Strawberries are Here!

Just imagine holding a fresh, plump, red, juicy, just-picked-from-the-vine strawberry. Now take a bite of this in your mind. I've been picturing this image more frequently as strawberry season has approached. Mid to late April is the beginning of strawberry season here in central North Carolina. If you love strawberries and have never actually visited a strawberry farm to pick your own, you should seriously consider making a trip NOW.

There are several strawberry farms in our area and if you don't know where one is, here are a couple of websites to help you locate one near you. For North Carolina: NC Fresh; for NC and other areas of the country: Pick Your Own. Just search for your county or buy product. The Pick Your Own site also includes numerous tips and preparation and preserving instructions.

One strawberry farm I'd like to highlight is located about a 1/2 mile from our house - "Berrier Farm" (see directions and further information below). We have been visiting this farm for about three years and really enjoy the experience. It's a family-run farm and a very friendly environment. They will pick them for you or you can pick your own. But, if you are going to make the trip to the farm, you need to pick your own.

There are several obvious benefits to picking you own berries; 1) all-you-can-eat berries while you are picking, 2) you can pick only the ones you want and 3) you will enjoy them more because you picked them. Picking strawberries is a great family event or even a fun outing with friends.

Last year we made the mistake of only going once or twice and didn't get very many when we did go. This meant we froze very few and were not able to enjoy them during the winter. I assure you this will not happen again this year! We will have many, many berries to freeze for use during the winter. I like to store enough to last us until the next season rolls around.

Strawberries are very freezer friendly and are easily used almost straight from the freezer.  The Pick Your Own website has a great page on freezing strawberries.

So, prepare your appetite and visit a farm soon. I'm sure by the end of May I'll have a red stain on my face from eating so many strawberries. Just as a FYI, strawberry "season" is over by the end of May, so don't delay. And just about the time strawberries leave, blueberries come to town (look for a future post on blueberries).

Other than homemade ice cream, one of my new favorite recipes for strawberries is a Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumb Pie from Allrecipes. Check it out and don't get sick!

Berrier Farm,  6422 N. NC Hwy150, 336-764-3515 (You Pick and Pre-Pick). They opened April 27th and their hours are 9:00AM until they run out for the day or people stop coming (7pm-ish). I think the strawberries, if you pick them, are $1.50 a pound. They give you a bucket that holds about $5-6 worth. We visited for the first time today, April 29th and talked with the folks for a while. We explicitly asked and they assured us that they have not sprayed or otherwise put anything on the berries.
 

If you are coming from Clemmons, take Hampton Rd toward Davidson Co all the way to the end. Turn LEFT on Hwy 150 and the farm will be on the right within one mile.

If you are coming from Winston-Salem, take Peter's Creek Pkwy toward Davidson Co, continuing on Hwy 150. The farm will be about 5.5 miles on the left from the light at Hickory Tree/Old Salisbury.

If you are already in Davidson Co, the farm is on the left about 1.5 miles south of the light at Welcome-Arcadia/Frye Bridge.

If you have questions or comments, email me or post a comment.
Mark