Page 32 · Richmond Review
Friday, July 4, 2014
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Matthew Hoekstra photo Betty Baerg of Shell Road Farm holds baskets of tayberries and raspberries—both at their peak in South Richmond.
Farms reap berry bounty Blueberry season gets underway as a bountiful strawberry crop ends by Matthew Hoekstra Staff Reporter
Freshest Fruits and Vegetables! @richcountryfarm
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Crowds come out to Steveston Salmon Festival
Prices affective July 4th - July 6th. We reserve the right to limit quantities and while supply last on all specials.
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Renew your car insurance at BCAA.
Rich Lam photo A young cyclist took part in the Children's Bike Parade during the Steveston Salmon Festival on July 1. Tens of thousands of spectators turned out for the event. See story, page 3.
Strawberry season may be over, but Richmond’s other berry crops are ripe and ready—including one of the city’s lesserknown varieties. Tayberries have been a mainstay at Shell Road Farm since the Baerg family started business 23 years ago. They might be less popular than the farm’s sweet crop of raspberries, but with few local growers, the tayberry is a popular draw for the South Richmond farm. “We are getting more and more customers every year. Once they try it, they’re a repeat customer,” said Betty Baerg said of the deep red berry that’s a cross between a blackberry and raspberry. “It makes a very nice pie.” Berry season started at the small farm two
weeks ago, and should continue through July. Meanwhile, at CanWest Farms at Blundell and Sidaway roads, blueberries began coming off the fields about a week ago—a little earlier than last year. “This weekend we’ll be in full production for berries,” said Humraj Kallu, operations manager at the 40-hectare operation. “As of right now, the volume looks promising.” CanWest sells to numerous markets, including Japan, and direct to customers at its East Richmond farm. The blueberry harvest will continue through the summer months, according to Kallu, who said the berries are the biggest he’s seen in recent years. The season for June-bearing strawberries also started early this year. Sales ended this week at W&A Farms in East Richmond, and longtime grower Bill Zylmans said the season was long—lasting five weekends this year compared to the usual three or four. “We had a phenomenal crop. Our berries looked extremely well, and the quality was great. The weather was a little bit of an issue, but that’s part of being in farming.”
Richmond cancels summer school as strike continues by Matthew Hoekstra Staff Reporter Richmond School District has cancelled summer school courses and programs due to the teachers’ labour dispute, superintendent Monica Pamer announced Thursday. In a message posted on the district’s website, Pamer said cancelled
courses include Continuing Education’s academic full credit, academic remedial, enrichment, Richmond Virtual School and Distributed Learning, and summer camps for elementary students. “We realize this is disappointing news for the many students who were planning to enrol in these programs. Unfortunately our staff who deliver
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these cannot participate if there are picket lines at our school sites.” A labour dispute between the B.C. Teachers’Federation and the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association also ended school early for students—and there appears to be no end in sight. A B.C. Supreme Court justice concluded this week that teachers and government are too far apart on wages and
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working conditions for mediation to be effective. Pamer said the district shares parents’ disappointment, and said she hopes a negotiated settlement will be reached “as soon as possible.” The Labour Relations Board has ruled that summer school programs are essential only for students in grades 10 to 12 who failed a course
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during the previous year and can’t take the course next year. Pamer said no Richmond students face that dilemma. “Our management staff has contacted the small number of students needing a course credit to graduate to ensure they are aware of other options available to them to give them the best possible chance for success.”
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