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Roseland Barley

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(Hordeum vulgare)

Canadian grain, Roseland, barley, Canada foodWhen we think of barley, it usually is for good Canadian beer. And while it is still predominantly used for malting and as livestock feed, barley is finding it onto more and more tables as a substitute for rice (we don’t grow it) and also because it’s just so good for us.  Try it in risottos or this great dish, Barley with Caramelized Vegetables.  It’s a serious “nutritional powerhouse,” high in vitamins E and B-complex, phenolic antioxidants and fibre, including a special soluble fibre called beta-glucan which lowers blood cholesterol, a claim approved by Health Canada.

Roseland, Canadian food, Canada, Canadian grains

Roseland was bred by Dr. Mario Therrien and Dr. Ana Badea at the Brandon Research Centre in Brandon, Manitoba together with Dr. Odean Lukow in Winnipeg, and is a hulless barley and itsurprisingly great for baking, especially bread.  Roseland flour (you may have to mill it yourself if you can find some Identity Preserved (IP) grain) can be combined with wheat flour (20 % by volume) and won’t affect the dough.  The bonus is that the flavour has an added nuttiness.

Agronomically it’s a medium-height plant and has  good overall disease resistance.

Photos Courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Chemanius Raspberry

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(Rubus Idaeus)

chemainus raspberry, canadian crops, raspberry, canada food

Named after a tourist village on Vancouver Island, Chemanius raspberries follow in the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre tradition of naming their berry cultivars after First Nations communities.  Bred by Chaim Kempler of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Agassiz, British Columbia, the same researcher who released the popular Stolo strawberry, Chemanius raspberries are suited to processing and as fresh eating berries.  They are among the new wave of berries that extend the harvest with delicious fruit. Ready for harvest mid-summer, this vigorous cultivar establishes itself quickly upon planting, producing large yields.

Winter-hardy and mildly disease resistant, Chemainus raspberries have a taste that balances sweet and sour. Their consistent, attractive appearance and firm fruit allow for successful mechanical harvesting. Try them fresh on top of these Raspberry Cream Cupcakes or as a marinade for Grilled Salmon with Dijon-Raspberry Vinaigrette.

The many qualities of this cultivar have posited it as a replacement for Meeker raspberries, which is the current dominant breed.

Image courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Aurora Golden Gala Apple

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(Malus domestica)

canadian crops, aurora apple, apples, canadian food

In 2003,  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada held a contest open to the public, giving them a chance to name this fabulous new apple. Of the over 11,000 votes, Ottawa’s Dauphne Biggs came up with the winning name in honour of the aurora borealis, which she thought was a suitably Canadian name for a Canadian crop.

Bred by Dr. Cheryl Hampson, Mr. Richard MacDonald, and Dr. David Lane at the the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland, BC, the Aurora Golden Gala is a mid-season apple with excellent shelf life. 

These apples are available at high-end produce markets in some parts of Canada and the United States. Aurora Goldens are known for their outstanding eating quality, with crisp and juicy flesh and a sweet, fruity flavour. Similar in taste to Galas but with the ability to stay crisp longer, it’s a great apple for eating fresh as well as for dried apple chips or baking as it holds its shape well upon cooking. Careful, skilled handling is required for growing Aurora Golden Galas, which causes its higher price. However, upon tasting, you’ll realize they’re well worth the cost.  

Photo courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Stolo Strawberry

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(Fragaria × ananassa)

Bright red and glossy, this delicious new strawberry  cultivar was named after the Stolo First Nation residing in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia, where it was first developed and grown. The name translates to “people of the river.”  

Bred by Mr. Chaim Kempler at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Agassiz, British Columbia, Stolo strawberries are a vigorous cultivar and because of their disease and pest resistance, Stolo has been used as an alternative to more commonly-grown Totem strawberries, which currently account for 26% of the strawberries planted in the Pacific Northwest.The high yields of large, firm fruits make the Stolo suitable for processing as well as for eating fresh.   They’re great for jam and preserves! 

 Photo courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Tenace Potato

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(Solanum tuberosum)

Tenace Potato, Canadian crop

The Potato Research Centre at Fredericton, New Brunswick recently celebrated its 100th birthday.  The Tenace, a relatively new potato variety having been released in 2010,  came from this breeding programme.  Dr. Richard Tarn takes the kudos for this great new introduction. It’s a late season potato with a lovely russet skin and creamy flesh.  

