Farm Updates

Our juices are available at Sobeys throughout Atlantic Canada. Look for them in the produce section or talk to your produce manager to find our product in your local Sobeys store. Our dried cranberries can be found in select Sobeys stores in Fredericton, Moncton, and Saint John regions.

In order for us to claim organic status for our fruit and product line we have to follow the guidelines set out by the Canadian Organic Standards. These standards give consumers confidence that their food is produced in such a way that is sustainable and harmonious with the environment. One of the reasons why consumers can trust that the Canadian Organic Standards are being followed is because farms and processors are to be certified by a certifying body, an independent third party organization, who reviews all farm records and sites to make sure there is compliance with the standards.

Fredericton Daily Gleaner 05/09/2013, Page A01 Downturn | Price has fallen from $1.72 a pound to less than 45 cents a pound By LAVERNE STEWART A glut of cranberries on the market across North America has drastically reduced the price growers receive for their fruit. The economic downturn in Europe has also hurt the prices cranberry growers can get for their crops. Larry Nason, who owns Springbrook Cranberry Inc., knows the hardship of the drop in crop prices. In 2008, he said, he received $1.72 per pound for his cranberries. Now the price has dropped between 35 and 45 cents for organic cranberries, he said. At this price point, he said, the business isn't making money. 'Our costs, because there is so much labour involved, are anywhere from 35 to 40 cents per pound. It leaves us nothing to pay on our debt load,' he said. However, he and the rest of the family are determined to keep going. He said he's optimistic for the future of the family business 'if we can hang on for a while longer, and I know we can.' 'It's just going to be tough because... Please See Cranberry / A2

This year our organic cranberries are in fine form. With less than a month to harvest we are getting excited and prepared for all the planning and heavy labour that comes at the end of the growing season. This year's season began really early with the March heat wave melting the little bit of ice and snow left from winter. April and May had us watching the plants to make sure that the cold didn’t hurt the buds that were ready to become our hearty organic cranberries. June was spent watching those buds turn into pretty pink blossoms just waiting for the bees to pollinate. July brought us the results of all the bees hard work ~ pinheads (early berries). We spent the month feeding and watering the berries so they would develop. August is a relatively quiet month as we watch the fruit grow and ripen with just a little watering and weeding. The cool September temperatures bring the dark red colour and means we spend our time watching to make sure the berries aren’t hurt by the cold nights. October is harvest month and the plants go dormant in preparation for winter. Next year the whole cycle will begin again.