N.S. strawberry season off to slow but promising start

How are Nova Scotia’s crop of fruits shaping up this season?

It’s the first week of summer, which means fresh fruits are ripening.

Millen Farms in Great Village, N.S., is one of the province’s largest strawberry farms, but has gotten off to a slow start.

“So far the season’s about seven days late,” says owner Brandon Millen. “It’s a little bit late, but I’m still optimistic that the season’s going to be okay.”

He says the recent weather has been helpful.

“With the rainfall that we’ve had so far, it hasn’t been too much…It’s been, in my opinion, just the right amount,” says Millen.

“My dream weather is six days of sun and one day of rain.”

It’s the ideal combination to get sweet strawberries that are typically in high demand this time of year.

“Everybody’s always excited when the strawberry harvest starts, there’s always a big demand. Of course, the supply is quite limited, so the price is high,” says Laurie Jennings, the president of Masstown Market.

“Strawberries are probably the number one produce item as far as the dollar value and the number of units you’re selling between now and September.”

Peak strawberry season at Millen Farms starts on the first of July.

If all goes well, they’ll be harvesting until October.

“It’s hard to say what will happen later in the summer months, but I think it’ll be okay. Everybody’s pretty interested in Canadian products and supporting their own country, so hopefully we can keep up that momentum,” says Millen.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page