Annual General Meeting - 2010

The Annual General Meeting for the Haskap Canada Association will take place on Saturday, February 20th, 2010. The meeting will begin at 10:00 AM and run until 2:30 PM in Room #2E25 in the Agriculture Building located on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK. There will be a cost of $20 which will cover the cost of lunch, wine, and other product samples.

If you plan to attend please send a RSVP email to: committee@haskap.ca.

See you there!

If You Are Planning On Planting Haskap...

...then this is a reminder that only two varieties of edible blue honeysuckle qualify for this designation. Their names are: Borealis and Tundra. You will need some less-related pollinators of haskap as well. You may read about this in Dr. Bob Bors' article entitled: Pollination Strategy (http://www.fruit.usask.ca/articles/pollinationstrategy.pdf). Edible blue honeysuckle pollinators do not qualify as haskap, even though they may be in your 'haskap orchard.' And no other varieties of edible blue honeysuckles qualify as haskap, either.

Bioactive Compounds In Honeysuckle Berries

The Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology published an article on 11/07 entitled: Survey of Bioactive Compounds in Western Canadian Berries. Berries native to Western Canada were analyzed for total anthocyanins, total phenolics, and trolox equivalentantioxidant activity (TEAC). It found that honeysuckle fruits contained the highest amount of polyphenols.

If you have access to a university or research subscription you can access the article, otherwise you will have to pay to access the article. One of the subscription sites is: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18066116, which provides the abstract of the article.

Thanks to Paul @ Battle River Berries - www.haskapberries.com - for the link!

Testimonial From The Vitinord Conference

The following was a part of an email regarding haskap potential for wine and was sent to Bob Bors after the Vitinord Conference a week ago in Quebec. We share it with permission:

The Vitinord conference was a great time... The most interesting thing I found had nothing to do with grapes at all! The Haskap - blue honeysuckle - is a plant from Japan / eastern Russia that is incredibly hardy. I have tasted wine made from this by Jim Warren, who is consulting with a winery in Manitoba. The jam that Bob Bors brought made from this fruit was wonderful. Can't wait to get more information and perhaps plant some in Peterborough for winemaking, jam and eating purposes...

--- Larry Paterson (www.littlefatwino.com)

Haskap: U.S.A. Inquiries

Haskap Canada has received numerous inquiries from people in the United States about the availability of haskap there. In response to these inquiries the president of Haskap Canada, Dave Negrych, contacted Dr. Maxine Thompson in hopes that she might assist him in tracking down contacts in that country who can supply edible blue honeysuckle. He already knew that Dr. Thompson is a researcher and does not supply plants. But he received a most gracious and encouraging response from her. We publish it here, with her permission:
__________

Dear Dave,

Yes, I am familiar with your website and blog. You folks do a wonderful job of promoting blue honeysuckle. There are several US nurseries that sell the Russian cultivars, called "honeyberries". Jim Gilbert of the nursery, 'One Green World' in Oregon has been selling this form of honeysuckle for several years and many nurseries have his selections. However, no nursery in the U.S. has the Japanese subspecies, emphyllocalyx, that I introduced from Japan... My selections are still very experimental because they are not old enough to have good information about their performance. This form of blue honeysuckle is called 'haskap' in Japan and I had hoped to retain this name specifically for the Japanese subspecies in the US in order to differentiate it from honeyberries. The two types have different climatic adaptation, with honeyberries doing poorly in moderate climate regions and Japanese forms well adapted to more moderate climates. However, I have no control over the name and I see that some Canadian nurseries are equating the 2 names. Bob Bors has decided to use it for his selections.... Bob is my friend and I have no quarrel with his choice of nomenclature.

Maxine

(Dr. Maxine Thompson)

Northern Viticulture

This November the International Association of Northern Viticulture is holding a conference near Montreal. While the focus of the conference is on grapes, there may be great opportunity for haskap vintners as well to make contacts and consider other aspects of making wine where there are short, cool summers.

http://vitinord.org/Homes/index/language:eng

Government Contact Widget: New Brunswick

New Brunswick is adding to the growing number of haskap growers across the nation...there are now growers in Rexton, the Acadieville region, and Fredericton. Good on ya, NB!

