Canning & Preserving Favourites
This is certainly a broad topic, as there are so many ways to preserve the harvest, we would argue every plant belongs here! From fruit sauce and leathers to jams, jelly, freezing, fermenting, canning, dehydrating and powdering, there are many characteristics to look for, which makes this collection quite large!
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Species: Prunus sp
History: These seedlings are grown from Damson plum seeds collected from our orchard. Damson is a plum that may stem from antiquity!
Why We Grow It: Seedling fruit trees are a great way to add some diversity and mystery to your garden or orchard! The parent variety, Damson, produces small blue fruit that are sweet and a little spiced. They are suitable for fresh eating and great for jams, preserves, etc. For a more detailed description, see the Damson page on our website here.
Please Note: Since plums tend to stay true to type more than apples, these seedlings will likely bear a strong resemblance to their parent variety. However, any specific information listed on this page should be taken with a grain of salt as there may be some variation from the parent tree.
History: Debbie's Gold was introduced by Aubins Nursery in Manitoba in 1980.
Why We Grow It: Debbie's Gold is a relatively new but promising apricot variety for us. It is very cold hardy and late blooming, which improves the chance of a crop in our climate. It produces small fruit with a rich apricot flavour with spicy notes.
History: Delbarestivale was developed by Delbard, a nursery in France, in the 1950s. Likely named as a portmanteau of 'Delbard' and 'estivale' (translated from French as 'summer') due to its early ripening time, this variety goes by many other names including Delcorf, Monidel, Dalili, and Ambassy. It was bred in an attempt to create an improved version of Golden Delicious. Although not quite as popular as Golden Delicious, it is still grown commercially in parts of France and England and the Royal Horticultural Society awarded it the Award of Garden Merit in 1998.
Why We Grow It: This French apple is very sweet but balanced nicely with a sharp flavour. The flesh is aromatic and crisp and the skin is a lovely, stripey bi-colour with reddish streaks overlaying green. The apples store quite well for an early-ripening variety, although they do tend to bruise easily.
History: Dolgo crabapples originated in Russia and due to the slightly elongated shape of the fruit were named 'dolgo' which means 'long.' They were brought to the United States by N. E. Hansen around 1897.
Why We Grow It: Dolgo is a classic crabapple with a vibrant flavour, very tangy and delicious right off the tree in the heat of summer- as refreshing as lemonade! The bright red fruits are about the size of small plums. These apples are excellent for making jelly or as a unique addition to a cider blend. Along with being exceptionally cold hardy, the trees themselves are quite pretty and are often planted ornamentally.
Species: Vaccinium corymbosum, hybridized with V. ashei and V. darrowi
History: Draper blueberries were developed at Michigan State University by renowned plant breeder James Hancock who has also developed several other notable blueberry varieties and other fruits such as the Redhaven peach. He worked with Arlen Draper, a blueberry breeder from the US Department of Agriculture, for 14 years to breed and test different varieties for commercial use, picking Draper due to its many excellent qualities. Named for Arlen Draper, this variety has quickly become an extremely popular commercial variety due to the size and quality of the fruit.
Why We Grow It: Draper produces large, firm fruit with an excellent sweet flavour. They are great for eating fresh or can be used in baking, jams, etc like other blueberries! The large size of the berries makes them good for u-pick orchards and the bushes stay slightly smaller than other highbush varieties! They also store better and longer than other blueberry varieties and ripen at the same time.
Species: Vaccinium corymbosum
History: Duke was developed in Maryland by Arlen Draper, a blueberry breeder working for the USDA, in collaboration with the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. After ten years of testing it was released in 1987 thanks to its early ripening time, general disease resistance, reliable crops, and suitability for commercial sale. It was named Duke after S. Arthur "Duke" Galetta of the Atlantic Blueberry Company in honour of his support for blueberry breeding efforts over the years.
