U Pick Strawberries – South Windermere Gardens

KevinFrom Local Farms, From the Garden, Fruit from the Yard, South Windermere Gardens, Strawberries, U Pick Fruit3 Comments

I’m pretty convinced strawberries should not travel. The ones we get from afar out of season can taste vaguely of strawberry – although they look the part, and the ones that you can grow here can look pretty funny, but can be heady, floral, and seductive like a beautiful wine. And last I checked, I dig heady, floral, and seductive, whether in wine, fruit or not.

My ex-lawn, as I like to call it, now produces awesome strawberries. But not enough. Not yet. Until the strawberries take a serious foothold in the ground cover layer of my front-yard fruit garden, I’m going to need to supplement with local fruit if I have any intention of making jam. Which I do. Or cooked strawberries on scones with whipped cream. Which I want to make on my birthday.

My scrutiny in farm choice was based on which was easiest and quickest to drive to. Discriminating, I know. We’d been to another a while back and wanted to return, but based on the termination of its website, I wasn’t willing to take the risk that a long drive may end in upset. I have a wife and two toddler girls. I don’t need upset. So a google search later, we were off to South Windermere Gardens.

The lowdown? $3.50 a pound. Easy to find from the Henday. Everything went smoothly, and I’d go again. Until my strawberries up their production that is. Because really, $3.50 a pound is expensive when you can grow it yourself, in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, I completely think the farmers are justified to charge that given the cost of overhead, land, and labor. But strawberries grow happily here, and self propagate prodigiously. The strawberries they grow must be related to what I grow in my garden, as the size, shape, growing habits, and flavor seem to be very alike – so no gain in quality per se, other than their fruit being more ripe, as we tend to raid ours a tad sooner than perhaps we should. On the upside, our enthusiasm keeps us from losing a sad proportion to rot as they do.

These folks are not new to the business – they’ve farmed this piece of land for roughly a decade – and they came from the same background elsewhere in the province. They’re passionate about the health benefits of consuming natural sugars, and are eager to tell you about numerous uses for their lovely fruit. If you lack a full-on strawberry patch, do give these folks a visit. Call before you go to get an update on fruit availability, hours and directions are on their website, and it seems mid-week at opening time would be optimal to hit them up.

I’ve even got a quicky vid of our visit to give you an idea of what it’s like. Before you get up in my grill, they told me to wash them very briefly in cold water, and I froze a bunch for making jam later. When I feel like it. We kept the rest to enjoy fresh in all their seasonal glory. Which btw, is longer than I’d have guessed – September you could be upicking, which seems like a great time if your jamming/canning.

Kevin TV Episode 2 – South Windermere Gardens from Kevin Kossowan on Vimeo.

3 Comments on “U Pick Strawberries – South Windermere Gardens”

  1. Thomas

    I really enjoyed your little film. Great job! Your kids will look back on these little experiences with fondness I’m sure.

  2. A Canadian Foodie

    What an amazing experience for your children, Kevin! So many of my students haven’t a clue how things grow or where they come from. They do not value the hard work it took that food to get on their table – if they are actually eating real food at all on their table. What a fun, fun day!
    What did you do with them?
    Well – I will now finish reading your post and find out!
    :)
    Your daughter is A-Door-A-BLE!!!!!
    These are the memories that build a strong family. I also had a little book that I would record the silly little things they said… Reader’s Digest quips, style. They loved reading it, and we have never forgotten so many of those funny things:
    ” Daddy, daddy, please don’t scribble me!” When he was throwing her (grrr…) in the air. That is the only short one… so many and so funny.
    :)

  3. A Canadian Foodie

    OK.Now I have read everything. That is me. I have to say something when it comes. Then more when I am done. I have tried to grow a small patch here for 6 summers. This is the first year I did not restock it. They have not taken hold. I mulch and compost and have taken a soil course to know what should be in it and do everything (theoretically) properly, but – our yard faces south west and the back yard is north east. Not great for growing in the back. (I do my basil in the front, by the way, in a hot sunny place and keep it watered regularly. I plant it and it does well every summer. Of course, it never winters.)
    I appreciate knowing about your experience with this u-pick! It is hard to know what to expect with many of them. And, i hope to get out to the Strawbewwy Patch!
    :)

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