The do-it-yourself culture of the Prairies might blind farmers from
opportunities right under their noses.
Take saskatoons.
Until the early 1990s the wild berries were a treasured part of farm
desserts and spreads.
But who would buy berries when you can pick them yourself?
Nevertheless, a few pioneers took a chance and in just 10 years the
industry has seen remarkable growth.
It could be just the beginning.
Sandra and Ken Purdy of Prairie Berries in Keeler, Sask., are among
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those who see the future.
Sandra related their story at a conference sponsored by Saskatchewan
Agrivision Corp. last week.
Sandra’s lack of farm background might have helped her to see the
potential in saskatoons in the early 1990s. She had worked for SaskTel
in project management and sales, but she’d married and moved to a farm.
Not enjoying a 250 kilometre daily commute, she wanted an on-farm
business and turned her considerable business skills to saskatoons.
She started with research, travelling to Oregon orchards to see how
mature fruit businesses succeeded.
They wrote a business plan, building production to match market growth.
To get the needed return on their labour, product and investment, they
knew they’d have to charge more than what their neighbours would pay.
“We found that in Saskatchewan we are kind of a do-it-ourselves kind of
people, so when it comes to the price I wanted to get for my processed
product … the markets were really outside of Saskatchewan.”
Prairie Berry shaped its product and promotion to go after the gourmet
market – natural, wholesome and upscale.
She was right. Outsiders were willing to pay top dollar.
In 2000, with a new business plan for the next step in growth, they
built a processing plant with a capacity beyond what their orchard
could supply.
With the help from Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development, Sandra
set up a value chain putting together eight other producers and a
buyer, Federated Co-op, with food stores across Western Canada.
Last year, Prairie Berries’ processing business grossed $250,000. This
year it expects to gross $500,000 and provide employment for several
local families.
There are similar stories of saskatoon success across the Prairies. I
wonder what else is right under our noses?