Why We Grow It: Duke produces good-sized crops of large, firm berries that are a good balance of sweet and tart. This is one of the earlier ripening blueberries and it has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Duke is an extremely reliable producer thanks to it's later bloom time that allows it avoid late spring frosts. Like other blueberries, it is great for a variety of uses including fresh eating, baking, and preserving!
Species: Prunus pumila var. besseyi (Western sandcherry) x P. salicina (Japanese Plum)
History: Dura was developed at the Morden Research Station in Manitoba and was released in 1942.
Why We Grow It: Dura produces small red fruit with sweet mauve flesh. They are good for eating fresh along with cooking/baking, preserving, and juice! This hardy shrub is generally disease resistant and is naturally dwarfing.
Species: Vaccinium corymbosum
History: Elliott originated in 1947 when Dr. George Darrow of the USDA first bred it. Elliott, and the other blueberries Dr. Darrow bred, were first evaluated by Dr. Arthur Elliott and then by members of the USDA such as Arlen Draper who has bred numerous blueberry varieties. It was released in 1973, over 25 years after the it was originally grown. Elliott was selected for the good quality of its fruit and its exceptionally late ripening time, making it a great variety for extending the blueberry season. It was named Elliott to honour Dr. Elliott's contributions to blueberry breeding efforts.
Why We Grow It: Elliott produces large berries with a mild sweet flavour late in the season. They are great for fresh eating, cooking, baking, and preserving! The bush is very productive and the firm fruit stores well. For those who want to enjoy fresh blueberries for as long as possible, Elliott is an excellent choice due to its very late ripening time!
History: Ernie's Favourite was grown as a seedling on a homestead in Mt. Pleasant, ON. It is believed that the seed came from Eastern Europe but it has thrived in our climate for decades and been a family favourite for the original growers. When we asked the farmer what he wanted to call the variety, he requested we name it 'Ernie's Favourite' after his father.
Why We Grow It: Ernie's Favourite produces a medium-sized quince with good flavour. It has dependable crops and does well in our climate - a good, tried-n-true variety!
History: Ernie's Favourite was grown as a seedling on a homestead in Mt. Pleasant, ON. It is believed that the seed came from Eastern Europe but it has thrived in our climate for decades and been a family favourite for the original growers. When we asked the farmer what he wanted to call the variety, he requested we name it 'Ernie's Favourite' after his father.
Why We Grow It: Ernie's Favourite produces a medium-sized quince with good flavour. It has dependable crops and does well in our climate - a good, tried-n-true variety!
Species: Prunus sp
History: These seedlings are grown from plum seeds collected from our orchard. We missed labelling this particular batch, but we know their parents are a blue prune plum similar to German and Late Italian plums.
Why We Grow It: Seedling fruit trees are a great way to add some diversity and mystery to your garden or orchard! The seedling of a classic prune plume like German or Late Italian, these plums will be good for fresh eating but great for baking, drying, etc.
Please Note: Since plums tend to stay true to type more than apples, these seedlings will likely bear a strong resemblance to their parent variety. However, any specific information listed on this page should be taken with a grain of salt as there may be some variation from the parent tree.
Species: Aronia melanocarpa
History: Galicjanka was developed in Poland where Aronia berries are a common agricultural crop. It is one of the most popular varieties grown there due to its suitability for commercial plantations.
Why We Grow It: This variety produces large berries with good flavour. While the berries ripen in August, they can hang onto the bush for a couple months and tend to sweeten over time. Despite its popularity in Poland, it is unfortunately not very common in North America.
History: The Geneva crabapple was developed in the 1930s in collaboration with the Ottawa Experimental Farm and the New York State Agricultural Research Station based in Ottawa. The creation of this crabapple was head by Isabella Preston who specialized in creating cold-hardy ornamental plants.
Why We Grow It: This attractive crabapple has deep maroon flesh. The tree itself is quite visually appealing, sporting red leaves and bright pink flowers in the spring. The taste is reminiscent of rhubarb and is suitable for cooking as well. As it is a low sugar/high acid juice, it is best blended with another high sugar variety for cider. It also adds a nice red hue to blends.
