry, warm weather is what’s needed now for that bumper crop.
Comments