New Brunswick is full-on potato country — it is, after all, the home of McCain Foods and this cultivar is excellent for French fry processing.  The good news is that it’s also an excellent baker.  Scrub it, wrap it in foil and toss it on the barbecue…only a little butter needed to finish it perfectly.   I’d even be tempted to try it in an Island Potato Salad! 

Image courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Alta Strong Potato

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(Solanum tuberosum)

Canadian crops, potatoes, Canada cultivarsThis white-skinned potato was selected at the Vauxhall Research Substation of the Lethbridge Research Centre, Alberta for its yield, adaptation, tuber type and culinary and processing qualities, and was subsequently released in 2012.  The stake in the ground beside this particular hill is labelled with the number that the researcher used in his trials.  

Bred by Dr.Benoit Bizimungu of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Alta Strong potatoes are equally suited to the fresh market and for French fry processing- especially ideal considering 45% of Canada’s potatoes sold for the fresh market and 55% for processing.

Alta Strong’s are highly adaptive, producing outstanding yields of attractive and uniform oblong tubers.

Photo courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Wendy Strawberry

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(Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne)

wendy strawberry, canadian strawberries, canadian food

This is a very early season berry, producing lots of high quality strawberries.  The bonus is that these strong plants grow vigorously and send out many runners.  It has twice as many berries as Canada food, Canadian cropother June-bearing varieties.  Plants of ‘Wendy’ are vigorous, resembling ‘Evangeline’  (another Nova Scotia strawberry) in habit, and they produce ample runners to establish matted rows. 

The Wendy strawberry (now sometimes seen as AC Wendy)  were commercially introduced in Canada in 2006 by the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre in Kentville, Nova Scotia and Dr. Andrew Jamieson.

Photo Courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Rochdale Gold Dorée Potato

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(Solanum tuberosum)

rochdale gold doree, rochdale potato, potato, canadian crops

With yellow skin and light yellow flesh that’s resistant to discolouration upon cooking, Rochdale Gold-Dorée potatoes are ideal for boiling and baking.   Try them in our Island Potato Salad.  

Bred by Dr. Richard Tarn at the Potato Research Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick and released in 2005, Rochdale Gold-Dorée are a mid-season cultivar with medium specific gravity.

Rochdale Gold-Dorée are known for their uniform, round shape and with good virus resistance. They’re predominantly sold for use in the fresh market so you’ll likely find them at farmers markets across Atlantic Canada. 

Photo Courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Tarnick Potato

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(Solanum tuberosum)

Tarnick potato, potato, canadian cultivars, canada foodDr. Richard Tarn worked at the Potato Research Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick for 40 years and is largely responsibile  or the diversity within Canada’s potatoes that make them world class. 

Potatoes originated in the Andes Mountains of South Africa some 8000 years ago, and Dr Tarn set out in the 60s to quite literally examine the roots of the indigenous potatoes. By introducing these traits to Canadian varieties, Tarn and colleague Dr Henry Dejong were able to increase the genetic diversity, thereby improving not only potato quality but adaptability- a trait especially important in the face of climate change. 

He released the Tarnick potato in 2010, just before his retirement.  It is a medium-yielding variety with mid- to late- maturity, good storage capability and high specific gravity. Their round, smooth shape and white flesh have resulted in Tarnick’s main use being for potato chips. They are also great for boiling and baking.  

Photo Courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 

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Salish™Apple

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This has to be one of the prettiest apples I’ve ever seen and it’s absolutely brand new.

The fully trade-marked Salish apple was announced and launched in October, 2012 by  The Honourable Ron Cannan, Member of Parliament for Kelowna-Lake Country, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. He revealed the name of the newest apple on the market today at the annual University of British Columbia (UBC) Apple Festival .  “When you taste the Salish apple(…) you are sampling the sweet rewards of many years of research and investments in innovation that will pay off for the farmers that grow this tasty achievement.”

Previously only known as SPA493, the Salish apple was developed and tested by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists, in partnership with the Okanagan Plant Improvement Corporation (PICO). Like all AAFC varieties, this new apple was developed using traditional cross-pollination methods. It originated from a cross between ‘Splendour’ and ‘Gala’ cultivars made in 1981 at AAFC’s Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre (PARC) in Summerland, British Columbia.

