Gooseberry (Ribes spp.) is a cold-hardy perennial berry shrub suitable for Zones 3-8, producing tart berries in early summer. Prefers cool, moist sites with well-drained soil. Operators should verify local Ribes regulations — historic white pine blister rust restrictions still apply in some jurisdictions.
Crop Snowflake Score
/acre
/acre
/acre
years
Overview
Growing Season
- Plant
- Early spring or fall – Early spring or fall
- Harvest
- June – June
- Frost-free days
- 120+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 1,500
Yield
- Typical yield
- 4,000 lbs/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 15 years
- Years to full prod.
- 4
- Labor
- 250 hrs/acre
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
No buyer on record for this crop in the catalog's buyer network.
Price Trend Stable/Up
3-year price trend recorded as "stable".
Supply Below Demand
2 of 6 documented channels rate viability "strong". Sold into regional rather than national markets, fruit supply here generally trails that demand.
Multiple Buyer Channels
5 of 6 documented market channels rate viable or better (farmers_market, direct_to_consumer, retail, restaurant). Multiple independent routes to market.
Value-Added Potential
4 viable direct-market channels (farmers_market, direct_to_consumer, restaurant, csa). Supports value-added and margin capture beyond wholesale.
Market Growth Projected
Specialty fruit segment; consumer demand for regionally grown specialty produce has been expanding.
Market Channels
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Crop tolerates zones 3-8; region spans 5-6. Overlaps.
GDD Sufficient
Crop needs 1500 GDD (base 50F); region accumulates 2500+. Sufficient.
Precipitation Compatible
Crop needs ~30 in; region receives ~38 in/yr. Compatible, irrigation available as supplement.
Frost-Free Season OK
Crop needs 120 frost-free days; region provides ~180. Sufficient.
Chill Hours Met
Perennial. Region's zone 5-6 winters deliver well over 1,000 chill hours, ample for temperate perennials.
Climate Trend Favorable
Crop spans 6 hardiness zones (3-8). Wide adaptive range buffers against warming trend.
Fit by region
The farm matcher, run on each region's cited climate normals. Soil and site are not included here; add your own on the match page.
Limited by high-severity risks. 6 criteria evaluated, 1 not yet researched; 60% cited.
Limited by high-severity risks. 6 criteria evaluated, 1 not yet researched; 60% cited.
Limited by high-severity risks. 6 criteria evaluated, 1 not yet researched; 60% cited.
Climate envelope & site
What the farm matcher compares your conditions against.
Climate envelope
- Hardiness zone
- 3–8
- Frost-free season
- 120+ days
- Heat (GDD base 50°F)
- 1,500+
- Winter chill
- 800–1,000 hours
- Rainfall
- 35.4–66.9 in/yr
Below the minimum, irrigation is needed; above the maximum the crop fails.
- Soil pH target
- 6.0–6.5
Extension lime target; within 1.0 of it is correctable.
Site & structure
- Spring frost at bloom
- high sensitivity
- Needs cold-air drainage
- yes — avoid frost pockets
- Shade tolerance
- partial
- Mature height
- not yet recorded
- Rooting depth
- not yet recorded
- Wind exposure tolerance
- not yet recorded
- Workable slope
- not yet recorded
Height, rooting depth and shade tolerance are the inputs an alley or guild layout needs.
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
1 of 8 documented equipment items are crop-specific (13%) against a catalog median of 29%. Most needs are met by general row-crop or orchard equipment.
Storage Available
2 documented storage routes; at least one (Fresh cold storage) is reachable with conventional on-farm or third-party facilities.
Irrigation Compatible
Requires ~30 in. Deliverable with conventional drip or overhead irrigation.
Field Layout Suitable
Suited to the small-to-mid-size fragmented parcels typical of the region.
Labor Availability
Labor requirement not recorded. Catalog 75th percentile is 250 hr/ac.
Processing Proximity
No processing or cooperative buyer on record for this crop; product would need to travel or be sold fresh.
Equipment Requirements
planting
General purpose tractor for site prep, mowing, and compost spreading. Shared across small fruit operations.
For initial soil preparation and incorporating amendments. PTO-driven or walk-behind.
irrigation
Per-acre cost. Drip reduces foliar disease pressure vs overhead. Consistent moisture critical during fruit development.
spraying
For fungicide applications critical to managing powdery mildew. Backpack for under 1 acre; boom for larger plantings.
harvesting
Per-worker cost. All gooseberry cultivars have thorns. Durable leather or nitrile-coated gloves essential.
