Heat impacted the Whatcom raspberry harvest. Here’s what’s ready for u-pick now.

It’s looking like the raspberry harvest will be a short one for Whatcom County farmers.

The heat wave earlier this week appears to have done a number on the harvest, “cooking” some of the raspberries still out in the field, according to at least one farm in a Facebook post. Temperatures were around 90 degrees in the Lynden area last weekend, during the peak time for harvest. Temperatures are expected to rise to that level again early next week.

For u-pick farms, many have already moved on from raspberries and are offering blueberries and vegetables as options. Over at Bellingham Country Gardens, owner Sam Grubbs said that a later variety of strawberries should be available in August and September.

“We had raspberries for about three weeks,” Grubbs said. “But our vegetables are coming on strong.”

Boxx Berry Farm noted on its Facebook page that while u-pick raspberries are basically done, the heat has meant the cucumber crop is coming on fast. It announced that u-pick blueberries will be available starting Friday. Barbie’s Berries noted on its Facebook page that this is the last week for raspberry u-pick, but blackberries and blueberries are available.

One other option for fresh raspberries is the Northwest Raspberry Festival, happening July 20-21 in Lynden.

For commercial raspberry farmers, the heat also impacted the harvest. In its weekly Small Fruit Update newsletter, the Northwest Berry Foundation noted this week that it was a shorter harvest than anticipated in Whatcom County, with only the Wakefield variety of raspberry coming on strong. Wakefields tend to be a late-season fruit.

Given the low demand and low prices for raspberries in the U.S. market right now, it has not been a good year for the farmers. The commercial blueberry market is just now ramping up in Whatcom County, according to the newsletter.