A hotter than usual summer is bringing an influx of fresh berries to Montreal market stalls and grocery stores—a treat for local fruit lovers, that's leaving many farmers in the lurch.
"This season has been rock and roll so far. It started with a bang due to a warm April and hasn't let up," said Marc-André Isabelle, owner of La Belle de Coteau-du-Lac family farm, an hour west of Montreal.
Isabelle saw his first strawberry crop arrive nearly two weeks earlier than expected, sowing a number of challenges.
The migrant workers scheduled to arrive for the usual start to the season, not only missed the earliest haul, but many have since been delayed by strict quarantine measures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Isabelle, his brother and their parents have been faced with losing their produce, or handpicking it themselves.
"We've had to do a lot of extra hours. We were working in the field and had to open our store a week earlier than we normally do. We also had to start delivering to grocery stores," said Isabelle.
A high supply of berries flooding the market from Quebec farms over the past month, coupled with less demand from consumers, left little room on grocery story shelves to sell the early haul.
"People at the end of May aren't thinking strawberries at all. They're not ready for fresh new produce," said Isabelle.
With few early buyers, the price of berries has largely tanked for farmers.
"During the process of synchronizing supply and demand, farmers are getting less for their products because expectations aren't there in the market," says Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.
He says it's up to consumers to shop local this season, or farmers will continue to take a hit.
Back on the farm, Isabelle says his business model is pivoting to focus on his on-site market. He's anticipating more early seasons moving forward, due to changing global weather patterns.
"When Mother Nature gives you an opportunity to do something, you have to take it. The vast majority of our produce will go through our farm market," he said. "And from now on, I'm going to have an early crew on-hand."
He's asking consumers to be ready year-round too.
"[Farmers] are using social media to advertise and communicate with their customers. So get on their pages and starting liking some of their posts, to get the news they're opening and benefit from early produce," Labelle said.
Quebec strawberries are expected to last well into October, giving fruit lovers ample chance to enjoy fresh berries, and to support the farmers who grew them.