The10-acre Gojoy Farm is ablaze with bushes of bright red coloured goji berries. The sun-ripen, plump and juicy berries are so heavy the branches drooped towards the ground.
Gojoy farm berries are light textured, sweet, with barely a hint of bitter herb flavour. “Our berries are of excellent quality. The goodness of the berry is inside the seeds,” says co-owner Danise Breederland, who agrees the warm weather has brought a bumper crop – although harvesting was delayed by five weeks.
Related: Goji Berries: The Superfood of Longevity and Vision?
“Gojoy berry variety is the oval-shaped type with delicate skin. Freshly picked berries should be stored in the fridge and eaten within three days to reduce perishability. Dry or freeze them after that,” says Breederland. Recipes and instructions on how to use goji berries are available at gojoy.ca.
U-Pick
- The season opens until Labour Day, weather permitting.
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Saturday closing extends to 7 p.m.
- Sunday – closed.
- Call 1-778-839-5988 to check before going. The farm is located in Aldergrove, B.C.,Canada. It’s about an hour’s drive from Vancouver city.
Price
- U-Pick: $15 CAD per kilogram or $6.80 CAD per pound.
- We-Pick: $35 per kilogram.
What to Bring
- Ice-packed cooler.
- Drinking water to keep hydrated, sunscreen, hat and insect repellant.
- Breathable packing containers, such as recycled small or medium size pulp fibre berry boxes, and/or plastic clamshells to pack the fragile berries. This helps to maintain freshness and prevent crushing them.
Related: Abbotsford: Culinary and Fun Getaways Packed with Tasty Thrills
What’s for Sale
- Fresh picked or frozen berries. Bring your ice-packed cooler.
- Goji trees: grow goji in your patio garden. It doesn’t take much space – it’s a hardy plant, however it needs light to thrive. A regular size goji tree goes for $65 CAD.
- Sweet mini peppers: red, yellow and orange.
- Delicious handcrafted cheese made with fresh goji berries and Mt. Lehman goat cheese.
- Goji smoothie booster (frozen), a delicious blend of six 100 per cent BC-grown berries (gojis, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, and strawberries). The booster is packed with vitamins and antioxidants to keep you healthy, and revitalize your winter woes. An ideal on-the-go breakfast meal.
Pest Control and Safety
Gojoy Farm engages Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system to reduce pests. IPM is a scientifically proven process use to solve pest issues while minimizing risks to people and the environment.
“Goji plants are very hardy and less prone to pests compared to other berries. Only organic spray is used when absolutely necessary,” explains partner, Peter Breederland.
Buy direct from farmers, support the agricultural community, and help ensure food safety, quality and environmental sustainability.
It may cost a little more compared to imports, but you know your food source and can be assured of the safety standard.
