About Our Haskaps
Our Haskap Orchards
Our Haskap orchards were planted in 2018 and we have chosen a mix of 10 varieties blooming from mid- April to early May. The longer blooming time allows a staggered, controlled harvest. We have learned that Haskap berries must be picked at exactly the right time; too soon and they are bitter, too late, they drop to the ground.
We are serious about growing Haskaps!
Plaid Shirt Farms Ltd is one of southern Ontario’s largest grower of Haskaps. We currently have four orchards totalling 12 acres.
In 2021 we invested in a mechanical harvester, one of the very few Haskap growers in Ontario to do this. The speed of the harvester allows us to harvest only at the optimum times of the day to ensure the best quality of berry finds its way to your table.
From the harvester the berries go straight to our cooler to remove any field heat extending their freshness. We have found they Haskap berries will last up to 7-10 days by making sure they are in the cooler within 30 minutes of harvesting.
Our Haskap Products include;
- Fresh Haskap berries (in season Mid June to early July),
- Frozen Haskap berries,
- Haskap Jam,
- Haskap Peach Jam and
- Haskap Juice
Research shows the antioxidant levels in the berries remains during processing. This means by consuming raw, frozen or processed, they are healthy for you!
Plaid Shirt Farms Growing Practices
We strive to be environmentally responsible by
- monitoring our soil with regularly scheduled soil analysis to ensure each plant grows to its fullest potential and produces the largest, best tasting berries possible. With the soil test results, we can assess the nutrient needs for the plants and soil and only apply what the plants need to stay healthy
- continually working towards increasing our soil organic matter by planting cover crops and using organic mulch to control weeds and increase soil moisture holding capacity
- reducing the use of water using drip irrigation instead of overhead irrigation
and by monitoring water needs and only applying when necessary for optimal growth. - using an Integrated Pest Management Plan. We identify problem insects and diseases. We monitor insect activities, beneficial versus detrimental before deciding on any control method. Should a control method be needed, we will choose only products that are registered with Health Canada
We are firm believers of supporting our pollinators
Pollinator habitats have been set up on the farm to encourage and support the native pollinator insects, by providing nesting materials and bee forage areas. The habitats are found in our fence rows, along our wind breaks, and near our pond and wooded areas.
We choose plants from the pollinator list to encourage a variety of food sources for these beneficial insects.