Shallow flats prevent crushing. Picking buckets with harness free both hands for hand harvest.
post_harvest
Prompt cooling to 32-34°F essential for commercial fresh market sales.
cultivation
Annual pruning critical for disease management and air circulation. Heavy-duty bypass pruners for thorny canes.
Storage Requirements
Fresh cold storage
Temperature
31–32°F
Humidity
90–95%
Max Storage
28 days
Frozen (whole berries)
Temperature
-10–0°F
Max Storage
365 days
Financial Return
Revenue Above Average
Gross revenue $20,000/ac vs catalog median $6,000/ac. Above median.
Input Costs Acceptable
Total input cost $10,000/ac vs catalog 75th percentile $6,300/ac. Above the top quartile.
Payback Period OK
Reaches full production in 3 years. Acceptable payback.
Insurance Available
No federal crop insurance recorded for this crop; risk sits with the grower.
Revenue Per Labor Hour
Cannot compute — labor hours not recorded. Catalog median is $13.16/hr.
Grants/Subsidies
Fruit crops are eligible under the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | $3/per pint |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $20,000 |
| Annual Operating Cost | $4,500/acre |
| Establishment Cost | $5,500/acre |
| Total Input Cost | $10,000/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | $10,000 |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | — |
| Crop Insurance | Not available |
Source: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State Extension, USDA RMA, regional budget studies (2025)
Risk Profile
Manageable Pest/Disease
3 of 8 documented risks are high-severity (38%) against a catalog median of 36%. Above-median concentration of high-severity risk, demanding intensive management.
Market Diversified
5 viable market channels of 6 documented. Not dependent on a single outlet.
Low Establishment Risk
3 years to full production at $5,500/ac establishment cost. Multi-year capital commitment before first full return.
Climate Resilient
Tolerates zones 3-8 (6 zones). Broad tolerance indicates resilience to seasonal variability.
Regulatory Burden Low
No crop-specific licensing or reporting regime beyond standard food-safety and pesticide rules.
Diversifies Portfolio
Adds a fruit revenue stream distinct from the region's grape-dominated base.
Known Risks
disease
Most serious disease of gooseberries. Whitish powdery growth on leaves, shoots, and fruit in early summer. Infected berries crack and may shatter. Overwinters on twigs.
Dark brown spots on leaves causing premature defoliation. Reduces vigor and next-season fruit production. Favored by wet, humid conditions.
Small circular spots with gray centers and dark borders on leaves. Severe infections lead to premature leaf drop and weakened plants.
Gooseberries serve as alternate hosts for this rust devastating to white pines. Some states restrict Ribes planting. Can also damage gooseberry foliage.
pest
Sawfly larvae that can completely defoliate gooseberry bushes in days. Green larvae with black spots feed voraciously starting from bush interior.
Small yellow flies lay eggs in developing fruit. Larvae feed inside berries causing premature drop and unmarketable fruit.
Aphids colonize shoot tips and leaf undersides causing curling and reduced growth. Can build rapidly in spring.
market
Gooseberries have a small niche market in the US. Consumer unfamiliarity limits retail demand.
Nutritional Yield
Macronutrients
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per acre |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 44 kcal | 758,402 kcal |
| Protein | 0.9 g | 15,168 g |
| Total fat | 0.6 g | 9,997 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10.2 g | 175,467 g |
| Fiber | 4.3 g | 74,117 g |
Key micronutrients
Uncertainty: Per-acre values are estimates that compound the yield range, edible-fraction assumption, and a single representative nutrient panel. Treat them as order-of-magnitude planning numbers, not nutritional advice. Confidence: high.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem service data pending.
The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
Cultivars
Named varieties and what the sources say sets each apart. A cultivar-specific zone, chill or maturity figure overrides the species value above.
Grows With / Avoid Near
Documented interactions with other catalog crops — shared pests, allelopathy, rotation effects, alley and understory pairings — for companion, guild and rotation planning. Plan a combination with Gooseberry →
Avoid near, or plan around (2)
Direction matters: a rotation benefit of A before B says nothing about B before A. Interactions are documented pairs only; absence is a research gap, not a clean bill.
Nearby Buyers
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: Data sourced from Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State Extension, USDA resources, and regional research.
Economics data year: 2025 · Basis: lake erie View economics source →
55 tracked changes across 9 data categories