We’re now into one of the sweetest times of the year—berry season! Whether you’re using them to bake, adding them to breakfast, or eating them on their own, we can all agree that Lower Mainland berries are second to none. And one of the best parts of living/visiting here is all the fantastic places you can pick your own. By the basket or bucket full, these spots let you load up and feast on the best strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries that are now in full ripeness. So roll up your sleeves, let’s get picking! Driediger Farms – Langley 72nd Ave, Langley Since 1964 Driediger Farms has been supplying Langley and it’s surrounding communities with juicy and flavourful Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Red Currants and Raspberries. The Farm has over 160 acres of berries, with dedicated U-pick fields where you can harvest for yourself. The onsite farm market also sells fresh…
Where can you go to get a delectable hot waffle, enjoy a wine tasting with a glass (or a bottle) of berry wine, while picking fresh fruit from the vine all at once? If you’re a Fraser Valley local, you’ll know it’s all at Langley’s Krause Berry Farms—located off of 248th Street in the heart of Langley Township. Since its inception in 1974, the family-run farm has come a long way—now playing host to a fulsome farm, vineyard, estate winery, a hot waffle bar, a marketplace selling fresh produce grown on site, and family-friendly seasonal u-pick fields. But back to the beginning. It all started with Alf Krause planting one acre of strawberries in 1974. Today, the farm is still owned and operated by Alf and his wife Sandee, and expanded to more than 200 acres of growing produce—yielding some of the Fraser Valley’s best berries. Indeed, fresh berries and…
When it comes to outdoor activities to get you into the spirit of the changing seasons, it doesn’t get much more autumnal than than pumpkin patches and corn mazes. by Catherine Dunwoody Fall is most definitely here, and getting lost in a zigzagging corn maze or choosing which big orange beauty to take with you from a pumpkin patch is part of the fun when it comes to living in or visiting Metro Vancouver, especially in Surrey. The city boasts 3 different mazes and patches, each unique and fun for the entire family. The Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch – Surrey The Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch (aka Gabriel Farms) is open throughout October and offers all the autumn fun you can handle. Open on weekends starting September 23, 10 am to 5 pm, you can partake in a petting zoo, wagon rides, a mini corn maze, face painting, and a concession. U-pick pumpkins…
By Kristi Alexandra Is there anything sweeter than the fruits of your own labour? U-pick berry farms in the Lower Mainland would attest there isn’t. While abundant rain at the end of a long winter had many farms opening their picking seasons a little late this year, the results are still oh-so-sweet. With a shortened growing season, farmers are seeing strawberries and blueberries as a bounty of fresh-picked treats. We visited a few farms to find out where you can gather a basket of your own before the season’s over. Please note that availability of berries is subject to weather and crops may end early, or be extended. It’s best to contact the individual farms to determine availability of your favourite berries. Krause Berry Farms – Langley 6179-248th Street, Langley U-pick, a winery, fresh-made waffles, and a kids’ farm – is there anything this farm doesn’t have? Set on 200…
By Kathy Mak Nothing says summertime more than fresh berries, and blueberries are literally the star berry of the season! There’s no better place to enjoy fresh blueberries than in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley. It may be surprising to some, but blueberries are Canada’s largest fruit crop by acreage. According to the British Columbia Blueberry Council, Canada is the world’s third largest national producer of highbush blueberries with the majority grown by 800 blueberry growers in British Columbia. The bulk of the B.C. blueberry farms can be found right here in the fertile Fraser Valley! Indigenous to North America, wild blueberries were highly regarded by the Aboriginal people who picked them for food and medicine. They were referred to as “star berries” because of the five-pointed star on the blossom side of the berry. Cultivated blueberries, known as the highbush variety, started in the early 1900s. Today, 90% of the…