We plant over 80,000 strawberry starts every year in our fields, growing two to three varieties: Albion, Chandler, Seascape. This mix of early- to late-bearers provides us with consistent flavor and harvests throughout the fruiting season in our area, which usually begins in mid-April and runs through October (some years even into November).
We do our best to ripen the berries in the field as much as possible, and the weather conditions they experience in the last couple days before harvest make a huge difference in their store-ability. Early in the season, and with consistent cooler weather, they remain firm when ripe and can store well for up to a week. In summer heat, when nighttime temps remain high, and wetter conditions the berries can be far more fragile, and they’ll quickly become mushy and moldy if not enjoyed right away. At these times we highly recommend processing the berries in some way as soon as you get them home, if you haven’t already eaten them all on the way there ;-). If you are not going to use summer-ripe berries within the first day or two, consider freezing them for making a smoothie, cobbler, pie filling, or sauce at a later date.
Click here for a video of Farmer Tom talking about growing strawberries organically, or go here: http://youtu.be/MKY-deJbKJI
(video produced by Veggie Box)
Here are some storage tips: do not wash the berries until you are ready to use them. When you get them home, remove the berries from the basket or clamshell, eating or discarding any that look really ripe or kind of sad. Place remaining berries in a single layer in a close-able container lined on the bottom with paper towels. Put the lid on the container and place in the fridge. Under ideal fridge conditions, the berries ought to keep a number of days this way.
While terrific just on their own, there are many ways to use strawberries. For instance, they can be sliced up to top off a piece of buttered toast with honey for breakfast, or sprinkled in a dinner salad to add a little sweetness.
Here are some other recipe suggestions that include them:
Agua Fresa with Strawberries
Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote with Ginger and Lime
Strawberry Sorbet
Strawberry Muffins
