Many of Andrew Berta's customers have been shopping at Elberta Farms since he was a child.

"We have good customers, some who come every day," says the Paris farmer.

In the 1970s, his father and grandfather carved this farm from 57 hectares of field corn and scrubland north of Brantford to plant fruit trees and vegetables.

"Dad had a few things growing, and he started with a table on the side of the road," Berta says of the shop's humble beginnings.

These days, cold storage occupies nearly three-quarters of the year-round store on Governors Road East, where Berta, his brother Mike, and their mother, Elizabeth, offer their own apples, potatoes and root crops right through late spring.

By that time, customers are anticipating fresh asparagus. The Bertas are happy to oblige with their first harvest of the season. To supplement those long-awaited shoots and the dwindling fall produce, they bring in tropical and early California fruit, sell local eggs, cider, honey and apple butter. Next to make an appearance are the early summer strawberries, fresh from Elberta Farms' fields.

"We grow a little bit of everything," says Berta.

Six hectares of mixed orchards produce apples, plums and pears, along with the sweet cherries that had such a short season this year.

"They were out in full bloom and we had a couple of cool nights when they dropped their blossoms. We only got about a quarter of the crop we had last year."

This kind of loss would be a disaster to some farmers, but Berta, who has lots of other crops to fall back on, seems to take it in stride. There isn't a lot of time to dwell on it, as the sour cherries -- best for cooking, baking and preserving -- follow on the heels of the darker, sweet ones. His family is in the middle of harvesting these bright red beauties right now -- and guiding visitors who want to pick their own.

The Bertas will often have fruit and vegetables from neighbouring farms as well, along with melons and peppers from the Delhi area. Farming, he says, is a full-time job, so finding time to sell produce or learn different ways to market is difficult. It helps the other farmers, to give them a place to sell their excess.

With so much to pick, a store to watch, and a market stall to tend at Brantford Farmers' Market, there is always a lot of work to do. Berta's four other siblings pitch in when school and careers allow. Even his young nephew gets in on chores, helping to collect eggs from the chickens first thing in the morning.

Allowing customers to pick their own produce helps ease some of the harvest workload. They are instructed on how to harvest in the fields and to be kind to the trees. Berta says simply, "There are always a few limbs broken. We can live with it."

That's the trade-off for having supportive customers, some who stop daily to find fresh produce for their dinner, or to take their children to visit the farm's goats, donkeys, geese, roosters and chickens.

With such frequent visits, even the new families who drop by will soon know all the Bertas by name.

Elberta Farms is at 353 Governors Rd. E., about 7 kilometres east of Paris. Call 519-752-2047 for directions, or visit harvestontario.com/hamilton.html.

ksimmons@thespec.com