Species: Prunus sp
History: These seedlings are grown from German plum seeds collected from our orchard. Likely a few centuries old, German plums are a classic prune style plum that are great for traditional German desserts.
Why We Grow It: Seedling fruit trees are a great way to add some diversity and mystery to your garden or orchard! The parent of this variety, German plum, is sweet and aromatic. It is good for eating fresh and great for drying or baking. For a more detailed description, see the German plum page on our website here.
Please Note: Since plums tend to stay true to type more than apples, these seedlings will likely bear a strong resemblance to their parent variety. However, any specific information listed on this page should be taken with a grain of salt as there may be some variation from the parent tree.
History: Ginger Gold has quite the dramatic origin. In 1969 Hurricane Camille hit Virginia and brought awful floods, devastating the orchards of Clyde and Frances "Ginger" Harvey. As Clyde Harvey went to save the few remaining trees in his Winesap orchard, he discovered a mysterious seedling that produced yellow apples instead of red. Genetic testing showed it was a seedling of Golden Delicious, Albermarle Pippin, and an unknown third variety. Clyde named the variety after his wife and it was introduced commercially in 1982. Since then, it has become a commercially popular early variety! In 2007, the Virginia General Assembly proposed a bill to make Ginger Gold the official state apple, although this bill was sadly tabled.
Why We Grow It: It is easy to see why this such a popular early apple! Ginger Gold produces lovely bright yellow apples that sometimes sport a red blush. These medium-large apples have are firm and juicy with a pleasant sweet flavour that has a nice tart finish. The fruit is slow to brown which makes them even better for fresh-eating along with drying. For fans of feeding wildlife, Ginger Gold apples are known to hang onto the tree well after they are ripe.
History: Glowing Heart was bred in Toronto by Fred Jansen, one of the founders of the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX). This unique apple is still in its early years.
Why We Grow It: This variety has a unique pink and white flesh and is quite acidic. One bite will make you pucker! Although not the best option for fresh eating, this apple creates an aromatic jelly with rich flavour and can be used in ciders as well. It does well in organic orchards.
History: Goldcot was bred by researchers in Michigan's snowbelt with the goal of creating a hardier apricot that could withstand harsher winters. They succeeded and Goldcot apricots were introduced in 1967.
Why We Grow It: Both an early and notably hardy cultivar, Goldcot is known to be productive and dependable. The flesh of the fruit is drier than other apricots and has a slight tangy taste that is good for both fresh eating and canning. The tree has a natural semi-dwarf growth habit, great for anyone looking for a smaller apricot tree.
History: Goldrush was bred specifically for scab resistance as part of the collaborative PRI disease-resistant breeding program run by Purdue University, Rutgers University, and the University of Illinois. It was developed in the 1970s and released in 1994. This variety has a complex heritage of Golden Delicious mixed with a cross of several other varieties for their disease resistance.
Why We Grow It: This is arguably the best scab-resistant variety released from the PRI Breeding Program as far as flavour is concerned. The dense, crisp flesh of this yellow apple is full of sugars and flavour. It is distinctly spicy and tart at first but mellows the longer it is in storage. The fruit stores exceptionally well. This truly multi-purpose apple is also great for drying and, unusually for a modern variety, is good in hard cider.
History: Goodland was developed at the Morden Research Station in Manitoba as part of an effort to breed cold hardy apples for the prairies. It is a seedling of Patten Greening that was selected in 1925 and the variety was introduced commercially in 1955.
Why We Grow It: The cold hardy Goodland produces a medium to large yellow apple with red striping. This crisp, juicy apple has sweet/tart flavour that is great for fresh eating, cooking, and sauce. Unlike most early ripening varieties, Goodland will store well for several months.
2025 Staff Favourite
Grandma Barbara-Anne Rhubarb is Steph's favourite this year! In her experience, “it makes a really pretty pink juice when cooked down. She used it to create a salad dressing that was lovely both in colour and flavour!”
All Staff Favourites are 20% off. The Staff Favourite Discount cannot be combined with other quantity discounts.
