WHAT'S ON THE FARM
Blackberries
Whether in pie, jam, syrup, or straight from the vine, blackberries are always delicious! All of the blackberries on the farm are thornless. The varieties we grow include Chester, Apache, Prime-Ark Freedom, and Triple Crown. Although they differ in size and yields, all of the varieties are succulent. In general, the blackberries ripen from mid-August through mid-September.
Gooseberries
Gooseberries are part of the currant family. Their branches have sharp spikes, so picking them can be a painful experience (not recommended for children). They turn from green to shades of pink and red. The pinker they become, the sweeter and riper they are. Some folks compare the taste of gooseberries to that of a sour grape. Indeed, their tartness is part of their appeal. They are delicious, especially in a pie with a little sugar added. They can also be eaten straight from the vine. They are ready to pick from early July (greener) to early August (pink to red).
Honey Bees
We have bees on the farm that make delicious honey!
Did you know:
- Honey bees pollinate flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Bees have an incredible sense of smell which guides them to flowering plants.
- Honey bees live in hives with one queen. She lays eggs to keep the colony going strong, and she is the one in charge. A queen can live for about five years. Also present in the hives are the workers. The workers are all females who find food (pollen and nectar), guard the hive, and keep it clean. The workers are the bees flying by you . Speaking of flying, honey bees can fly up to 15 miles per hour! Workers have very busy lives, but they only live for about a month. The male bees in the hive are called drones. They mate with the queen. By wintertime, the drones leave the hive.
- Bees make honey to survive the winter. Luckily, they make enough extra that we can also enjoy their honey. I like mine on toast or in my morning tea. How do you like to eat honey?
You’ve probably seen the waltz, the tango and the rumba, but have you ever seen the Waggle dance? Come check out this special bee dance and learn why they do it.
Chickens
Did you know that chickens serve many purposes on a farm?
Of course, they lay eggs. They also eat bugs and work the soil, making it healthier for plants to grow. During the summer, our chickens live in a portable chicken coop so we can move them between the rows of blackberry plants to improve the soil. At the Happy Berry Farm, we have several different varieties of chickens. You’ll notice their different colors and markings, as well as the different colored eggs they produce. If you stay long enough, you’ll also notice their differing personalities as well as the “pecking order.” Come and check out who’s in charge.
Have you ever thought about all of the sayings that are about chickens? How many others can you think of?
- Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
- Are you chickening out?
- There’s a new pecking order.
- He’s no spring chicken.
- Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
- She’s about to fly the coop.
A Greenhouse
In 2022 we added a greenhouse to the farm. We plan to grow a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. Did you know that tomatoes, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, corn kernels, and bean and pea pods are all fruits? Come learn about the food we grow.
Do you have a garden in your yard? What do you like to grow?