New Brunswick -

Crop and Regional Agri-Business Development Officer, Gerard Thebeau has attended Haskap Day in Saskatoon and grows several selections of blue honeysuckle (early prototypes from the U of S) as well as Borealis, Tundra, and Berry Blue. He hopes to attend future Haskap Days.

Gérard Thébeau P.Ag./ Agronome
Crop Development Officer / Agent de développement des cultures
Regional Agri-Business Development/ Développement régional de l'agro-industrie
26, rue Acadie/ 26 Acadie Street
Bouctouche, NB/ N.-B.
E4S 2T2
Tel: (506) 743-7330 Fax: (506) 743-7229

Fruit and Vegetable Magazine

Here's a new article on haskap put out by Fruit and Vegetable Magazine:

http://www.fruitandveggie.com/content/view/2172/

September Fruit

On September 3rd. 2009 I made an amazing discovery in the Honeysuckle orchard. Beautiful plump, great tasting berries! The July pickers had missed some berries hidden deep in the three year old Berry Blue bushes. The berries remained in tact and attached to the branches waiting to be picked until September. Is there any other fruit that ripens in June and can still be picked in September? None that I know about. Blue Honeysuckle is a most amazing fruit.

Haskap Open House - Saskatchewan

On September 12th, Haskap Central Sales (http://www.haskapcentral.com/) is hosting a fall open house at their orchard near Prince Alberta, SK (Henribourg). For more information contact Curtis Braaten at: info@haskapcentral.com or (306) 764-2514.

Haskap Theft

Several dozen Tundra/Borealis plants were reported stolen from a farm in Alberta this week. RCMP are investigating. If you have any information regarding either this theft or the whereabouts of these plants, Haskap Canada urges you to contact the RCMP in your area

Field Tour - Portage la Prairie, MB

Prairie Fruit Growers Association (MB) will host a summer field tour in Portage la Prairie this Thursday, August 6th beginning at 2:15 p.m.. Among other fruits Anthony Mintenko, MAFRI Fruit Crops Specialist, will discuss growing blue honeysuckles. For more information contact: Anthony.Mintenko@gov.mb.ca, 204-745-5675.

First Mechanical Harvest - U of S

This week preparations for the first mechanical harvesting of haskap at the U of S were made. A Joanna harvester was brought in, netting was taken down, and support posts removed. Some rows of haskap itself were also removed so that the machine could operate. (*Note: haskap plantings at the U of S are compact…made so as to best accommodate research practices, space utilization, and the needs of horticultural specialists and research technicians.)

Several rows of haskap were successfully mechanically harvested. The result was very encouraging, reported Dr. Bors. Haskap berries held up better than expected. Branches did not break even though the machine went down centre of the bushes.

At first glimpse it appeared that taller genotypes may have fared better in several respects than did short ones. Yesterday fruit was being sorted and further evaluated.

Government Contact Widget

At Haskap Day, Haskap Canada became aware of provincial field plots/incentives beginning to operate in other provinces. As a result we are adding a widget that provides provincial contact information regarding haskap in various provinces across Canada. If you are not listed we would be glad to list your province's information.

Prince Edward Island -

Innovation Officer, PEI Department of Agriculture, Stephanie MacDonald cultivates and implements commodity development and crop diversification projects on Prince Edward Island. She works with clients in agriculture and agri-food industries to enhance their innovation and entrepreneurship projects. Stephanie provides advice and researches new crop production practices. She is also the industry contact on PEI for many horticulture crops including strawberry, raspberry, currant, apple, grape and haskap.

Stephanie MacDonald
Agriculture Innovation Officer
PEI Dept. of Agriculture
440 University Ave.Charlottetown, PEI C1A 7N3
tel: 902-368-4862
cell: 902-314-5798

Alberta -

Robert Spencer, Commercial Horticulture Specialist, works with and supports horticulture crop producers in Alberta by providing information via phone, factsheets, newsletters, email, internet, fax, presentations and in-person (when possible). Rob tries to stay on top of developing crops and industries and pests/diseases issues.