Species: Rheum sp
History: Zack's grandma Barbara-Anne grew this variety on her homestead near Poplar Hill. It has been enjoyed throughout the generations in a multitude of crisps, jams, tarts, sauces, and pies (see one of Mouse's pies in the pictures!).
Why We Grow It: Rhubarb is nutritious, incredibly easy to grow, and sports a showy bloom appreciated by both pollinators and humans. This perennial vegetable creates a lush, delicious ground cover and can be used to make a variety of delicious dishes.
A note on the "Grandma" Series: Inspired by Ken's 'Grandma Ethel Black currant', we decided to curate our own repertoire of family favourites grown by our grandmothers! Check out our tried-n-true gooseberries and raspberries in addition to the currants and rhubarb.
Species: Morus sp
History: Grandpa Harold mulberries are named in memory of Steph's grandfather, whose property houses the mulberry tree we collected these cuttings from. The tree came from Steph's father, who collected mulberry seeds from a tree near Hawkesville and gave one of the resulting seedlings to Grandpa Harold. The tree has provided ample fruit for years and now delights Grandpa Harold's great-grandchildren. The cuttings were taken out of sentimental value as the property where it is growing may be sold in the future.
Why We Grow It: Overall Grandpa Harold is a fairly standard mulberry, producing delightfully sweet berries that are great for fresh eating and baking, but its special sentimental value makes it taste that much sweeter.
Native Tree Discount: Purchase multiples of this tree & enjoy the savings!
We try to grow as many Native North American Trees as we can; enjoy our bulk quantity discount (see below) and add to cart to see how much you save!
Species: Celtis occidentalis
History: Hackberries can be found in parts of southern Canada and in the eastern and central United States. The berries produced by the tree are commonly eaten by winter birds and mammals like squirrels. Indigenous peoples traditionally eat the berries raw or use them in several dishes. Although they tolerate urban conditions well, they are relatively uncommon as street trees except in Sombor, Serbia, and Bratislava, Slovakia where they have been planted extensively.
Why We Grow It: These beautiful native trees resemble the American elm, but without the disease issues. Both birds and butterflies enjoy this tree. The sweet small fruit taste like dates with a large crunchy pit that can be eaten or discarded. Thanks to their unusually high levels of proteins, calories, and vitamins, they are a great food source. You can learn more about Hackberries as a food source via this blog post by Alan Bergo.
History: Harlayne apricots were developed at the Harrow Research and Development Centre in Ontario and released in 1980. It is one of several specifically bred to survive in a southern Ontario climate and of the Harrow apricots it was the most cold hardy.
Why We Grow It: Harlayne is a cold hardy variety that can tolerate temperatures of -30°C. It is a medium-sized apricot and freestone. The skin is a bright orange with an attractive red blush and the flesh is sweet, making it great for fresh eating along with canning or preserving. Unlike most of our apricots, Harlayne requires a pollinator.
History: Harrow Delight, as the name suggests, was introduced from the pear breeding program at the Harrow Research and Development Center in Ontario in 1981. It is a cross between Bartlett and Purdue 80-51, making it a sibling to Harrow Sweet.
Why We Grow It: Harrow Delight pears are green with red blush when mature. They have sweet, juicy flesh and keep about a month. The tree boasts resistance to both fireblight and scab, making it a good option for anyone looking for a more disease resistant pear variety.
Species: Prunus persica
History: These seedlings are grown from Harson peach seeds collected from mother trees growing in Ontario. Harson was developed at the AAFC Harrow Research and Development Centre in Ontario and released in 1982.
Why We Grow It: Seedling fruit trees are a great way to add some diversity and mystery to your garden or orchard! We expect that seedling peaches will be even hardier trees than their parents! Harson produces a freestone peach that is great for fresh eating and canning. It is quite similar to Redhaven.
Please Note: Since peaches tend to stay true to type more than apples, these seedlings will likely bear a strong resemblance to their parent variety. However, any specific information listed on this page should be taken with a grain of salt as there may be some variation from the parent tree.
