Best Local Strawberries Grown Near Kingston Ontario

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Strawberry Delight

Last updated: 2024-07-21

The aroma of perfectly ripe berries, and the sweet flavour explosion when you bite into a juicy berry… there are few things as exhilarating for strawberry lovers.

For us in Eastern Ontario, it’s an excruciating wait before the local strawberries are ripe and ready to pick and buy. And the season is so short, usually mid-May to late June.

Sure, strawberries from California, Mexico and other locales are available year round, and more recently, mega-greenhouses in Southwest Ontario and Quebec have extended the strawberry season.

But there’s something magical about local, freshly picked, field grown, sun ripened strawberries.

The Local Growers

We love to do side by side taste tests and comparisons, so as soon as we heard that local strawberries were available, we set off to buy some, this year in the Kingston and South Frontenac area. In alphabetic order:

Fruition Berry Farm
McNaul’s
Mensen Farm
Miller’s Bay Farm
Palmer Berry Farm
Paulridge Berry Farm
Sun Harvest Greenhouses
Tincap Berry Farm

Taste Test Part 1

The first attempt was a complete bust !

On Saturday, Sun Harvest had already sold out and Palmer’s outside of Westport no longer sells them. On Sunday, the only place at the Kingston Memorial Market that seemed to be selling them at all was Menses but they had already sold out, though I was able to buy a few from ChocChique who were dipping Menses berries in their own chocolate.

Not to be denied, I bought 3 types from Farm Boy (1 from Quebec, and 2 from big greenhouse growers in Southwest Ontario: Mucci Farms, and Nature Fresh Farms), and some jam berries from Lakeshore Farms Market, a familiar site in the Canadian Tire parking lot by Princess Street in the west end.

We had a fun blind tasting and comparison with my hand picked jurors, Lena (Swedish palate) and Tony (Mexican palate).

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Strawberry Taste Comparison Tips

1. Slice the strawberries you are comparing to approximately the same size.
2. Put berries from each batch into their own narrow glass.
3. Let the strawberries get to room temperature, so the flavors open up.
4. Compare the aromas.
5. After tasting each, rinse your mouth with water and wait one minute.

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Taste Test Part 2

The second attempt was mostly successful. Sun Harvest was waiting for a new batch to ripen, but we found McNaul’s, a new (to us) farm a bit south of Westport on #10 by the 9th concession. Also picked up some from Miller’s Bay Farm (purchased at Kudrinko’s in Westport), Menses Farm (purchased at the Crosby market at #15 and #42), Fruition Berry Farm, and had enough time and energy left to get to Paulridge Berry Farm, north of Napanee.

Les’ Personal Favorite Ways To Enjoy Strawberries

1. On their own , room temperature, no sweeteners.
2. Fresh Strawberry Margarita (watch for a social media post, adapted for low carb !)
3. Heavy cream or whipped cream, cinnamon sprinkle optional
4. Dark Chocolate dipped

The Best Local Strawberries?

Now, here’s the thing about choosing “the best”. Taste is so subjective, conditions vary so much, etc.

So it would be completely unfair to share what I thought were the best for my tastes, based on what i purchased that day.

So think of this as “the best in the area”, and decide for yourself 🙂

Next year, Quinte, and whoever gets the most mentions that I didn’t get to so far…

How To Recycle All That Strawberry Packaging

If Kingston looks after your recycling and waste:
– https://www.cityofkingston.ca/garbage-and-recycling/what-goes-where/
– Plastic (clear clam shell, white or green baskets): clean well, put in blue box
– Cardboard: if stained, put in compost; otherwise in grey box
– Wood handles: garbage

If you buy them from a farm or pick your own, ask if they will accept the empty containers when you are finished. Some pick your own places will let you bring your own containers.

Are you Crafty? https://www.educatall.com/page/1061/10-things-to-do-with-berry-containers.html

Wood handles and baskets are great kindling.

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Fruition Berry Farm

I’ve been trying to get to Fruition for a few years, and somehow always miss out (season, weather, sold out).

It was pretty rainy but I didn’t want to miss out again, especially as this was the last of their strawberries this season.

The stars aligned, and Christine had one basket left that I snapped up.

