Kayben Prairie Fruit
Our Prairie Fruit division continues to grow in 2008. 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 raspberries, red currants, white currants, and other fruits in the near future.
We look forward to launching an improved strawberry u-pick experience in 2008, starting in July. Look for raised wooden beds that make strawberry picking fun and easy. No more bending down to pick strawberries!
Our Black Currants
In 2004, we launched our first Kayben Farms Black Currant Product: Kayben Farms Black Currant Punch Base. The Punch Base is available at our garden center and in several health and specialty food stores in Alberta, including Community Natural Foods in Calgary, Chinook Honey Company in Okotoks, and Casa de Luz in Sherwood Park. Kayben Black Currant Products are also available at the Millarville Farmer’s Market during operating season.
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 Millarville Market. 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 (Aug. 23rd, 2008) . 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