Saskatchewan fruit orchards: enjoy a mouth-watering experience

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

The time of the year has come to prepare for a mouth-watering adventure. The Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association (SFGA) is once again presenting its annual Summer Tour and Field Day, to be held on July 7.

The event focuses on bringing awareness of the province’s commercial fruit orchards.

This year, the tour will highlight two farms in east-central Saskatchewan: one in the Preeceville area and one near Yorkton.

The first stop is Fatikaki Farms of Preeceville, owned by Pat and Jeanette Meerholz and managed by Herman Meerholz. “The farm offers quite a site – over 60 acres of Smokey, Thiessen, Honeywood and Martin saskatoons,” noted SFGA Executive Director Charon Blakley.

The farm also grows five acres of Valentine, Evans, Carmine Jewel and Mongolian sour cherries, and one-and-a-half acres of blue honeysuckle, as well as apples for their personal use.

A variety of equipment will be displayed, including a mechanical harvester and a tree planter, plus other equipment required for orchard management.

After a lunch served at Chris’s Place in Preeceville, attendees will head to the second stop, Prairie Dome Strawberries just outside of Yorkton. The farm is owned and operated by Elwin, Marie and Tonia Vermette and Kirk Flaman, and features a variety of fruit.

Attendees will experience the two-and-a-half acre deep-planted Smokey and Martin saskatoon orchard in various production stages, as well as two acres of newly planted and five acres of established Kent and Cavendish strawberries.

The farm will also display several pieces of equipment, including a complete line of strawberry production equipment, saskatoon spraying equipment, and drip and overhead irrigation systems for strawberries.

The tour welcomes both SFGA members and non-members. Blakley stated that the purpose of the event is to create a hands-on experience for individuals. “They will learn what it takes to grow a successful orchard and see how an established orchard functions,” she said.

“If individuals are looking to establish their own orchards, they will be able to take some good information home and apply it themselves. Even experienced fruit growers find they can pick up a few tips.” Individuals will also have a chance to speak with other attendees during the tour and learn from their experiences.

The tour will be led by Clarence Peters, the provincial specialist for fruit crops with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.

“Individuals who have an interest in growing fruit and would like to learn more about what it takes should attend the event, as well as those who are just interested in taking a look at the processes used to establish a fruit orchard that grows produce available to the national consumer,” said Blakley.

The SFGA has been incorporated since 1988, and currently has over 150 members. It is a grower-directed association dedicated to the production and marketing of premium quality Saskatchewan-grown fruit, and the development of a strong and vibrant fruit industry.

To meet industry needs, the SFGA works with researchers, government, processors and consumers. They collaborate with these stakeholders on research, market development, quality standards and other initiatives.

If you are interested in learning more about the SFGA or registering for the annual Summer Tour and Field Day, visit the association’s website at www.saskfruit.com, or call toll-free 1-877-97-FRUIT (1-877-973-7848).

For more information, contact:
Charon Blakley, Executive Director
Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association
Phone: (306) 743-5333