Fruition has been in operation since 2006, and is related to the Paul’s running Paulridge Berry Farm.

https://www.fruition.ca/
Google Map 613-548-3378
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Pick Your Own and Pre-Picked

McNaul’s

I stopped by this recent addition to the strawberry growers in the region, about 5 minutes south west of Westport.

They offer baskets of freshly pre-picked strawberries.

So far, the only information I have been able to find online is Ryan Robert’s personal Facebook profile, which is not accepting messages using Facebook Messenger, or comments from other than Facebook friends.

Well worth checking out, but you’ll have to hope they have berries when you decide to go.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/s4PWWHrdQX7gEjGm9

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Mensen Farm

While I haven’t been to their farm (yet) in Delta, I was able to purchase their strawberries at:
– the Memorial Market in Kingston where Madelyn explained that they grow numerous varieties to have a maximum growing season,
– ChocChique also at the Memorial Market, where they were dipping them in their own chocolate made from the beans, and
– Crosby Market where I met Kelly (check out her amazing strawberry fingernails!) who has done everything from picking to manning the stall.

The farm has been operating since 1991, practices conservation tillage to protect the soil from erosion, and grows GMO-free produce.

Delta Farm: On-site (and sometimes Pick Your Own).
Kingston Memorial Market – Sundays
Crosby Market (#15 and #42) – Saturdays.

https://www.themensenfarm.com/
Google Map Instagram
(613) 928-2555 Mensen@themensenfarm.com

Miller’s Bay Farm

This farm was a bit outside the area I was planning to cover in this blog post so I didn’t get to their farm this year, but I was able to buy some of their berries at Kudrinko’s in Westport.

On-site, they offer both Pick Your Own and already picked at their roadside stand.

They have been operating since 1896 (125 years!). You can sign up for email alerts of what is currently available at the farm.

https://millersbayfarm.com/
Google Maps
Facebook Instagram
millersfarmfresh@gmail.com

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Palmer Berry Farm

One of our very favorite sources for local strawberries was Palmer Berry Farm, a few minutes west of Westport.

Unfortunately they are no longer selling strawberries. Their self-serve stand in the barn was open and had maple syrup, so hopefully everyone is healthy.

Paulridge Berry Farm

A short drive north of Napanee, the Paul family has been offering strawberries since 1978, and their ancestors started farming on the adjacent property in 1920.

The family involvement in strawberries extends even wider, as the Paul’s that own Fruition Berry Farm on the other side of Kingston are family !

Paulridge offers both Pick Your Own, and Pre-Picked at the farm stand in the parking lot. And they accept their containers back for recycling.

https://www.paulridgeberryfarm.com/
613-354-6012
Google Maps
h ttps://www.facebook.com/paulridgeberryfarm/

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Sun Harvest Greenhouses

While i have not been able to get my hands on their strawberries yet, I am keeping them on the list because I should be able to get some soon… they have an extended season because they are grown in their greenhouse.

If you have driven north on Perth Road/#10, you have likely seen their greenhouses and garden centre just past Glenburnie Grocery and across from Glenhaven Memorial Gardens.

Inside they grow amazing berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, basil and spectacular flowers; outdoors, one of the sweetest, juiciest and most tender corn I have enjoyed; and so much more.

Greg and Allison Shannon, their family and a large friendly team. Since 2002.

https://sunharvest.ca/
Google Maps
(613) 546-6541
Facebook Instagram

Tincap Berry Farm

I hadn’t planned to go this far east this year, but a medical appointment took us to Brockville and Tincap was fortunately on the way.

Robert and Iris Dentz started the farm in the 80s, and planted the first strawberry seeds in 1987.

There is a beautiful (new?) large barn building with lots of room for their strawberries and other produce.

https://www.tincapberryfarm.ca/
Google Maps 613-345-3096 hello@tincapberryfarm.ca
Facebook Instagram

Pick Your Own and Prepicked on site
Brockville Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.
Satellite stands in Brockville and Prescott in 2024.

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Over To You !

What’s your strawberry tradition.. Picking? Jam? Champagne? Whipping/Whipped Cream?

Who is your favorite local grower, and who did we miss this time?

Let us know in the comments. And share the post with your fellow food lovers.