Why is Winter Important?

Winter and springtime in particular are important for the Haskap/Honeyberry. In order to produce and thrive in the short northern summers, the Haskap needs to be dormant for the dark depth of winter and 1200 chilling hours in the spring.

One of the most consistent first questions I get about the Berry Farm I am creating is, “In Alaska? What kind of berries grow in Alaska? Isn’t it too cold?”

The easy answer is YES, berries definitely grow up here. In fact there are so many wild berries growing in Alaska that it is one of the most consistent wild foraging activities of Alaskans all over the state. We harvest and eat fresh wild berries, we process them into jams, syrups, sauces, breads, smoothies, beers, wines and anything else you can imagine.

Alaska’s reputation is that of a frozen world and unless you’ve visited, sometimes it’s hard to imagine anything different. And it is true, to a point. Our unique climate also offers a spring and summertime that happen so big and so fast that you can almost literally watch life return to the dormant, frozen land.

Honeyberry’s are from Siberia, they are winter hardy, adapted perfectly to a harsh environment.