::: HARVEST SCHEDULE :::

Raspberry Harvest Schedule

Summer Raspberries Available as U-Pick or Already Picked, approx. July 15 - August 15

AND

Fall Raspberries Available as U-Pick only,
approx. Sept 1 - Oct 31

About our Raspberries:
We have two raspberry patches for summer and fall picking. Our main summer variety is Canby, a sweet, plump, flavorful berry that is great for eating, baking or freezing. Our fall variety is Heritage, a deeper colored berry, equally delicious and useful. Raspberries are fun and easy to pick, delicious and full of antioxidants. Our berries are NOT sprayed, however we do recommend washing all fruit before eating.

Picking Information:
Raspberries are sold by the pound. You may bring your own containers (tupperware containers work great) to save on the cost of purchasing our fruit baskets. Be sure to have your containers weighed in the Apple Barn before going out to pick. When picking raspberries, it helps sometimes to lift the leaves, as the bigger berries are hiding there too. One variety of berries has small thorns, so small children should be shown how to touch just the berries and not the canes. You can tell a berry is ripe if it pops right off into your hand with a gentle squeeze. If you have to work at it, the berry is not ready and will taste bitter. Raspberries are very soft, so try not to pile too many on top of eachother in your container as they are easily crushed. Raspberries are also highly perishable. If you cannot use all of your berries the same day as they are picked, you can freeze them until you are ready to use the rest of them. Raspberries will start to mold very quickly in the refridgerator if not used right away.

Freezing Raspberries:
After rinsing your berries, lay them out on a paper towel to dry COMPLETELY. The best way to freeze them is to place your berries on a cookie sheet so that they are not touching and place the whole cookie sheet in the freezer. They will freeze individually very quickly. You can then toss the lot into a freezer bag for longer storage. If you just place the fresh berries into a freezer bag and then freeze, they will clump together as mush. Raspberries can stay in the freezer for a year without getting freezer burn. There is nothing like a piece of warm homemade raspberry pie in the middle of January to remind you of the warmth and tastes of summer!