The Salish is named for the Canadian Interior language of Thompson, Okanagan-Colville, and Shuswap. AAFC researchers at the Pacific Agri-Food Centre (PARC) in Summerland led the Salish’s development and worked closely with the Okanagan Plant Improvement Corporation (PICO) to test it with growers.

 

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OAC Garroy Peanuts

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(Arachis hypogaea)

peanuts, canadian crops, growing peanutsWhen tobacco fell out of favour in the 1990s, new crops were researched to be grown in the well-drained, rich and sandy soils of Haldimand and Norfolk Counties in Ontario.  The climate turned out to be ideal for peanuts (among other field crops like garlic, melons,ginseng & shallots). Because these plants are highly susceptible to frost, the long Southern Ontario growing season was perfect. Harvesting takes place in late September-early October.

Technically a legume, peanuts are a crop native to South America. There are four strains of the peanut plant; Valencia, Spanish, Virginia and Runner. However, only the first two are able to be grown in Ontario. OAC Garroy, OAC Ruby and OAC Tango are the Valencia varieties licensed for growth in Ontario. The OAC Garroy variety, a sweet, red-skinned nut,  is the most commonly one grown in Ontario and contains up to four peanuts per shell – a bonus for consumers.  They are absolutely delicious! 

The University of Guelph’s Department of Plant Agriculture’s peanut-breeding program has produced some unique-looking peanuts — with skins of white to pale green and red, and nuts striped black, red and white.

This research was led by Professors Jack Tanner and Tom Michaels with Gary Ablett and Bob Roy working in the field (hence the name Garroy).  It was sponsored mainly by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.   Today the research has continued under the guidance of Peter White in AAFC’s soon-to-be-closed Delhi Station.    

Photo taken at the Simcoe Research Station by the author. 

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Laurel Strawberry

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(Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier)

laurel strawberry, strawberry crops, canadian food

Bred to improve the firmness, color uniformity, and disease resistance of Cavendish strawberries, Laurels are a large and flavourful short-day variety, ready for harvest midseason.

This strawberry cross is new to Canada, having  just been introduced this year by the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Center of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada after being tested in Atlantic Canada since 1999 under the very watchful eye of Dr. Andrew Jamieson whose stated goal is to “Develop High Quality, Disease Resistant Raspberry and Strawberry Cultivars for Canada.”

Laurel plants are extremely resistant to red stele root rot disease. They grow vigorously with medium-sized yields and produce many runners, establishing matted rows.

Photo Courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Shepody Potato

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(Solanum tuberosum)

Shepody potato, canadian food, canada crops, potato

Released in 1980, Shepody potatoes continue to be one of the most popular potatoes in all of North America for French fries.

Bred by Dr. Don Young, Dr. Richard Tarn and Mr. Eric Davies at the Potato Research Centre in Fredericton, Shepody potatoes were developed to meet the growing demand within the French fry industry in the 1960s.

They are widely grown in eastern Canada and in the northern potato areas of the U.S. The high yields of uniformly- sized tubers with high specific gravity, and high levels of disease resistance are just some of the reasons behind this cultivar’s success. In addition, Shepodies require 10-20% less nitrogen than other potatoes, making its cost savings an added plus to farmers.

In order to be a successful “French frying” potato, it is necessary that the tuber retain its texture upon frying. Bred to meet this requirement as well as the ability to reach full maturity in Canada’s short growing season, Shepody’s are the second-most popular potato in Canada.

Shepody was recognized as Outstanding Cultivar of the Year by the Canadian Horticultural Council in 1991 due to its significant contribution to the Canadian economy, the agricultural sector, and to consumers.

Photo Courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Reinette Russet Apple

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(Malus domestica)

reinette russet apple, apple cultivars, canadian cropsThe Reinette Russet apple is a mutation of Reine des Reinettes, discovered at the Fruit and Ornamental Plant Breeding Unit of the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) located in Angers, France. It was subsequently released in collaboration with the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Centre in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec. 

This cold-hardy apple is typically of medium size, although the size and shape are known to vary significantly. It bears a brownish-yellow, russeted skin and greenish-white, firm flesh. The Reinette Russet apple holds commercial potential for use in sweet and hard ciders because of its complex flavours, possibly as a replacement for the Golden Russet apple in Eastern Canada.

Perhaps because controlled atmosphere storage is not recommended – the Reinette Russet has a tendency to develop watercore – pressing should begin shortly after harvest, in the first or second week of October.

