Fruit Business Takes Off On The Saskatchewan Prairies

Fruit Business Takes Off On The Saskatchewan Prairies 31-5-7 Dean Kreutzer and his wife Sylvia are turning Saskatchewan wheat fields into orchards and vineyards. With 3,000 cherry trees and acres of berries and other fruits, they're competing for old markets and creating new ones with products like their chocolate covered organic cherries. "I sent some raspberry jam to a fruit breeder in California, and he said it was the best he had ever tasted," says Kreutzer. "He said we had the benefit of æNorthern Vigor.' Our long, hot days and cool nights bring out the flavor of the fruit." In addition to cherries and raspberries, the Kreutzers produce apples, grapes, apricots, strawberries and even peaches. They are using varieties developed throughout Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere. "We've been really successful with the University of Saskatchewan's cherry varieties that are hardy down to -42 degrees F. We also have hundreds of our own seedlings we are evaluating," says Kreutzer. "With peaches, we are doing some breeding for cold hardy peaches and also trying to overwinter tender ones. The challenge is first to do it and second to do it profitably." Profit is key to the enterprise. While they have adapted their operation as it evolves, they are staying true to their plan to build a tourist draw at their farm, just north of Regina. The idea for the business was based on visits they made to fruit and berry producers around Canada and the U.S. By the time their cherry trees produced fruit, the couple already had a high value product in mind. "We had enough fruit to make 10,000 chocolate covered cherries or 100 pies," recalls Kreutzer. "We went with the cherries." Today they market Prairie Cherries and other products via the internet and a variety of retail outlets throughout Saskatchewan. Their chocolate covered cherries have been shipped throughout North America, Europe and the Middle East and were served to the Queen of England when she visited Regina. Prices range from as much as $2.50 each depending on the wrapping, to $16 for a box of 16. "Nobody else is covering fresh fruit this way," says Kreutzer. "Ours are just chocolate and fruit. No brine, coloring, flavors or syrups. Most people say it's like eating a cherry off the tree." It took a couple of years of trial and error to figure out how to make them so they could be frozen for storage and yet taste and look fresh when they come out of the freezer. Freezing was necessary, as no preservatives mean a shelf life of mere days or weeks depending on the temperature, not months or years. Since that first crop, they have added other new products including cherry topping, fruit crumbles, cherry spreads and cherry juice. They are also beginning to sell tree stock to others interested in growing fruit on the prairies. University of Saskatchewan cherry varieties will soon be available in the U.S. Kreutzer advises checking with the University for U.S. sources. Over the Hill Orchards has also expanded facilities twice, moving from a church kitchen to a store front in nearby Lumsden after the first year. Last year they moved to a larger facility. "When we first started making things, people wanted to stop by and buy them," says Kreutzer. "With this last move, we set up a coffee shop and restaurant." The business has grown to the point that they are contracting with other growers around the province. This gives them more product to sell and also serves as insurance. "We need diversified sources of fruit in case we ever get hit by hail or other devastating weather," explains Kreutzer. Eventually they hope to have the entire business located at their farm with an organic restaurant, picking tours and blossom tours. One thing he knows is their Saskatchewan orchards are building a reputation of their own. "It's pretty good when we get calls from California asking if we can ship cherries and cherry juice from Saskatchewan to them," says Kreutzer. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Over The Hill Orchard, P. O. Box 618, Lumsden, Sask., Canada S0G 3C0 (ph 306 530-9133; info@overthehillorchards.ca; w

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