Fresh Summer Fruit, When and Where do you get it?

[snuffaluffagus]

And of course, how much do you pay? I'd like to plan what I'll be buying to freeze for the Winter months (can't believe I'm thinking Winter already, lol). We go through about 3lbs weekly of each of mostly strawberries, wild blueberries, and peaches. Strawberries are best to buy around mid-July? Blueberries end of July? What about peaches and cherries? Last summer, I bought our strawberries from a stand outside of a local Metro. They were amazing! Wild blueberries I bought from a stand at the Laprairie market. I don't remember exactly how much I paid but I do remember they were quite expensive. Where do you all get your fruit from?

[rewok]

Mostly from Marché 440, since I live about 5 minutes from there! Or one of the little roadside stands still remaining in Laval. This year, I think I'll go directly to one of the strawberry farms in Laval to pick a big batch for freezing.

[snuffaluffagus]

When you do go, rewok, can you post here exactly where you go and let us know how much it cost?

[Patty Smyth]

Ontario peaches are in mid-August they ar they best. We bought a case in Niagara right from an orchard. they were amzing. Cherries will be in the next couple of week, I don't know if e will see under $3 a lb but that is the prife I am looking for to make jam.

[snuffaluffagus]

By any chance, are you going to Niagara again this August ?

[snuffaluffagus]

Cherries in the next couple of weeks already?? Where would be the best place to get those?

[2010ontest]

We also have cherries from QC but they are later in season and we don't have alot of producer. The one I know is not in montreal area but in Mauricie...

I try for june cheeries to have a price under 2$/lb and not 3$

[snuffaluffagus]

I found this place...but it's over 2 hours from here. Maybe if I could get dh to come with me he could drive home...

Looks like a wonderful place to spend the day with the family too. http://www.letempsdescerises.ca/

[2010ontest]

Strawberry are there already at my grocery store! But this is not the time yet to go and pick them... better to wait an other 2-3 weeks. Go to the farm, pick it yourself this is cheaper and fresher

Raspberry will be just after strawberry, somewhere in beginning of july. I go and pick some wild, so for me this is a freebie...

Blueberry (cultivate) come just after raspberry usually end july, beginning august... Myself I go and pick the wild one in St-Michel usually somewhere in the 1st week of august... an other freebie for me.

Wild blackberries are often in same time or just after the blueberries... This is an other freebie for me as I go in the wood here to pick them.

Apple start end of august, but you have more choice of varieties in the last 2 weeks of september or the first of october. My favorite strain "empire" is a late one, ready at the end of october.

Pear are ready somewhere in the 2nd-3rd week of september, same for plum. You are in south shore, so maybe go to the L'abbaye cistercienne at Rougemont... they have pear and apple.

[2010ontest]

I found this place...but it's over 2 hours from here. Maybe if I could get dh to come with me he could drive home...

Looks like a wonderful place to spend the day with the family too. http://www.letempsdescerises.ca/

This is the place. harvest time to public is a very short window. I have some friend living in a rural town close... They have start lavender last year... and their family's have also a vineyard there (http://www.domainegelinas.com/index.html)... They invite people to do "vendange" with them in october.

[snuffaluffagus]

Strawberry are there already at my grocery store! But this is not the time yet to go and pick them... better to wait an other 2-3 weeks. Go to the farm, pick it yourself this is cheaper and fresher

I have to find a farm to go pick them at.

I promised myself that this summer, I'm going to start to dig lots of space in the yard to grow strawberries and raspberries next year.

Blueberry (cultivate) come just after raspberry usually end july, beginning august... Myself I go and pick the wild one in St-Michel usually somewhere in the 1st week of august... an other freebie for me.

I used to pick the tastiest wild blueberries on this little island in New Brunswick. It's only 12 hours away....

Pear are ready somewhere in the 2nd-3rd week of september, same for plum. You are in south shore, so maybe go to the L'abbaye cistercienne at Rougemont... they have pear and apple.

Thank you! I'll make note of the place and find time to visit it this Fall. Your friend's place looks really nice too. My father would really enjoy visiting a place like that. Can you tell me what's "vendange" ?

[2010ontest]

"Vendange" is when they harvest, remove grappe and make juice to make the wine

(I don't have the word for this in english and I'm not sure of the translation I found on the web, sorry... maybe Tbites could help for that!!!)

[Tbites]

"Vendange" is when they harvest, remove grappe and make juice to make the wine

(I don't have the word for this in english and I'm not sure of the translation I found on the web, sorry... maybe Tbites could help for that!!!)

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/vintage

vin·tage

   [vin-tij] Show IPA noun, adjective, verb,vin·taged, vin·tag·ing.
noun

1.the wine from a particular harvest or crop.

2.the annual produce of the grape harvest, especially withreference to the wine obtained.

3.an exceptionally fine wine from the crop of a good year.

4.the time of gathering grapes, or of winemaking.

5.the act or process of producing wine; winemaking.

I think most of us always associate the word vintage (when speaking about wine) as definition #3, but it's interesting to find out it also defines the harvest. Learning something new everyday

[Tbites]

And by the way thanks for the thread and all the super useful responses. All my parents have taught me about picking fruit is that U.S. strawberries should be avoided (always choose QC) and the melon tapping thing. Watching my Dad tapping almost every melon in a bin is just pure entertainment for me

[2010ontest]

By any chance, are you going to Niagara again this August ?

heyhey... A ride to Niagara with a van someone?

try to choose the freestone peach, they are more easy to process