With files from Charlie Embree’s 100 Apples and 100 Pears: A Collection of Characteristics for 100 Apples and 100 Pears.

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Orangutang Apple

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(Malus domestica)

orangoutang apple, orangoutang, canadian applesThe Orangutang is a Granny Smith, made in 1985 by Dr. A. D. Crowe of AAFC-AFHRC in Kentville, NS, and named/certified by Dr. Charlie Embree in 2011. Its distinct orange colour, tangy taste and large size make this apple suited to niche markets.

Although the Orangutang is known to be susceptible to scab it is a  heavy producing, vigorous tree, the  Not ready for harvest until late October, the Orangutang apple is suited to northeastern growing regions, with potential for central and western regions.  It very well could be the next Canadian apple star!

With files from Charlie Embree’s 100 Apples and 100 Pears: A Collection of Characteristics for 100 Apples and 100 Pears.

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Masonova Apple

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(Malus domestica)

masonova apple, apple cultivars, canadian cropsThe Masanova apple is medium sized, juicy and crisp.  It is an Empire-cross made in 1974 by one of Canada’s most prolific fruit breeders, Dr. D.A. Crowe of the AAFC-AFHRC in Kentville, NS.  The Masanova was named and certified in 2006  by another one of Canada’s brilliant scientists,  Dr. C. G. Embree.   This lovely mild-flavoured apple has soft, ivory coloured flesh with red and green striping.  It is slow to brown once cut, making it ideal for being served in prepared foods like salads, and, likely best of all, is well suited to being grown organically.

As with Empire apples, Masonovas are ready for harvest early- to mid- October. They are resistant to scab, moderately cold-hardy and can be stored in temperatures of 3-4ºC for three to four months.

With files from Charlie Embree’s 100 Apples and 100 Pears: A Collection of Characteristics for 100 Apples and 100 Pears.

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In Praise of the Lowly Spud!

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Potatoes in Elora Research StationGetting inside a potato, at least metaphorically, requires analysis, a bit like a botanical chess game. Weather, bugs, regulations, soil, genetics — they all play a role. Breeding the next earthy star, the next “Yukon Gold”, requires patience and creativity on the part of the breeder.  And it has to taste terrific!

Gary Johnston's masterpiece

This is why Vanessa Currie, the energetic potato-point-person at the University of Guelph, connects with her spud-network across the continent to assemble as many different varieties as she can  (in August 2013 there were 138) then plants and nurtures them before luring industry to the University of Guelph Research Station near Elora, Ontario — and to her table.   She often serves this fabulous homemade Island Potato Salad to her guests.

Potato Research Field Day is an opportunity for growers and processors to gather in a field filled with potato plants and piles of newly dug tubers to learn, slice open and talk about what’s next on the horizon for new, most un-named varieties while using older ones as what she calls ‘markers’. Shepody is a Canadian French fry standard developed in New Brunswick; Atlantic is an old potato chip standard and then there’s the awesome table potato, Yukon Gold.  These are the varieties against which others are judged.

With project lead Dr. Al Sullivan, Currie’s work as a “variety prospector” continues to advance The University of Guelph’s already established potato breeding legacy. It was at that university that the legendary Yukon Gold was created by the late Dr. Gary Johnston in 1966.  This spud is so famous for its quality that its name is emblazoned on menus around the world.  When he passed away it fell to Currie and several of her colleagues to maintain and honour his work. Even though Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has deleted them from their array of active cultivars, the U of G team still grows them with great care and respect for the work of their once-colleague and teacher. 

Gary Johnston's legacyOriginally Johnston’s Ruby Gold (pictured at left) had some success in the Prairies but because of the expense of maintaining virus-free seed stock, it will never likely be grown widely again. The “G” denotes that  G654-2 and G8136-8 are two Potatoes in Eloraother Johnston-inspired Guelph cultivars. The first two numbers are the year they were selected, the next number is the number of crosses that Dr. Johnston made and the final number indicates which of those crosses this potato is.  In the first case, it’s the second selection of 4 crosses made in 1965, while the next one is the selection of 36 crosses he made in 1981. This sort of numbering system appears in a variety of styles all across crop breeding .

