We're already well into June (can you believe it?), and for me that means I see an increasing number in open farms stands. And since we're in the middle of strawberry season, I've seen dozens of signs advertising fresh strawberries for sale. This is the time of the year when I taste the sweetness of summer, or more literally, strawberries. I love the idea of stumbling into a wild strawberry patch and reaching down to pluck off my own delicious berry. Living in the city, I rarely stumble into wild patches of strawberries, but the idea still brings a smile to my face. Since I'm not growing my own strawberries, I find that the best way to fulfill my craving is to visit Pick Your Own farms (often referred to as PYOs).
A Pick Your Own farm is exactly what its name describes. Instead of buying select produce at a farm stand, PYOs let you come to the farm during open hours and pick your own produce. Berries and apples are by far the most common fruits that you will find yourself able to pick. On top of being lot's of fun, there are handfuls of benefits that come with visiting a PYO. First off, because you are going to the actual farm, you can be sure that you are directly supporting it. And more importantly, you have the opportunity to see exactly where your food is coming from and what type of conditions it is grown in. By visiting an organic PYO, you are also ensuring that there are no pesticides or other harmful chemicals infiltrating your delicious strawberries and the environment.
The next best thing about PYOs is that often times they will save you money. Remember, you are providing part of the labor for your food, so already you have a cut in cost. You are also purchasing from the farmer directly and are therefore cutting out the cost of any middle men. It makes sense that the price of the food you are picking will be cheaper than what you are buying at grocery stores or even farm stands. Since you are still supporting local farms by going to a PYO, you shouldn't feel bad about passing up a farm stand on your way to the actual farm (unless there is something else there you want that you can't pick yourself). Many farms charge by the pound or by how many containers you fill up. And the price is also fairly reasonable. Be sure to check with your farm first to find out how much it costs. If you have multiple PYOs in your area, it would also be a good idea to compare prices.
Besides the cost of the strawberries (or any other tasty farm treats you choose to indulge in), going to a PYO with your family or friends for a morning or afternoon is a very low cost activity. Farms usually only charge for the amount of food you pick. If you're on a tight budget talk to your family ahead of time, and make sure everyone has an idea about how many strawberries they should be picking. It's also a good idea to find out if any farms have special events coming up. Lot's of farms put on events that coincide with a particular harvest, so keep your eyes peeled for strawberry festivals.
If you're now in search of a great pick your own farm, check out PickYourOwn.org. This site not only lets you click on your state to see PYOs in your area, but it also tells you when local foods are in season. And it offers some useful tips about picking your own fruits and veggies at farms. Remember, before you go to a PYO be sure to call the farm ahead of time to see what the conditions are in the field that day. Some days will be more bountiful than others, and you won't want to drive all the way to a farm to go strawberry picking only to find that there are no strawberries left.
Once you go strawberry picking, you'll have plenty of strawberries to share with friends and family. And although strawberries on their own are mighty tasty, there are countless strawberry recipes out there that make use of this versatile ingredient. One of my personal favorites is strawberry rhubarb crisp. Check out this old fashioned strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe at FoodandWine.com. Or if you're looking for something a bit out of the ordinary to make with your strawberries, check out these great recipes at Strawberries and More. You'll find recipes for strawberry muffins all the way to strawberry salsa! I would love to hear about some of your favorite strawberry recipes.
After you've spent the day picking strawberries with your friends or family, and made some tasty treats together, you can find some piece of mind knowing that strawberries are jam packed with vitamins and other nutritional benefits. One cup of freshly sliced strawberries has 94.12 mg of vitamin C. That's more than the amount of vitamin C in some citrus fruits. Check out Strawberries and More again for a complete list of nutrition facts. WHFoods.org also discusses all the great nutritional benefits of strawberries, such as their antioxidant properties and their abilities to help protect against certain diseases like Macular Degeneration and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Remember, when you go strawberry picking wear a hat and bring along some sun screen. (Check out Jen's blog from last week about the ABCs of SPF if you're unsure about what type to purchase for your family.) With the sun shining strongly above, you might even break a sweat. But hopefully that won't bother you too much, because after all, you'll be surrounded by a bounty of fresh, juicy, delicious strawberries!
Image thanks to marfis75.