Robert C.J. Spencer, B.S.A, M.Sc., P.Ag
Commercial Horticulture Specialist
Ag-Info Centre - Alberta Agriculture & Rural Development
310-FARM (3276) or 1-866-882-7677 or (403) 742-7563
Fax: (403) 742-7527

Sand Point, Idaho Cultivar Research

A new article has just been posted from the Sand Point Research Station (University of Idaho) which is seeking to develop climate-appropriate blue honeysuckle cultivars: http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/sandpoint/Haskaps.htm.

PCDF Field Day, 2009, Roblin, Manitoba

Yesterday the Parkland Crop Diversification Foundation (PCDF) held its annual field day near Roblin, Manitoba. Starting with a barbecue, plot tours followed through the rest of the afternoon. Plots included demonstrations on: ancient grain, barley, wheat, hemp, forages, nitrogen runways, and canola. Development researchers presented their work and assisted participants in understanding and interpreting what they were seeing.

Jeff Kostuik is the head Diversification Technician for the site [http://www.mts.net/~pcdfnw/aboutus.htm] and did a great job coordinating the day.

Dave Negrych, president of Haskap Canada and a haskap producer himself (http://haskapwine.blogspot.com/2009/07/dave-negrych-haskap-producer.html), had been invited to give a presentation regarding PCDF's recently planted demonstration plot of haskap. Dave explained his initial attraction to the plant, the industry's development, and the plant's characteristics. He brought blue honeysuckle berries for desert at the day's barbecue.

Haskap Demo Plots /Field Days, 2009

Numerous governmental agencies are beginning to run test /demonstration plots of haskap across Canada this year. If you know of field days being run in your area, please contact us so that we can alert others.

Potential haskap producers near the Parkland region can attend a field day near Roblin, Manitoba tomorrow, Wednesday, July 22nd. Potential growers may also attend a field day in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, on July 23rd. Haskap plantings are parts of these tours. Here's the information:

Field Day - Roblin, Manitoba

Roblin Manitoba - Parkland Crop Diversification Foundation's (PCDF) annual field day is Wednesday July 22, 2009. Starting with a barbecue at noon followed by plot tours. The haskap demo plot will be included in the tour. For more information contact Jeff Kostuik, Diversification Technician 204-773-6178, http://www.mts.net/~pcdfnw/aboutus.htm

Field Day - Portage la Prairie, Manitoba

The Crop Research Organization of Portage, the Canada Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre and Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives will be holding a Field Day on July 23 at 370 River Rd. in Portage la Prairie, beginning at 3 p.m. by touring the C.R.O.P., CMCDC and MAFRI trials and plots. The tour will cover fruit orchard production — sea buckthorn, saskatoons, strawberries, apricots, haskap, hazelnut and the alternative crops hops and artichoke. For more information, contact the Portage MAFRI office at 239-3353.

University of Saskatchewan's Haskap Day, 2009: Images

Field tours...

Plant evaluation...

Late-season berry production...

Native blue honeysuckle acquisitions...

Industry representation...

Rick Sawatzky, Horticulture Field Lab

Bob Bors, Department of Plant Science

Haskap Sales 2009

Netted Russian Blue Honeysuckles and a prairie sunset

Based on the numbers that have been reported from propagators it is possible that haskap plant sales in 2009 may range from 200,000 to 300,000 plants. This number is derived from the reports of 4 major propagators. It currently appears that approximately 30% of these orders are from Quebec and the Maritime provinces and 70% are from the Prairie provinces.

We hope to see many of you tomorrow at Haskap Day ( http://haskap-canada.blogspot.com/2009/05/haskap-day-2009.html )!

P.E.I. Promotes The Possibility Of Haskap

Here are two nicely written articles recently published by the government of Prince Edward Island on the possibility of haskap production there...

Have You Heard Of Haskap?, http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/af_FFnewsapr09.pdf, and, Haskap Berries A New Commercial Fruit For Prince Edward Island, http://www.peiadapt.com/2009/2apr09.pdf.