Growing in EloraThe gene bank for potatoes is at the AAFC station in Fredericton, New Brunswick.  So when, in the field, there’s a numbered variety beginning with “F”, the work was done at that location.  F06053 (below) is a long, skinny, almost beet-red cultivar that’s being investigated for its antioxidant qualities.  Although some of that data is pending, it’s being offered for experimental growing across Canada via the Accelerated Release programme. F08099 is said to have some potential for anti-oxidant status as well but since this is the first year in the U of G fields, as Currie says, “the jury’s still out” but I love its heritage – it’s the progeny of Huckleberry and Adirondack Blue.

New Brunswick research, potatoes

Like Fredericton, New Brunswick, Carberry in Manitoba and Vauxhall in Alberta are honoured with varieties beginning  with “CV”.  With growing conditions that vary across the nation, this sort of cross-Canada development is very important. Testing them in central Ontario provides even more information for potential growers.  CV96044-3 is the most interesting of the ones in the Elora field since it is being developed to have a low glycemic index and, as such, will be great for those who carbs are a problem.  This is one of the attractive potatoes we’ll likely see more of in the future.

Anti-oxidant potato

Field ChipperFinally,  Dakota Pearl is an example of how the collaboration between ag and industry help farmers respond to industry.  This ‘field chipper’ is a dual purpose spud. You can boil or roast it but companies like Frito Lay most often use it to make chips harvesting them in early July and August when other potatoes aren’t quite ready.

 

 For more information on the University of Guelph’s Potato Research click here.

 

 

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Harrow Crisp Pear

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(Pyrus communis)

harrow crisp pear, canadian pears, canada foodThis medium sized fruit is annually productive with an attractive, smooth yellow skin and red blush. Its white flesh has a crisp, mild flavour.

A Bartlett Cross made in 1972 by Dr. H. A. Quamme at the Harrow and Vineland Stations, Harrow Crisp pears were introduced by Dr. David Hunter at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Greenhouse & Processing Crops Research Centre in Harrow in 2002.

Ready early September, Harrow Crisp has excellent resistance to fireblight. It is sensitive to being extended storage and late picking, making this pear ideal for canning and processing.

With files from Charlie Embree’s 100 Apples and 100 Pears: A Collection of Characteristics for 100 Apples and 100 Pears.

Photo courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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McIntosh Apple

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(Malus domestica)

mcintosh apple, canadian apples, cooking apples

Far from a new crop, McIntosh apples were discovered by John McIntosh in Dundela, Ontario in 1811. They are thought to descend from the Snow Apple variety.  It quickly became the most widely grown cultivar in Ontario.

Since then, McIntosh trees have been used heavily in breeding programs as its genetics are hearty and reliable.  Able to withstand temperatures as low as -34º C, the trees are very easy to grow. However, in order to reach optimal red colour, the apples do best in climates with cold nights and clear days. In Simcoe, Ontario, at the U of G research station, the harvest begins in mid September.  Sadly, they are very susceptible to scab and bruising but since they tend to become mealy after harvest, McIntoshes make for a great cooking apple breaking down into the most delicious applesauce. Make the most of them in this recipe for Apple Crisp ! 

“Macs” are very juicy, with a distinct flavour combination of tart and sweet and when they’re picked right off the tree, theirs is the quintessential harvest ‘crunch’. 

With files from Charlie Embree’s 100 Apples and 100 Pears: A Collection of Characteristics for 100 Apples and 100 Pears.

 

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Harrow Diamond Peach

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(Prunus persica)

Ontario peach, canadian crop, peach, canada foodEvery year, in mid July, I head to the Guelph Farmers’ Market to get the season’s first, almost-freestone peach, Harrow Diamond.  It’s one of the best!   Fully ripe, it has a gorgeous red blush.  It’s great in pies or try it in a Peach~ Blueberry Crisp!   

Harrow Diamond was bred at the Greenhouse and Processing Crops Research Centre in Harrow, Ontario and is one of 15 peach cultivars developed by the now-retired Dr. Richard Layne between 1969 and 1995.  It takes decades to bred a new peach, and thanks to breeding techniques developed by Neil Miles at the Vineland Research station, the Ontario processing peach harvesting season was able to be extended by a whole month. Released in 1984 and still commonly grown in Southern Ontario, the Harrow Diamond cultivar is winter hardy and quite disease resistant.

Photo Courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

 

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Valley Sunset Strawberry

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 (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier)

valley sunset strawberry, strawberry cultivar, canadian cropsThese strawberry plants produce medium yields of very large, often egg-sized, fruits. Ready for harvest late season, Valley Sunsets are valuable to growers for their ability to extend the harvest season.

