End of an era for Upper Canada Cranberries ahead of Thanksgiving

The fall harvest of cranberries at Upper Canada Cranberries in eastern Ontario is the last one for a local owner. CTV’s Dave Charbonneau reports.

It’s the end of an era for a small, local farm, tucked away in Greely.

Lyle Slater has been harvesting cranberries at Upper Canada Cranberries for 25 years.

“We have about 14, 15 acres of cranberries,” Slater said.

“This year, about 80,000 pounds. And it’s about a half crop.”

But after all this time, Slater says it’s time to retire.

“This the last year. I’m retiring this year. I’m going to turn 77. This is the last year I’m going to harvest. And the farm will be for sale,” he said.

Just last week, the empty field at Upper Canada Cranberries looked very different, with hundreds of thousands of floating berries being scooped up to be sorted and bagged.

As the berries drop onto a conveyor belt, workers sort through the bright red fruit.

“So, ones that are going to come out, if they’re white or if they’re green, they’re not ready. Or if they’re old and they look more like raisins, they’re no good either,” said Scott Gregory of Upper Canada Cranberries.

Once the spoiled or unripe berries are removed, what’s left is the best of the bunch.

“They’re round and they’re firm and they’re red. And that’s what you want. You want the color, the firmness and a decent size hopefully as well,” said Gregory.

Dozens of bags of berries are sold here every day leading up to the holidays.

“Cranberries are awesome at Thanksgiving. What’s better than that, right?” said Willa Langlois.

And for her, supporting a local farm makes it even sweeter.

“Because it’s local. Yes. And I want to support local, you know.”

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