History: Hedelfingen cherries were discovered in Germany around 1850. The variety was named for Hedelfingen, the area where it was found. They were introduced to England in 1907 and are still grown commonly in Europe and North America.
Why We Grow It: This is an excellent quality sweet cherry that is very popular in Ontario. The fruit is dark red in colour with faint speckles, softer flesh, a pleasant juiciness, and a great taste. The trees begin to bear at a young age, the fruit is resistant to cracking, and the blossoms are tolerant of frost.
A recommendation from one of our wonderful customers: Save the pits! Chef Sam advises infusing sweet cherry pits in whiskey for an alluring, aromatic, almond flavoured drink!
Species: Prunus avium
History: These seedlings are grown from Hedelfingen seeds from sweet cherries sourced in Ontario. First discovered in Germany in 1850, Hedelfingen has become a popular variety in Ontario.
Why We Grow It: Seedling fruit trees are a great way to add some diversity and mystery to your garden or orchard! The parent variety, Hedelfingen, is well-regarded due to its great flavour and later bloom time which makes it more tolerant of late spring frosts.
Please Note: Since sweet cherries tend to stay true to type more than apples, these seedlings will likely bear a strong resemblance to their parent variety. However, any specific information listed on this page should be taken with a grain of salt as there may be some variation from the parent tree.
Species: Rubus sp.
History: Heritage raspberries were developed by Cornell University in New York and introduced in 1969. It is one of the most widely grown raspberry varieties in the world due to the quality of its fruit and its extended bearing season. This variety is considered the standard for everbearing varieties and in 2004 it even received the Outstanding Fruit Cultivar Award from the American Society of Horticultural Sciences.
Why We Grow It: On top of the accolades mentioned above, these medium-sized red berries can also be harvested within the first year! You can enjoy them fresh or in baked goods, or freeze, dry, or preserve them to enjoy in the winter months. We find these to be sweeter than Nova, but with a milder flavour and slightly crumbly texture. The canes are thorny so exercise caution when working around this variety! You can cut down the canes in the winter for a large fall crop, or enjoy a more spread out crop from June to September. We have found cutting the patch down annually also helps with borer problems.
The second product photo shows Nova (right) compared to Heritage (left).
The third photo shows a Heritage and Nova raspberry tart Steph made!
History: Hewe's Virginia (aka Hughes' Virginia or Virginia) was discovered in Virginia in 1817 although the first trees discovered were thought to be around 100 years old. It is believed that Hewe's Virginia is a cross between a European apple and a North American crabapple. It became quite popular for its excellence as a cider apple and was favoured by Thomas Jefferson who devoted an entire block of his orchard at Monticello to just Hewe's Virginia. This variety was widely planted in the 18th and 19th centuries but waned as interest in cider-making declined. Luckily, it stuck around with us due to its usage as rootstock and pollinizers for other varieties. With the growing popularity of cider in the US, however, Hewe's Virginia is making a strong comeback as people are once again realizing its potential.
Why We Grow It: This hardy, vigorous tree produces a good number of crabapples that are excellent for cider. It is easy to see why this variety was so popular back in the day and is making a resurgence now, the bittersharp juice is great on its own and in blends. Hewe's Virginia is also great for making jelly!
Species: Viburnum trilobum
History: Highbush Cranberry is actually a viburnum and not a cranberry, despite its name. It earned its name due to the resemblance of the berries to cranberries in appearance and flavour. This shrub is native across southern Canada and and the northeastern US, and in sporadic locations in the prairies and BC. The berries have traditionally been used by indigenous peoples and European colonizers alike.
Why We Grow It: Fans of cranberries will enjoy this native plant! The bright red berries are high in vitamin C and can be eaten fresh, although like regular cranberries are best when made into sauces and preserves. They do contain a fairly large pit that has to be removed beforehand though! The shrub itself gets about 4m tall and has ornamental appeal with its showy white 'flowers' (they are actually bracts surrounding the smaller clusters of flowers within).