Haskap Day 2015 Agenda, June 26 - Part 2

Time: Friday June 26,  8:30 to 4:00

Location:  U of Sask Horticulture Research Farm, U of SK, Saskatoon, SK

In recent years our Haskap Day has been held in mid-July which allowed visitors to see late ripening Haskap in their prime.  But this year we will be able to see early ripening haskap since the event is in late June.  This marks the 10^th anniversary of haskap funding from Saskatchewan Agriculture, which has allowed much larger plantings of haskap.  If you haven’t visited us in the last few years you will be amazed at how many plants we have and the diversity of the collections.

Highlights of what will be on the tour:

• ·       15 acres of haskap seedlings from our breeding program
• ·       Tasting berries and tagging favourite plants in the field
• ·       20 named Russian varieties in good production
• ·       U of Sk named varieties
• ·       Wild Haskap gathered across Canada and their hybrids
• ·       Plants from Japan, Russian and the Kurile Islands
• ·       Strange relatives of haskap: some grow fast and tall but taste disgusting, other creep along the ground
• ·       Demonstration of Johanna harvester
• ·       Demonstration of hand harvesting (swimming pool and tickling methods)
• ·       Demonstration of pruning and pruning equipment 

In the field, attendees are allowed to sample fruit from different bushes.  Each attendee will be given flagging tape to mark superior seedlings.  Later in the season, the breeder will visit every marked plant and evaluate the bushes.

Please, do not chow down and eat many fruits from a favourite bush.  If many fruits from a good bush are eaten we will have no idea that bush was productive and it might never get considered as a new variety.

For Sale:  


Several of our propagators will be having booths, usually taking orders but sometimes bringing plants for sale.  A limited supply of Haskap T-shirts will be available. 


Location:

North side of 14^th Street, between Preston and Arlington avenues.  A big green “HORTICULTURE” sign is next to the gate.  Park on the south side of 14^th st.  There will not be any room in our parking lot.  A map is on our events webpage: http://www.fruit.usask.ca/extension.html

Cost:  $25 per person, Kids and U of SK students free.  $5 more if you want us to order pizza for you, otherwise bring your own lunch.  Cash or Cheques only, we cannot process credit or debit cards

Haskap Day 2015 Agenda, June 26 - Part 1

 Here is the agenda for Haskap Day 2015, which is sponsored yearly at the University of Saskatchewan's Horticulture Field Laboratory, Saskatoon, SK.

This year Haskap Day will be held on June 26...

8:00AM	Haskap Day Agenda, 2015
	8:30 - 9:00 Registration
9:00AM	9:00 – 9:30 Introduction to Haskap and Horticulture Field Facilities
	9:30 – 12:30 Tour of Haskap Fields We will visit various fields.  Bob Bors will point out plants of interest in each field.  There will be ample time to talk to growers and staff, and to sample berries.  This is a good opportunity to ask questions either about your own plants or the things you see in our fields.
10:00AM
11:00AM
12:00 NOON	12:30 – 1:30 Lunch
1:00PM
	1:30 – 2:30 U of S Haskap Research Updates Bob Bors: Haskap Breeding, New research Projects James Dawson: Haskap Nutraceuticals Bayartulga: Greenhouse Haskap, Nutrients for Haskap Plants
2:00PM
	2:30-3:30 Presentations by Growers & Groups Haskap Canada Update IRAP: 4 kinds of grants available for growers Various Propagators These will be 10 minute (or so) talks. Some will be impromptu interviews of growers. If you have a specific topic you want to present, email Bob.bors@usask.ca
3:00PM
	3:30 – 4:00 Growers Forum Open discussions, Questions and Answers. This portion may start earlier if not enough grower presentations occur.
4:00PM
	Note: our facility closes at 4:30, so everyone must leave before then

FLOWER POWER!!!

In keeping with our emphasis on the importance of pollination, here are a few links to articles that cover a new exhibit assembled by The Royal Saskatchewan Museum and now on display, entitled Insects, Flowers, and Food.    

http://www.prairiedogmag.com/2015-05-28/flower-power/

http://globalnews.ca/news/2000016/people-buzzing-about-new-exhibit/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/bees-bugs-flowers-focus-of-new-royal-saskatchewan-museum-exhibit-1.3075921

The  designers used one of Haskap Canada's photos in a multi-media presentation, which shows Dr. Bob in the field last summer on Haskap Day 2014.  Why not stop by and view their exhibit when you're in town!