 

Valley Sunset strawberries were commercially introduced in Canada in 2009 by the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Center in Kentville, Nova Scotia.

 

Breeder Andrew Jamieson, who developed the Valley Sunsets at the AFHRC, said that the extra week that these berries extend the strawberry growing season could increase strawberry revenues in Canada by 15%. Strawberries currently account for revenues of about $10 million in Atlantic Canada, according to a recent estimate by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

 

Photo courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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OAC Inferno

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(Phaseolus vulgaris )

OAC Inferno kidney bean, Canada cropOAC Inferno is a light red kidney bean developed by the joint dry bean breeding program between the University of Guelph and Agriculture and Agrifood Canada. It has tremendous potential!  In the 2007-2009 Ontario Coloured Bean Performance Registration Trials, taking only 2 days longer to mature than the check varieties for southern Ontario, it out yielded them by an impressive 17% ( 3216kg/ha vs 2730kg/ha).  Notably, in a trial grown at 12 locations across North America in 2011, OAC Inferno was shown to be widely adapted and exceptionally yield stable.

With its high yield potential, superior seed size, and resistance to anthracnose race 73, a bean disease that can hit Ontario bean producers hard, OAC Inferno is now part of the breeding program within the ongoing Phaseolus Genomics for Improved BioProduct Development project (beangenomics.ca).  With over $11M in funding one of the goals of the project is to use traditional breeding methods to enhance bean’s resistance to disease, improve the profile of bean’s numerous health promoting nutrients, improve the bean plants ability to efficiently use applied fertilizers, and to increase consumer appeal.

This entire project is win/win/win.  More resilient plants, grown in Canada crops and delicious, nutritious ingredients for both home cooks and chefs.  

Full registration of OAC Inferno was supported by the Ontario Pulse Crop Committee in 2009 and registered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Cultivar Registration Office (Reg. No. 7020) in 2011.

With thanks to U of G Researcher Lori C. Wright and Professor Peter Pauls 

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Yukon Gold Potato

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(Solanum tuberosum)

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Yukon Gold is arguably one of the most successful potatoes in the world.  It is a true culinary star. Hybridizers Garnet “Gary” Johnston and Jeff Rowberry dug the first hill of legendary spuds at Agriculture Canada’s Cambridge Research Station in 1980. It took many years of research. A short time before his death Johnston observed that “potato hybridizers are a patient lot”  

Yukon Gold was the first Canadian-bred potato cultivar to be marketed with its name on the packaging when two Ontario growers began printing “Yukon Gold” on the side of the bags.  It didn’t take long before chefs and consumers began to demand the potato by asking for it by name.  Not much wonder, it’s not only delicious, it’s versatile.  You can bake it, boil it, scallop it and even deep fry it and it answered the market’s demand for a disease-resistant, yellow-fleshed potato that could be easily grown in North America.

At the time Professor Johnson was working as the University of Guelph’s potato breeder and had a graduate student from Lima, Peru. It was tasting his Peruvian potatoes that spurred on Johnson’s breeding for a yellow potato that stayed yellow and cream coloured upon cooking. He bred in disease resistance and the rest is happy, culinary history.

Yukon Gold was named Seed of the Year – East for 2011, an annual competition honouring publicly developed Canadian cultivars that are judged for innovation, industry impact, value chain presence, sustainability and marketability.  It is also a wonderful example of collaboration between the federal Agriculture & Agri-food Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. 

Photo taken by author at the Elora Research Station, University of Guelph. 

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Ambrosia Apple

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Ambrosia AppleThe Ambrosia apple is a home-grown original – not only is the variety a favourite among consumers, Ambrosias actually originated in British Columbia. In the early 1990s, the Mennell family in BC’s Similkameen Valley discovered a tree in Sally Mennell’s orchard which bore unusual apples. Their orchard had previously been planted with Red Delicious and Golden Delicious, but they had replanted the area with Jonagold trees. A chance seedling grew up in one of the rows and the Mennells noticed that the fruit pickers that season seemed to really favour the apples on this unique tree. In fact, its fruit was stripped clean! The Mennells tried and loved the apples as well, and decided to try to produce more. Once the existing tree had matured, they cut and grafted a few branches onto other trees to see if they would still grow the same apples. The procedure was a success, and Ambrosia was born. The Ambrosia apples have the general conical shape of their parents, Reds and Goldens, but their color, texture and taste are distinctly superior and unique.

