Berry dry weather making for scarce Saskatoon season

Another extended heat wave across Saskatchewan is just the latest weather whammy Linda Fincaryk is set to deal with this year.

The owner of Grandora Berries has had frost, wind, disease and scorching sun make for a tough growing season at her We-U Pick Berry Farm, but that seems to be typical for every grower, no matter the crop trying to grow in the ground.

“We have blights that have come in with the strong winds, so we’ve got juniper rust and leaf and berry spot — we have berries that look like porcupines,” Fincaryk said.

“It’s a challenge to fill a pail.”

By noon Thursday, it was over 33 C at the farm off Highway 14 near Grandora. Extended periods of scorching hot heat and nearly no rain has made for a berry dry season.

Fincaryk says the heat has sped up the growing season by at least a week, and some berries appear to be roasting in the sun. (Keenan Sorokan/650 CKOM)

“Other years, you’re able to fill an ice cream pail in 15 minutes and hardly move. This year, I’m calling it a one-by-one year — you’re picking one ripe one here and there. It really creates a challenge for our customers and us to keep going,” Fincaryk said.

Even the cacti on the farm are struggling to survive, but that’s typical of a drought year on the farm.

What’s not normal is the roasting effect happening on some of her trees stuck in direct sunlight for most of the day. Not only are the berries hot to the touch, they are shrivelling and essentially cooking directly on the branch.

The heat has sped up the season by at least a week, with the peak of the crop ripening earlier this year.

“The lower branches, they’re cooked on. There are still some berries that are white, pink, red and some ripe ones, so I’m not sure how long we’re going to be able to continue our operation,” she said. “But I’ll keep it open for as long as I can because I understand there’s a shortage across the country.”

Fincaryk said she knows at least one other berry operation near her that wasn’t able to grow a single berry due to the weather challenges.

Fincaryk is taking every good and bad day in stride. She said at the core, her business is about the interactions and experiences people get being out in the orchards. She even had a pair of cousins separated by the pandemic unknowingly run into each other while picking berries earlier this summer.

“It’s not just berries, fruit and good health. It’s connection, a sense of community,” Fincaryk said. “It’s just what we do here.”

With Environment Canada calling for daily highs into the 30s for at least the next five days, Fancaryk isn’t sure how much longer the berries will last.

Some berries are yet to ripen in sections of the orchard while blight caused by nearby wild juniper and strong winds has given some berries a porcupine look. (Keenan Sorokan/650 CKOM)

Fincaryk built her farm in the area in 1999 and began farming Saskatoon berries in 2002. While this year has been one of her most challenging to date, the smiles from customers make it all worth it. Not to mention, something about that scorching sun makes the few but worthwhile Saskatoons all the sweeter.

“They’re super sweet. As they’re ripening,  the sun is truthfully kissing them. I’ve had so much feedback. People will want to come for eight (orders) and then come back and put an order in for more,” she said.

“Even though we’re in dire straits, you got to make the best of it and I’m thankful we have berries.”