Local Berries

So far this year I haven't had much luck at buying local berries around Cloverdale. I like Kraus Berry Farms out in the Otter area of Langley. They're usually big, juicy, sweet berries and at a premium price. But quality is worth it. I'm not out in that area often so I have to make a special trip.

I notice the Blueberry Store on 152 Street is now open, though I haven't stopped in there yet this year. Its on the east side of 152, about a couple of blocks south of the railway tracks at Colebrook Road. I've often pulled in there when stopped by a train. They have decent blueberries and often other berries and produce that are in season. Therefore they are only open a couple of months of the year in the summer.

Last week I stopped at Surrey Farms on the corner of 152 and Colebrook. They often have flats of blueberries and raspberries at $9.99. I bought a flat of blueberries for $9.99, a carton of strawberries for $7 (Yikes!) and a couple of pounds of Okanagan cherries that worked out to just over $6. Kerry likes them so I wanted to get him a treat. The cherries are good.

The blueberries weren't bad. Its the beginning of their season and they're not sweet and big and juicy the way I like. I ate some and froze about the majority. They'll be good for baking over the winter.

The strawberries I bought only because someone I know bought some there and said they were pretty good. I didn't like them. They weren't that big, were more white inside than red, more tart than sweet, and kind of tired looking even though they were picked that morning. By the 2nd day in my fridge they were already starting to turn. I turned them into strawberry smoothies and they were OK but I won't be buying any more strawberries here.

There are several signs up for blueberries for sale on the outskirts of Cloverdale along 152 Street, 168th Street, and 184th Street, among other places. These are farmers selling their berries on tables set up in their driveway or in booths on their front lawn. All cash sales. Occasionally I stop at some of them but more often than not I'm not carrying cash on me. I really need to make it a point to have a couple of tens on me during the summer months of driving around.