Blueberry bounty just blooming in Richmond

For longtime farmer Humraj Kallu, blueberries are not just a business. They’re a part of the city’s heritage.

“Richmond has been specializing in berries since the beginning,” Kallu said, noting the city has grown up around farms.

Kind of like him.

Kallu’s parents have operated CanWest Farms on at 13051 Blundell Road since the 1970s. Prior to that, they tilled a patch of land on No. 7 Road.

As a kid, long before farm gate sales became commonplace, Kallu remembers cars pulling into the home’s driveway throughout the blueberry season and frequent knocks on the door from people wanting to purchase some of the family’s harvest.

“I pretended to be asleep a few times,” Kallu chuckles while walking through a crop of Elliott blues.

There’s no time for that now. The youngest of five children and the only boy, Kallu has taken over the day-to-day farm operations from his parents. Today, CanWest has grown into an international player, exporting blueberries to Japan.

An on-site farmer’s market caters to those in search of berries, along with other fresh fruits and produce grown by local farmers. For those wanting to get their hands dirty, CanWest offers a U-pick option as well. (Check canwestfarms.com for the latest events and family-friendly activities at the farm).

This year, the blueberry bounty is just beginning. A short season is in store due to the prolonged winter and wet spring, Kallu said.

What’s more, the crops were clobbered by a windstorm a couple of weeks ago when the plants were still in the flowering stages.

“It interrupted the pollination process,” said Kallu of the storm.

“The winds knocked the blossoms right off and in some cases, broke the whole berry and branch off.”

Last year was the “other end of the spectrum,” with early picking starting around June 12.

Nevertheless, the fun is in full swing at CanWest Farms, which is hosting a blueberry season kickoff party on Saturday, July 15, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to fresh-picked produce, food trucks and live entertainment will be on-site, as well as a kids’ zone with face painting and a petting zoo.

For those who like their fruit in a glass, they can walk across the street to sample the wares at the Canada Berries winery (12791 Blundell Road). The largest fruit winery in B.C., Canada Berries offers more than 20 varieties for quaffing, including blueberry, apple, strawberry, peach, raspberry and more.

For even more of a buzz with your berries, pay a visit to another longtime blueberry farmer, Bob Fisher. The former proprietor of Fishers Blueberry Farm on No. 6 Road has shifted his focus – to bees.

“Oh, they’re fantastic, really,” said Fisher of the insects.

After a lifetime in the fields, Fisher sold his 10-acre blueberry farm near Blundell Road last year. He’s still in the berry business  – expecting to harvest about 20,000-30,000 pounds of blueberries on property he’s leasing now near SilverCity Riverport – but his passion has shifted to pollinators.

As the owner of Westcoast Bee Supply, Fisher imports bees from New Zealand, transporting them in airplanes filled with dry ice to keep the heat-generating bees cool, and sells the offspring to other beekeepers. He’s also a proponent of apitherapy – using bee products such as honey, pollen, royal jelly, and even venom from live stings – to soothe and treat ailments such as arthritis or Lyme disease.

As for blueberries, Fisher said his small crop seems bountiful this season.

“I was out in the field today, and (the berries) look really nice.”

Pick up some fresh blueberries, and learn about bees, at Westcoast Bee Supply, 14291 Triangle Road.

A list of U-pick farms and farm markets is at bcblueberry.com.