When people meet B.C.鈥檚 first commercial goji berry grower, they inevitably ask him the same question: 鈥淲hat do goji berries look like?鈥�
If you鈥檙e the slightest bit health-conscious, you鈥檝e tried the so-called superfruit that鈥檚 a popular addition to smoothies, though you鈥檝e probably never seen a fresh berry.
That鈥檚 because the bulk of the world鈥檚 goji berries are grown in China, where they鈥檝e been prized for their health benefits for centuries before becoming a North American favourite. Extremely perishable, the berries are either frozen, dried, pounded into powder or juiced before reaching local stores.
Aldergrove farmer Peter Breederland is hoping to change that.
On Friday, Breederland took The Province on a tour of his 10-acre goji berry field, where the crop is just beginning to ripen. From now until Labour Day, the berries will be hand-picked each morning before being carefully shipped to local Choices, Whole Foods and Urban Fare stores.
Standing among bushes spotted with berries that look like red jelly beans, Breederland said he was drawn to goji by the 鈥渃hallenge.鈥�
鈥淚t was appealing to be growing something new,鈥� he said.
Many North American farmers have tried and failed to produce goji, but Breederland has several factors in his favour.
The Fraser Valley鈥檚 climate is similar to the region in China where most of the world鈥檚 goji is grown.
鈥淚 knew it would survive our winter and like our summer,鈥� said the farmer, who has 35 years experience in the greenhouse industry in Holland, Cyprus and B.C.
With a few helpful connections in China, and all the expertise of the Fraser Valley鈥檚 blueberry and raspberry growers in his backyard, Breederland set out to become B.C.鈥檚 first commercial goji berry grower.
Apart from a few hobby farms and a plant breeder in Saskatchewan, Breederland believes he could be the first commercial goji berry farmer in North America. Search 鈥淣orth American goji cultivation鈥� on the Internet, and you鈥檒l find stories of crops devastated by birds, deer and rain.
For Breederland, who is open about his success but secretive about its finer points, determining the correct fertilizer and proper pruning shape for the bushes has been a game of trial and error. Visitors are not welcome in his field, which is bordered by tall evergreens, as he continues to experiment with different growing techniques.
鈥淲e鈥檙e learning as we go,鈥� he said.
Like most berries, goji do not produce fruit for the first two years after planting.
When Breederland鈥檚 first crop was ready, he tried selling for the fresh market, but ran into problems with shelf life, said Jeremy Cockrill, who does business development and marketing for Breederland鈥檚 company, Gojoy Berries.
鈥淧art of this is about educating the public,鈥� Cockrill explained. Consumers and retailers are encouraged to think about the berries like raspberries, which begin to turn mushy in about 48 hours. The company recently partnered with a Langley distributor who specializes in bringing fresh, perishable berries to 91原创 markets and uses strict temperature control. The berries should be refrigerated immediately.
But Breederland isn鈥檛 putting all his berries in one basket, so to speak. He鈥檚 harvested enough goji to create a frozen smoothie product made with a blend of local berries, including blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries and, of course, goji berries. With no sugar or preservatives added, all the fruit comes from the Fraser Valley, where it is also pur茅ed and packaged. The Gojoy smoothie booster is available year-round at Choices and Nature鈥檚 Fare.
Breederland admitted that he鈥檚 only 30 or 40 per cent of the way toward his production goals, but he鈥檚 optimistic.
Invigorated by the challenge, he said he鈥檚 鈥渁bsolutely convinced鈥� the future of B.C.-grown goji berries is bright.