Ambrosia apples have a distinct honeyed and slightly perfumed flavour. Aptly named Ambrosia, food of the Gods, they are a delight to look at, touch, bite into and savour. The skin is smooth, with a bright, almost iridescent pink blush over a creamy background. The flesh is tender and juicy, with a very fine, crisp texture. It is a sweet, low-acid apple with a pleasing aroma. When they’re sliced, they do not turn brown as quickly as other varieties, making them ideal for salads, fruit plates, and eating on their own. Because of its natural sweetness, this apple requires less sugar in baking than most other varieties used for cooking. The skin is smooth, with a bright, almost iridescent pink blush over a creamy background. The flesh is tender and juicy, with a very fine, crisp texture. It is a sweet, low-acid apple with a pleasing aroma. When they’re sliced, they do not turn brown as quickly as other varieties, making them ideal for salads, fruit plates, and eating on their own. Because of its natural sweetness, this apple requires less sugar in baking than most other varieties used for cooking.

With thanks to BC Tree Fruits for the above image and information. 

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A Ministerial Greeting!

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When Canada’s Minister of Agriculture & AgriFood, Marie-Claude Bibeau, takes the time to drop Food Day Canada a letter of support, we are totally jazzed. 

Before she took on this current portfolio, her rural focus was immense.  Representing the region around Compton/Stanstead in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, one of the most fertile growing regions of the Province, she has also spent years with the Canadian International Development Agency as well as being an active member of the tourism industry in her community.  She just gets it! 

MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD

Happy Food Day Canada! Food brings us together, and as you gather with family and friends to celebrate and enjoy world-class Canadian foods and beverages, I hope you will take the opportunity to think of our hardworking farmers, fishers and food processors across Canada. As Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, I’m proud to be an ambassador for our food and agriculture sector and for the people who make it so valuable.

Helping all Canadians access healthy food is something I care a lot about and that’s why I was proud to launch the first-ever Food Policy for Canada, to ensure all people in Canada are able to access a sufficient amount of safe, nutritious, and culturally diverse food. Part of our federal $134-million investment in the policy is $25 million in the Buy Canadian Promotion Campaign, which will work to build the Canadian food brand, and bring producers and consumers closer together. By making the food system more transparent to consumers, it will strengthen and build public confidence and instil pride in our Canadian agriculture and food sector.

There’s no better way to celebrate everything that makes Canada great than to cook Canadian – today and all year round. Thanks to Anita Stewart and the team for another great Food Day Canada celebration this year. Everyone at the table!

The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

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MESSAGE DE LA MINISTRE DE L’AGRICULTURE ET DE L’AGROALIMENTAIRE

Bonne Journée de l’alimentation à tous! Comme l’alimentation nous rassemble, j’espère que vous en profiterez pour remercier nos vaillants agriculteurs, pêcheurs et transformateurs d’aliments tout en célébrant et en appréciant les aliments et les boissons de qualité exceptionnelle du Canada en compagnie de vos proches. En tant que ministre de l’Agriculture et de l’Agroalimentaire, je suis fière de jouer le rôle d’ambassadrice de notre secteur agricole et agroalimentaire et des gens qui le rendent inestimable.

Aider tous les Canadiens à avoir accès à des aliments sains est quelque chose qui me tient à coeur. Et c’est donc avec fierté que j’ai lancé la toute première Politique alimentaire du Canada, pour faire en sorte que toutes les personnes habitant au Canada aient accès à une quantité suffisante d’aliments salubres, nutritifs et culturellement diversifiés. Une partie de notre investissement fédéral de 134 millions de dollars dans cette politique est consacrée à la campagne « Achetez canadien », une initiative de 25 millions de dollars qui vise à promouvoir l’image de marque des aliments canadiens et à rapprocher les producteurs et les consommateurs. Un système alimentaire plus transparent renforcera la confiance des consommateurs et suscitera un sentiment de fierté à l’égard du secteur agroalimentaire canadien.

La meilleure façon de célébrer ce qui rend le Canada exceptionnel est de cuisiner à la canadienne aujourd’hui et à longueur d’année. Je tiens à remercier Anita Stewart et son équipe pour une autre grande célébration de la Journée des terroirs du Canada cette année. Tout le monde à table!

L’honorable Marie-Claude Bibeau
Ministre de l’Agriculture et de l’Agroalimentaire

 

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