FAQ & Tips
FAQ's
You can buy berries and vegetables from market gardeners in four ways: you can pick the produce at the farm (U-pick), you can buy the produce already picked at the farm (pre-picked or custom sales), you can become a member of a Community Shared Agriculture Farm, or you can buy produce at the farmer’s market. In any case, you are buying straight from the farmer!
Loose, comfortable clothing is recommended. Remember those UV rays – wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Bring some mosquito repellent, just in case.
Bring a picnic cooler with ice packs, to keep those berries and vegetables just right until you get home.
You can check for availability on the strawberry, fruit and vegetable pages. We strongly recommend you call ahead to be sure the farm has a good supply of what you want today – don’t go home disappointed.
REMEMBER TO ALWAYS PHONE THE FARM BEFORE YOU GO TO CHECK AVAILABILITY! Please respect the grower’s property and follow any written or verbal instructions you are given. Most of all, HAVE FUN!
You can preserve their food value and quality by treating the berries gently. When you get them home, sort but do not clean them until just before you use them. Store the berries uncovered in the refrigerator in the original or a shallow container. When you are ready to use the berries, wash them quickly in cold water.Do not let them soak. Lift them gently from the wash water and drain them well before you hull them. It’s best to use your strawberries within three days.
Strawberries are not only good to eat, they are also “good for us.” They are an especially tasty source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). In fact, one cup of fresh strawberries provides about 88 milligrams of ascorbic acid, which more than meets the Recommended Daily Dietary allowance of 45 milligrams for the average adult. Vitamin C is well retained when the strawberries are handled carefully. Capping, injuring, cutting, or juicing, however, will reduce the vitamin content. Strawberries are low in calories: one cup of unsweetened strawberries has only 55 calories. So if you are on a reducing diet, use strawberries to add flavor, food value, and pleasure to meals. You can even eat some as a between-meals snack.
Tips
Strawberries look better and keep longer when they are picked and handled correctly. Because they are a very tender fruit, they will bruise and discolor any time they are squeezed. Handle them gently, at all times, whether you are picking them, placing them in the container, or handling the filled containers. The surest way to pick fruit with a minimum of bruising is as follows: Grasp the stem just above the berry between the forefinger and the thumbnail and pull with a slight twisting motion. With the stem broken about one-half inch from the berry, allow it to roll into the palm of your hand. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. Carefully place – don’t throw – the fruit into your containers. Repeat the picking process with both hands. Don’t overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down. Another method may be used with some varieties that cap easily. Picking berries without the calyx or cap will result in some bruising but is satisfactory for berries that will be processed soon after picking. Grasp the stem between the thumb and forefinger just behind the cap. Squeeze slightly against the cap and apply slight pressure against the berry with the second finger. The berry should pull loose, leaving the cap on the stem.