A rainy excursion to Île d'Orléans for a look at the first strawberries.

To be sure we’re making the most of the Quebec field season, our team's been busy with daily check-ins and weekly visits to our partner farms. This past week, we headed to Ferme Jean-Pierre Plante on a rainy Île d’Orléans day and Purdélys in Saint-Isidore-de-Laprairie to get an update on the long awaited and much anticipated strawberry harvests. And the good news: just like last year, both farms will be gifting thousands of organic strawberries on orders of $100+ for the next two weeks.

Check out our photo journal below for a glance at the strawberry harvests heading our way.

First stop is Ferme Jean-Pierre Plante who grow their strawberries on the south side of Île d’Orléans, where summer arrives just a little sooner and the view of the Saint Lawrence River stretches for miles.

During the visit, our sustainable fruit finder, Alexis, was sure to get a closer look at the incoming strawberries and their harvest readiness (or was he secretly sneaking a bite of the ripest berry he could find?).

During the upcoming high season, Jean-Julien and his wife, Judith (who met on a strawberry farm, believe it or not), alongside their team will be busy harvesting their strawberries every other day. Depending on the variety (of which they grow twelve), each plant can be harvested up to six times during the summer months.

The couple told us that as the time went on, they became concerned with their yearly increase in pesticide use, leading them to transition their 80 hectares to organic - officially earning their certification in time for this season's harvests.

Down the river in Saint-Isidore-de-Laprairie, we stopped by Purdélys, run by the five DesGroseilliers brothers who dedicate 10 acres of their organic land to growing strawberries.

The plants are nestled behind the farm's sugarbush protecting the berries from harsh winds - their number two enemy after rain.

During the early season, some of the strawberries are given an extra boost, sheltered under large tunnels that act as an insulator for colder spring days.

Luckily, the weather has been a bit warmer than normal this year so the strawberries are more than ready to go!

Don’t miss out on strawberry season - they're only around for five short and sweet weeks.