Strawberry Picking Tips

What you should know before you pick Strawberries:

  Select plump, firm, fully red berries. The smaller berries are often the most flavorful.

  Always call before you go to the farm - strawberries are affected by weather (both rain and cooler temperature) more than most crops. And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!

  Leave early.  Strawberry pickers tend to turn out in droves, so the earlier you can get to the berry patch the better.  Early arrival aslo keeps you out of the sun during the hottest hours of the day.

  Most growers provide picking containers designed for strawberries, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring your own containers or how much the grower is charging for their containers.

  If you use your own containers, remember that heaping strawberries more than 5 inches deep will bruise the lower berries. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers. Glad storage containers work really well!

  Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen to avoid turning the color of a strawberry yourself!

Stawberry Picking Tips 

Whether you pick strawberries from your garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  Be careful that your feet and knees do not damage plants or fruit in or along the edge of the row.

  Pick only the berries that are fully red. Part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden berries ready for harvest.

  To help the farmers, also remove from the plants berries showing rot, sunburn, insect injury or other defects and place them between the rows behind you. If they are left in the plants, the rot will quickly spread to other berries.

  Berries to be used immediately may be picked any time, but if you plan to hold the fruit for a few days, try to pick in the early morning or on cool, cloudy days. Berries picked during the heat of the day become soft, are easily bruised and will not keep well.

  Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunshine any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Strawberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for two or three days, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.

When Measuring Strawberries

Strawberry Storage - When you get home

 DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them.  Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.

 Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries

 Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the caps (green tops) off the others and freeze them up! (Unless you're going to make jam or use them in other recipes right away)