Strawberry Picking 101

Strawberries: sweet, succulent, crimson, juicy, goodness! Not only are they pretty to look at and pleasant to the taste buds, but they are rich in antioxidants. 1 Cup of strawberries is enough to give you your allotted amount of vitamin C for the day. So get pick'n! 

All year long my family and I look forward to strawberry season which in Florida is usually from February to April.

 We are very blessed to be in an area in Florida, surrounded by U-Pick Strawberry fields. We have a favorite little farm that we go to about 45 minutes from us which I would share with you if I wasn't afraid it would it get overrun with greedy strawberry mongers... so, I will just keep it to myself;). You can find your own favorite farm.

 If you do live in Florida you can go www.pickyourown.org/FL.htm to find an amazing selection of farms in various counties, if not you can also go to www.pickyourown.org to find U-Pick farms all over the states.

 There is something about picking your own strawberries, that is so much more fun and meaningful then picking them up at the store.

"Strawberry fields forever"

 When you think of strawberry picking you might imagine  yourself in a beautiful field filled with strawberries, butterflies floating around, birds singing, while you daintily pick strawberries in your cute sundress. I hate to burst your bubble, though picking is fun, it is a lot of work and can be very tiring; depending on how many you pick. The rows are very low to the ground so you are going to be bent over most of the time or squat walking. So if you have a bad back it might not be for you.

   It is so rewarding though to literally enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Even Ellie has to bend a bit

Here is my Top Ten list for strawberry picking:

1. Go early in the morning before it gets too hot.

2. Go on a weekday if you can, so its not too crowded and picked over.

3. Be prepared to pick a lot of berries if you want to get your money's worth( especially when they are 50 cents a quart at some farms)

4. Bring shallow containers to store the strawberries in, if you pile them to high they will get mushed.

5. Wear Sunscreen, a hat and old shoes.

6. Bring snacks and lunch if you intend to pick a lot. The farmers usually let you eat while you pick but that might not

Judah with a mouth full,
 he got a tummy ache soon after from eating too many!

cut it.

7. Bring buckets for easier picking for you and your kids.

8. Keep a tally as you go of how many quarts you have picked so you know how much to pay when you leave, and make sure you have enough cash.

9.Try to hull the berries as soon as you return home so they don't go bad.   

Israel found a whopper

Even Simeon is helping!

10.Wash, hull and store in freezer zip lock bags and enjoy all year long!!

All picked out!

Our loot

                                                                                                   

                                    strawberry tops, which our chickens enjoyed                                                                                                                                          
We usually try to pick enough to last us all year long which is usually about 60-80 quarts( we drink a lot of smoothies!!) A deep freezer is a must!

I can't wait to put these red beauties in my tummy and  share with you my top five favorite ways to do it... so stay tuned!