Warm weather leads to banner year for Chelmsford, Ont., strawberry farm

A northern Ontario strawberry farmer says this year's crop has been the best since he started his business.

"We've been doing this for 21 years, and this is probably the best crop we've seen," said Robin Charbonneau, owner of Ruby Berry Farm in the Chelmsford neighbourhood of Greater Sudbury.

Charbonneau said this summer's warm conditions have been ideal for his berry crop and his strawberry fields have received rain at just the right times.

"The rain makes them big and the sun makes them sweet," he said.

Throughout July, the temperature in Sudbury has routinely reached the high 20s to low 30s C with overnight lows in the low to mid-teens.

Ruby Berry Farm lets visitors pick their own strawberries or buy baskets that have already been picked.

Charbonneau said the great crop has meant a good turnout from visitors to the farm this year.

"People are picking baskets very quickly," he said.

"So I mean, they're coming through, they're filling their baskets and they're heading out. And quite often people are coming back for more baskets."

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs says different strawberry varieties and farming techniques have extended the growing season as late as October in some parts of the province.

"Day-neutral strawberries form flower buds under any day length, and flower and fruit continuously through the season. They are grown on plastic mulch and will produce a crop the year they are planted, beginning from mid-July and continuing until October," ministry spokesperson Connie Osborne said in an email to CBC News,