N.S. farmers looking for pickers to harvest bumper berry crop
It’s a race against time in Webster Farms’ strawberry fields in Nova Scotia.
“You can let a field go for four days but that is pushing it,” says farm manager Jordan Eyamie.
Ripe berries don't wait for anyone, so the rush is on for Eyamie to harvest the nearly 20 acres of berries at the farm in Cambridge. Finding local help has been nearly impossible.
“We used to get kids come. Even three years ago I had people call me wanting to pick but now I get maybe one phone call a year,” Eyamie says.
Eyamie now employs temporary foreign workers from Mexico to get the job done.
“Some of these guys are making over $20 an hour, between $20 and $30,” she says.
Without them?
“This would not get picked. There is no way,” Eyamie says.
Temporary Foreign Workers pick strawberries in a field in Cambridge, N.S. (Source: Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)
It’s not just her farm; bumper crops are growing across the province.
“It was a good spring. It wasn’t too hot, it wasn’t wet, it wasn’t too cold. It was just good growing conditions for the spring and so everything just came a little bit early,” says William Spurr, president of Horticulture Nova Scotia.
Spurr grows berries on about two acres on his farm in Wilmot where those good growing conditions produced ripe berries up to 10 days early.
“I wasn’t expecting it to come as early as it did,” he said.
A Temporary Foreign Worker picks strawberries in a field in Cambridge, N.S. (Source: Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)
Luckily, Eyamie was ready, meaning the $650,000 strawberry crop will mostly get picked.
The workers will be harvesting the fields until early Monday evening and the strawberries they're picking will be on store shelves as early as Tuesday.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO contests extradition to New York
The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggled with deputies and shouted Tuesday while arriving for a court appearance in Pennsylvania, a day after he was arrested at a McDonald’s and charged with murder.
National rent prices decline year-over-year to 15-month low: report
A new report says average asking rents fell nationally on a year-over-year basis to $2,139 in November, marking a 15-month low.
Drugs, guns, stolen vehicles and inadmissible entries mark busy year at border: CBSA
The Canada Border Services Agency says there’s been an increase in the confiscation of illegal items at border crossings, as well as a jump in inadmissible foreign nationals attempting to enter Canada from the U.S., this year compared to last.
Some added sugar sources are worse than others for disease risk, study suggests
Sugar isn’t helpful when looking to reduce heart disease risk –– but sweet drinks are the worst, according to a study. There are better sweet treats.
Company ordered to refund B.C. Telus customer who accidentally sent it payments
A B.C. Telus customer who mistakenly sent online banking payments to a company with a similar name will get refunded after a small claims decision handed down Monday.
Legal experts sound alarm on Legault's threat to use notwithstanding clause to ban public prayer
Legal experts say the increasing tendency of provincial premiers to use the notwithstanding clause is a worrying trend that disregards the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Meth wrapped as Christmas gifts seized from Vancouver passenger at New Zealand airport
A woman travelling from Vancouver to New Zealand was arrested after a search of her carry-on duffel bag found methamphetamine wrapped as Christmas presents, according to authorities.
'Governor Justin Trudeau': Trump appears to mock PM in social media post
Amid a looming tariff threat, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump appears to be mocking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, referring to him as 'Governor Justin Trudeau' in a post on Truth Social early Tuesday.
Jamie Foxx reveals he suffered a brain bleed and a stroke, says 'I don’t remember 20 days'
Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx has opened up about the medical emergency he faced last year, revealing that he had a brain bleed that led to a stroke.