Berry picking is back, but with Saskatchewan’s scorching summer they’re harder and harder to grow.
The heat isn’t doing Peter Rhodes’ berries any favour. It’s the first time in 17 years the u-pick has seen anything like this.
“We’re struggling a bit,” he said.
“We water but it’s a complete waste of time because it dries out as quick as you water them.”
Rhodes grows raspberries and black currants at Rhodes Raspberries and Black Currants, where he said many leaves are turning brown or once juicy berries are dried up.
Conditions have gotten worse the past few seasons.
“Last year we got frost in May, which we don’t usually get as bad as that, and this year we got the same sharp frost in the night in May which is just when the black currant are in flower,” Rhodes said.
Saskatchewan’s scorcher this week is only going to get worse, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
“We’re going to see about 30 C temperatures probably for at least the rest of this week, probably into the next week,” said Terri Lang, a meteorologist at the agency.
“What we’re seeing now with the intense heat events, the long heat events, increasing number of heat events, that’s all completely consistent with what has been forecasted to happen during climate change.”
As for Rhodes, he said he knows more years like this won’t be good.
“If this continues it will be the end of growing some of the soft fruits in Saskatchewan,” he said.
Environment Canada predicts a very hot and dry forecast for the next number of days. It’s expected to finally let up late next week.
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