There’s no need to head out of town to find locally grown fruits and berries! Those in the know have long understood that plenty of sweet, tasty fruit can be grown right here in our own backyard, more specifically the orchards, food forests and at-home gardens of Rangeview.

What kind of fruit? How do apples, apricots, blueberries, cranberries, cherry plums, currants, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, Saskatoon berries and pears sound? Sounds pretty tasty to us, and it’s all easier to grow them than you may think.

Here are just a few types you’ll love digging into!

Apple-solutely wonderful

Dozens of apple varieties flourish during Alberta’s warmer months, meaning every gardener can find one that suits their taste. Sweet Honeycrisp or Gala apples are perfect for picking off the tree and eating right in the garden, while Golden Delicious and Goodland apples go well in a cobbler or pie recipe. Whatever your taste, remember that if there are other apple trees in the neighbourhood, they may cross-pollinate, creating even more exotic and delicious varieties.

Some strains like Winter Cheeks or Prairie Sensation apples are particularly resilient strains, and do well in Alberta’s sometime unpredictable climate.

Savouring Saskatoons

This hardy little bush grows across Canada, from the Yukon to New Brunswick, providing delicious, blueberry-like fruit in the summer months. Plant Saskatoon bushes where there’s plenty of drainage and lots of sunlight, and they can flourish for years, producing sweet fruit for use in baking, in breakfast dishes or even in sweet and summery homemade wine.

Plum delicious

Many people are surprised to learn that juicy plums grow on this side of the Rockies, but there are a number of varieties that flourish in Alberta’s climate. Blue-tinted Mount Royal plums, purple Pembina or even small and sweet Sapalta – or cherry plums – grow on hardy little plants that thrive in sunny, dry soil, and are perfect right off the tree or in preserves, baking or canning. Just watch out for the pits!

Berry interesting

Store-bought strawberries can’t compete with those picked in your own backyard. Their sweet flavour is a favourite worldwide, but you don’t have to travel the world to find them; just step out into the garden.

Some varieties produce fruit all through the growing season, while others can be harvested just once in the summertime. No matter what you choose, strawberries need a lot of sunshine, and love well-drained soil with plenty of nutrients, so compost is a must. And did you know that strawberries pair well with onions? Not a great combination in a recipe, but a great pairing in the garden, where onion plants help prevent mold from forming on strawberries!

Rhumour has it

Okay yes, rhubarb is a vegetable, but its sweet tart flavour goes so well in a cobbler, we just have to include it here. This leafy plant is a staple in Alberta gardens for good reason; it’s hardy, easy to grow, thrives in cooler climates, and is a perennial that will produce year after year!

The colourful stalks are what we all recognize from grandma’s baked crisp recipe, but remember not to eat the leaves as they’re toxic. Chop them off and you’re good to go!

 Here’s a simple recipe for a delicious crisp that you can make with strawberries and rhubarb from your own Rangeview garden. Bon Appetit! 

Rangeview’s Favourite Rhubarb-Strawberry Crisp

Filling Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh rhubarb, diced (4-5 stalks)
• 4 cups fresh strawberries, de-stemmed and halved
• 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest (optional) 
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Pinch of salt

Topping Ingredients

• 1 cup whisked flour
• 1 egg
• 4-5 tablespoons butter melted
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Toss all the filling ingredients together in a large bowl, then let sit for 10 minutes

2. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the filling mixture into a 13” by 9” oven-safe baking dish

3. Next, whisk the egg in a medium mixing bowl, then mix in the rest of the topping ingredients until you’ve achieved a uniform and crumbly consistency

4. Sprinkle the topping mixture over the fruit mixture, then drizzle it all evenly with the melted butter

5. Bake in the center of your oven at 350° for 60 minutes

6. Remove it from the oven and let cool

7. Once crisp has set, serve with a side of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!