U of SK Haskap Day...Plan To Attend!

Mark your calendar for this year's Haskap Day at the U of SK - June 26.  This year's field day will emphasize early-bearing selections.  More information will be forthcoming.  See you there!

Flowers And Fruit Set In Salmon Arm, BC Today

Got to be some of the first of this year's haskap production, Doris and Axel Hvidberg from Salmon Arm shared this today from their Indigo Yum.  Are the rest of us jealous?  You betcha!  Leaves not even out yet on the northern prairies.  Good on you, you two!!!

Pollinators

With spring so comes buds, then leaves, then flowers.  Without insect pollinators no berry production occurs.  Here are a couple of links to articles of which haskap growers should be aware.  These cover pollination, pollinators, and bee loss...

http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/farming_for_bees_guidelines_xerces_society.pdf

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/bees-may-get-hooked-on-neonicotinoid-pesticides-1.3044237

Ready To POP!!!

Thanks to Randy and Elaine Rodgers for showcasing what's happening in their orchard in BC this past week!!!

Haskap Canada AGM, Saturday, March 28, 2015

Tomorrow's AGM at the U of SK Agriculture Building includes:

9:00 - 9:30      Registration
10:00 - 11:30  Presentations - Marketing, Phyto-Chemical Properties, Soil Nutrition
11:30 - 1:00    Lunch - Dying Wool With Haskap
1:00 - 2:00      AGM
2:00 - 3:00      Open Forum

Haskap Wins At World Spirits Awards

Several double golds have been won over the last year for haskap-based wines and liqueurs.

At the recent Wold Spirits Awards in Denmark a haskap liqueur won yet another award again...the producer a B.C. distillery.  The judges' description of this most recent win of Haskap Liqueur read:   Fragrance: complex, very aromatic, currant/raspberry/citrus mixture.  Taste: Vivid, Wild Berry bouquet, very good balance of acid and fruit, full-bodied and long.  YUM!

Here's the links from the most recent awards, which were given to Okanagan Spirits:

http://swiftsend.artistechnewmedia.com/t/r-2E0A60C02C58F08B2540EF23F30FEDED

https://www.okanaganspirits.com/products/liqueurs/haskap

The berries come from the [nearby] berry patches of Elaine and Randy Rodgers' Northern Jewel Farm, located in Smithers B.C.,  and High Mountain Farm, owned by Axel Hvidberg and Doris Buckler located in Salmon Arm, B.C..!

Nice...

Haskap Canada 2015 AGM

Haskap Canada Association

Annual General Meeting 2015

Saturday March 28th, 2015

Agriculture Building Map

University of Saskatchewan, Room 1E80

Agriculture Building, 51 Campus Drive

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

(held in conjunction with the Saskatoon Gardenscape event)

9:00 AM to 9:30 AM: Registration – No charge for sessions

9:30 AM to 12:00 AM : Information Sessions – TBA

12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM – Lunch Break

1:00 PM to 2:00 PM – Annual General Meeting 

2:00 PM to 3:00 PM – Open Forum

Directions to  the meeting room: directly connected to the Agriculture Building main lobby, to the right of the washrooms.

- See more at: http://haskap.ca/annual-general-meeting#sthash.9Sc4ZJ6H.dpuf

Haskap In The News: 12 January, 2015

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/why-corn-smut-could-be-good-for-you-1.2888681

2015 Haskap Canada Membership Drive!

Did you know that our membership drive for 2015 is under way?  Memberships are $50.00 and can be renewed online using PayPal at http://haskap.ca/members.  Among other things benefits include:

• Access to the Members Only page to see the full member network map and special posts, for example, on how to grow an organic Haskap orchard (coming soon)!
• Receive special notices of events 
• Newsletter 1-2 times per year

For more information contact Carol Vandale, HCA Administrator at: haskapadmin@haskap.ca

And why not invite a friend to join as well?

Kamchatka Haskap In Poland: Report

Here is a Google Chrome translation of an article in Polish concerning the growing of Kamchatka edible blue honeysuckle in Poland: "Many people wonder over the prospect of growing [edible blue honeysuckle] Kamchatsky in Poland. Is it worth it to take, or who will have to buy fruits and whether it is on the make? Past experience shows that there are great opportunities species growing in Poland, and in the disposal of fruit so far, there is no problem.

