Everett Seib (Seib's Berry Farm), left, and Nicole Entz (Battle River Berries U Pick), right, shown at their U Pick farms. (Submitted photos/Everett Seib and Battle River Berries U-Pick Facebook respectively)

By Angela Brown

Prime for picking

Seib’s Berry Farm and Battle River Berries U-Pick offer plenty to see and taste in the Battlefords

Jun 26, 2021 | 2:11 PM

Battlefords area U-pick farms are reporting a good production this summer, with help from plenty of warm weather and intermittent rainfall.

Everett Seib, owner of Seib’s Berry Farm, said his Saskatoon berries are progressing very well.

“The crop is going to be better than last year, a far better crop,” he said. “In fact, the way it is looking now it’s almost equivalent to the one I had a couple of year’s ago, which was record-breaking.”

The fruit is produced on seven acres in total, consisting of five acres of Saskatoon berry crops and two acres of sour cherries.

He has about 2,500 Saskatoon berry bushes and over 500 cherry trees altogether.

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Seib had to prune back many of the cherry trees due to issues with frost last year, so there will be a less plentiful supply for picking this year while the trees revive and regrow.

As a result, he anticipates there will be only about 100 cherry trees with substantial fruit for picking this year.

“For next year they will produce really well again, but for this year I am going to have not a very big crop of cherries,” he said.

Seib also sells Saskatoon berry and cherry jellies, as well as sour cherry juice at the farm.

“My daughter does all the jelly making,” he said.

The Saskatoon berries will be available for U-pick trips starting shortly after July 15, while his sour cherries will be ready a little later, around mid-August when the fruit matures properly.

Seib’s Berry Farm is located 10 miles northeast of North Battleford. To get their, drive four miles north on Highway 4, turn right at Highway 378 and go five miles east. Turn right again and travel half a mile south on Grid Road 3160 to reach the farm.

To visit, people can call or just come by. Extended hours begin when the U-pick season starts.

“We’re here every day of the week, usually from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until picking time. Once picking time starts in July then it’s any hour of the day, as long as there are lights on,” Seib said.

Battle River Berries U-Pick

Battle River Berries U-Pick, is also open for business for those interested in taking home some Haskap berries now in season.

Some fresh Haskap berries seen at Battle River Berries U Pick farm. (Battle River Berries U Pick/Facebook)

Co-owner Nicole Entz said U-pick for Haskap berries started this week with everything blossoming.

“Conditions are great,” she said. “Everything is growing well. The rain and the heat helped.”

The Entz family took over as the new owners of Battle River Berries U-Pick last year.

Entz encourages people to try Haskap berries if they haven’t already. The berries have a tangy taste, and are described as “seven times stronger than a blueberry.”

“They can be used to make wines, liqueurs, sauces and pies,” Entz said. “It’s a high anti-oxidant [fruit].”

Later on in the summer, the U-pick farm will offer raspberries, sour cherries, Saskatoon berries, and chokecherries.

People can follow Battle River Berries U-Pick on Facebook to see the start dates.

Entz said the family have more plans ahead as well, and are working on the strawberry production for next year.

Battle River Berries U-Pick is located off Highway 29, just about 10 minutes outside of Battleford, heading towards Wilkie. People are asked to follow the signs posted on the left side of Highway 29 that will lead them to the farm.

Entz asks those planning to come for a U-pick trip to call ahead first, to book a time to make sure someone is there to meet them when they arrive.

“You can pick it yourself, or I’ll pick for you if you don’t have time,” she said.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow