Eat, drink and be berry: it’s berry season in BC! – We Heart Local BC

Eat, drink and be berry: it’s berry season in BC!

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It’s the sweetest time of year: berrying season! And across BC, there are so many different kinds of berries available, it’s hard to decide which to pick first. Below, our guide to what’s in season, u-Pick farms across BC, and tasty recipes for once you’ve filled your berry bucket to overflowing. Don’t forget: local retailers often supply local BC berries as well, so if you’d rather skip the picking, make your local grocery store your first stop!

Blackberries:

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In season from July to October.

Where to pick: Blackberries grow wild all over BC - you might be surprised at all the places they pop up! To visit a blackberry farm, try Bumbleberry Farms, Driediger Farms or Arjuna Berry Farms.

Recipes: If you can manage to get any home instead of eating them all en route, have a go at this family-friendly Blackberry Jam!
 
Blueberries:

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In season from June to September.

Where to pick: This U-Pick tracker tells you which farms to head to if you want to pick your own. You can also pick up local blueberries fresh with this Farm Gate finder.

Recipes: Blueberry Pocket Pies, Spiced Blueberry Pancakes and Quick Blueberry Lamb Kebabs are just three of our many blueberry recipes! Plus, find out more about the beautiful relationship between BC blueberries and BC honeybees here.

Boysenberries:

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 In season from June to August.

Where to pick: Get your boysenberry fix with these farms!

Recipes: Got a recipe for a luscious boysenberry pie, or maybe a rich boysenberry sauce? Submit your favourite here.

Gooseberries:

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In season from June to July.

Where to pick: There are gooseberries a-plenty at these local farms.

Recipes: Gooseberries make a tasty garnish au natural, but if you’re a fool for gooseberries, you’ll want to whip up this Gooseberry Fool (or this equally tasty Gooseberry Chutney!)

Saskatoon berries:

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In season from June to July.  You might also know them by names like serviceberry, Juneberry, or sugar pear. They’re not technically a berry but a pome (like an apple or a pear) - but they’re small, sweet and and in season in BC.

Where to pick: You can find out more about Saskatoon berries here, and plan a picking trip at South Island Saskatoons.

Recipes: What’s your favourite way to enjoy saskatoons? Share your recipe here!
 
Strawberries:

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In season from June to September.

Where to pick: Try this helpful farm list of strawberry providers - or search both U-Pick and farm gate sales for the perfect strawberry field.

Recipes: Strawberry Parmesan Chicken, Strawberry Pie or try this divine twist on classic Strawberry shortcake.

Raspberries:

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In season from July to September.

Where to pick: BC’s got lots of raspberry farms and vendors for you to choose from: this list includes both U-Pick and market locations so you can easily plan the perfect raspberry run.

Recipes: Try using raspberries in this Tomato Pepper Gazpacho for a fresh twist on a savoury entree. Plus, this French Toast with Creamy Coffee Fudge Sauce and Raspberries is sure to be a crowd favourite.

Don’t forget, to find out what’s in season any month of the year, head to our In Season search tool! And, we’d love to hear about your favourite places to go berrying or your best berry recipes - just let us know on our Facebook page or submit your recipe here.

The results are in – and they’re delicious! Our province-wide #MiniRecipeBC contest inspired participants from communities all over to post eats, treats and sweets