It’s the most wonderful time of the year and it’s not even time for the kids to go back to school yet! It’s BERRY SEASON! With all the cool, rainy weather we’ve been having, the strawberries are taking their time out in the field. We’re expecting this year’s crop to be ripe, juicy and ready for picking mid-late June.Here’s a list of our best strawberry picking tips:
• Call ahead for Farmer John’s daily crop report! We’ll let you know the picking conditions and we’ll post updates on our website, Facebook and Twitter too.
• We’re sure hoping to see the sun a whole lot more in June! Sunscreen, water and a hat are must-have items for your day in the strawberry field.
• The fields are open 9am-4pm and the farm closes at 5pm daily. We suggest coming in the morning when both the temperature and the fruit are cooler.
• We have wooden baskets available for picking or you are welcome to bring your own container from home.
• Look for plump, firm, fully red berries to pick. They taste the best with whipped cream!
• The price of our pick-your-own berries is determined by weight at the end of your berry picking adventure! This year's price is set at $2.75/lb.
• If you’re not the strawberry pickin’ type – we will have a selection of ready-picked berries in our farm market. It can be just as much fun to pick your perfect berries from a fruit table!
• Keep your berries cool; enjoy or freeze.
Try something new in your summer kitchen! We’ve gathered a few of our favourite strawberry recipes from some of our farm friends!
1. Fresh off our special Evening with Lucy Waverman, we’re keen to try her Strawberry Salsa and Goat Cheese Bruschetta. This savory, sweet appetizer is a refreshing twist on traditional bruschetta and a perfect accompaniment for outdoor entertaining!
2. Elizabeth Baird’s recipe for Strawberry Melon Soup with Mint is sure to add coolness to a summer lunch. The soup can be prepared ahead of time and chilled for up to 24 hours.
3. Foodland Ontario has a wealth of delicious strawberry recipes on their website and they’ve merged two of our favourite things: strawberries and grilling! Serve Grilled Ontario Strawberries as a side dish with chicken or pork.
We’d also like to share with you the ultimate Springridge Strawberry Pavlova recipe! We served this delightful dessert at a special luncheon for local food connoisseurs last strawberry season and it received rave reviews!
See you in the fields.
