A delicious fruit with many properties, cranberries are an integral part of Quebec’s culinary culture. A plant native to North America, it made its way into Quebec agriculture nearly 80 years ago. To get that ruby-red fruit you love so much, we follow a one-of-a-kind cranberry harvesting process.
Discover Patience Fruit & Co’s unique method for providing you with delicious fresh and dried cranberries!
A fruit native to our land
Did you know that Quebec is the world leader in organic cranberry production?
What makes it special: its climate and soils conducive to berry growing. Its winters protect the fields from fungal invasion, and its acidic soils promote cranberry cultivation. Since the start of their cultivation in the province, they have mainly been grown in the Centre-du-Québec region.
How does the cranberry growing process work?
A cranberry’s journey from field to plate follows specific steps according to the season. The fields require constant work to preserve the plant, protect it from external aggression, and allow it to withstand Quebec’s weather conditions.
The work varies according to the season:
- Winter: We cover the fields with a layer of water, which will freeze. This ice helps protect the buds of the plants from frost.
- Spring: After removing the water from the fields, the work of weeding, fertilizing, and monitoring for insect pests takes place.
- Summer: Start of the flowering of the plants and therefore the fertilization period. The pollinators will allow for optimal fruit setting of the flowers, which will turn into berries.
- Fall: The cranberries start to show up! We regularly water the fields to protect them from frost. First white, then red, the berries will soon be ready for harvest.
The cranberry harvest in Quebec
When the cranberry turns bright red, the harvest can begin. In Quebec, this period generally takes place from late September to late October.
To do this, we flood the fields using water from the lakes located on the farm. The plants are shaken using a thresher. This will naturally loosen the berries, which then float to the surface. This is what makes this crop so charming!
We then collect the berries and load them onto a truck, which takes them to the next stage of their adventures.
Patience: slow and gentle cultivation, at the rhythm of nature
Since 2015, Patience Fruit & Co has stood out as an organic cranberry grower with a one-of-a-kind harvest process.
Out of a desire to get closer to the rhythm of nature, we’ve developed a slower and longer drying method. That way, the cranberries continue to follow a gentle rhythm and preserve their flavours and benefits while maintaining a softer texture!
Members of the Fruit d’Or group, we follow strict organic farming rules and meet the highest food safety standards. Our cranberry growing and harvesting is therefore guaranteed to be free of pesticide residues, chemical fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms.
In addition, we’re constantly looking for solutions to reduce our ecological footprint. That’s why our cranberry cultivation favours:
- Pollination;
- Fields close to the factory;
- Using natural processes and fertilizers to promote the cultivation of the plant;
- Innovation to ward off the insects and weeds that can affect the cranberry harvest;
- Closed-circuit water management to limit the impacts on the environment and optimize water supplies.
Patience, local, organic, and berries
Explore our different products to savour our cranberry harvest! Whether they’re fresh, dried, or juiced, our cranberries are prepared with care, patience, and attention.
And stay tuned! Late September to December is the season for fresh cranberries. This is the time to stock up on fresh berries for your favourite preparations! For more inspiration, take a look at our recipes.