Kamczacka berry is an interesting species for cultivation in Poland, due to the low climatic and soil requirements. The plants are easy to handle, resistant to low temperatures during the winter and spring frosts. Fruit on commercial plantations of three years, you can start collecting now combine. For this purpose should be formed shrubs."

Here's the link: http://www.jagodnik.pl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1656:perspektywy-dla-jagody-kamczackiej-film&catid=49:inne&Itemid=72

There is also a video of harvesting (in Polish) and more to the article.  Accessing it through Goole Chrome allows you the option of translating it for yourself.  Just FYI...

Haskap Canada - 2015 AGM

Haskap Canada's Annual General Meeting will take place on March 28, 2015 and will again be located on the University of Saskatchewan's campus.  This date coincides with Gardenscape in order to allow attendees to participate in both events.  More information will be posted here as the date approaches...

Global News, Edmonton: Haskap, The New Super Fruit (10 Nov, 2014)

http://globalnews.ca/video/1664560/haskap-the-new-superfruit

Bob Bors: Announcing Haskap Grower's Guide And Visits To Grower's Orchards, 2015 - 2016

Dr. Bob Bors, 2014 Haskap Day Field Tour, U of SK

A sabbatical has been officially approved for Dr. Bob Bors.  From July 1, 2015 until June 30, 2016 Bob will be working on finishing up a grower’s manual for Haskap!  He is also planning on visiting Haskap growers, as his schedule allows.  In conjunction with these visits he would like to offer seminars as well as to provide advice in the field.  If a grower’s group, for example, were able to host a seminar, he would then be able to visit numerous sites in that region.  If, however, there is no grower’s group in your area this should not deter you from sending him an invitation if you are willing to invite others to your orchard who will benefit from his visit.

If you are interested in hosting an event or in inviting him to spend some time in your orchard you are invited to email him at Bob.bors@usask.ca so that he can start a database for possible visits.  In the subject line please add the words: Sabbatical Visit.  Please describe to him your interest and/or experience with Haskap.  He will need to know your location (your nearest town is good enough).  If he is able to be in your region he will be contacting you.

Remember, we at Haskap Canada ideally consider that Haskap is a resource that is able to improve an entire community as a whole.  Growers who also provide information and assistance to others in their region help an entire community to achieve a healthier, more bountiful life.  Your invitation to him should ideally reflect your experience at having done so, or your plans to do so.

During his sabbatical he will also be attending gene banks and nursery industry opportunities.  The invitation on this post is specifically aimed at growers who care about their respective communities.

What a great opportunity!  I guess that doctors still do make house calls!!!

Haskap Planting Tutorial - Haskap Haven Farms

The following video highlights Karl Schreiber's haskap planting on his farm, Haskap Haven Farms, at Pierceland, SK.  Nice job!  :)  (Heavenly Blue Haskap Productions, Hamish Graham, supervising)

U of SK Announces Two New Haskap Selections

The University of Saskatchewan has announced the pending release of two new haskap selections, Boreal Beauty and Boreal Blizzard.  Larger in size and mid-to-late season, these berries can hold the potential for bountiful fruit production throughout the summer.  These will be available in 2015/2016.

New Brunswick Haskap Workshop

Dr. Bob Bors will be speaking at a workshop in St-Basile, New Brunswick on October 25th.  Don Northcott (Phytocultures) will also speak.  Weather permitting there will be a tour of a Haskap orchard.  For more detailed information click here.

Winemaking With Haskap

It requires about 6 kg/13 lbs of haskap berries to make a batch of wine with the recipe that is posted on the U of SK haskap website.  In Haskap Wines At The U of Sk Fruit Program, Peter Reimer tells about what he discovered concerning yeasts, styles of wine, and gives a basic background for starting your own batch.  You'll need a 5 gallon, food-grade bucket, sterilizing solution, a sheet of plastic for the top of the bucket when you begin, a large carboy, a syphon tube, and the following ingredients: 4 kg / 9 lb cane sugar, a packet of yeast, yeast nutrient, potassium metabisulphate, and wine tannin.  (The later, specific additives only cost a few dollars and will provide you with enough tho make several batches of wine.)  The recipe works!  It's probably best to talk to a friend who has made wine before if this is your first attempt...but the results can be delightful.   Thank you, Peter!