Kayben Prairie Fruit

Our Prairie Fruit division continues to grow. Kayben Farms started with black currants and we continue to explore the opportunities for black currant products. U-pick season for black currants begins in August, and fresh pre-picked berries will also be available at this time. The orchard will continue to expand, offering strawberries, pumpkins (in season), vegetables & other fruits in the near future.

We have improved our strawberry u-pick experience. Look for raised wooden beds that make strawberry picking fun and easy. No more bending down to pick strawberries!

Our Black Currants

 

Our black currant product line now includes:

• Black Currant Jam – made with whole black currants and a touch of ginger
• Black Currant Jelly – great flavor for your morning toast or bagel
• Black Currant Pepper Jelly – pepper flakes give this jelly some kick!
• Black Currant Vinaigrette Dressing – excellent paired with spinach salad
• Black Currant & Honey Dessert Topping – add to ice cream or cheesecake
• Black Currant & Honey BBQ Sauce – a delicious combo for all meats
• Black Currant Chutney – great with pork tenderloin, avail. fall & winter only
• Black Currant Wine Jelly – delicious with cheese, avail. fall & winter only
• Black Currant Punch Base – 100% pure black currant juice, no sugar added. Our most popular product!
• Black Currant Frozen Yogurt – available during the summer months only, this locally produced dessert is tasty and refreshing

All of the above products are available at the Kayben Farms Garden Centre, as well as select locations of Community Natural Foods & Sunnyside Market in Calgary. For out of town customers, we can ship direct at your expense.

There are 3 varieties of black currants that are planted at Kayben Farms:

Titania: Large fruit size, good fruit quality

Ben Alder: High levels of anthocyans (antioxidants), high in vitamin C, high color stability

Ben Lomond: Highly prized by the juice industry for it vitamin C, large fruit size and juice content

The black currant, or Ribes nigrum is a deciduous shrub of the Saxifragaceae
family.

From the 2006 study conducted by the Alberta government ‘A survey of antioxidant activity…in black currants relevant to human health’  which used fruit from the Kayben Farms orchard – “This survey has shown that black currants and saskatoons grown in Alberta have high levels of antioxidant activity, which is substantially higher than what is commonly reported for blueberries.”

Uses for Black Currants:

• Fermented products – wines, liquers and champagne
• Syrups – syrups can be used to blend with still or sparkling water to make a beverage. They are also excellent on cake, fresh fruit and ice cream
• Soft Spreads – jams, jellies and preserves
• Dairy – the addition of black currants to yogurt or ice cream makes an outstanding desert
• Confections – hard candy, chocolate covered jellies and other confections
• Teas – made from fruit, leaves, and blended with other herbs
• Nutraceuticals – throat pastilles, lozenges, and others are very common in Europe
• Dried – both natural and freeze dried berries can be used as snack foods and baking ingredients
• Sauces – made by blending black currants with herbs, spices, and other fruits and vegetables

Black Currant Recipes

We are always accepting recipes using black currants in any form. A recipe contest is held every August with test tasting at our annual Harvest Festival (August) . You can submit your entry prior to Aug. 15th to be eligible for the contest. You can email your recipes any time throughout the year to judy@kayben.com