The Bayfield peninsula is very well know for their fruit production. That’s why the area where a majority of orchards and farms are located is known as the Fruit Loop.

While the apple season is a big draw to the region, the berry season in the summer is also prime time for the Fruit Loop.

August marks the end of raspberry season and the peak for blueberries. It’s also a good time for gooseberries and blackberries.

Out of the 16 businesses in the area, Highland Valley says they pioneered the blueberry crop. Second generation owner Jon Dale says, “This farm was built by my dad, and he actually did pioneer blueberries in Bayfield. The other blueberry farms that followed were kind of following his lead.”

Dale says the berry pickers that come to his farm don’t mess around. “We are very organized in how we manage our field. It also makes it possible to, in an organized way, take in the full crop that’s available,” he says.

North Wind Organic Farm is another on the loop. They say being fully organic separates them from other farms in the area. Owner Tom Galazen says that his berries help out the community. “They go to local restaurants, local customers that stop by, tourists from the area actually. A lot of times this kind of wraps up their trip they’ll stop in and go ‘oh let’s stop in and take some stuff with us,'” he says.

But what makes the berries in the Fruit Loop so special? Well Brenda Erickson has an answer for that. The owner of Rocky Acres says, “First of all, there’s a whole lot more juice too them. Store-bought ones are usually a lot drier. Store-bought ones also have flavor, but these almost tingle on your tongue. There’s so much raspberry flavor to it.”

She goes on to say, “Fruit needs extreme temperature changes in order to create the sweetness. Up here we get 80 degrees during the day and we get 55 at night and that’s where the sugar comes from.

You can find out more about these farms and many more by clicking here.

The following farms and wineries are included in the Fruit Loop:
Blue Vista
Hillcrest
Apple Hill
Erickson Orchard
Garage Mahal
Bayfield Winery & Blue Ox Cider
Rabideaux
Rocky Acres
Good Earth
Hauser’s Superior View Farm
Apfelhaus Cidery
Apple Hill
Sunset Valley
North Wind
Highland Valley
Pikes Creek Winery
(The ones in bold are the ones we visited for this story)