I hope this finds you enjoying the first hint of fall. We’re busy preparing beds and planting strawberry plants for our anticipated harvest the weekend after Thanksgiving. That’s typically the time our first crop comes off.
Each time we pick, it’s referred to as a “hand.” Berries on the same plant are ready at different times, so we pick several “hands” from the same plant. They go from the field directly to refrigeration and are rushed to retailers and food service distributors.
They are packaged in cartons as they are picked. They’re not touched again until you take them home from the store. It’s a fun process to watch. All of our strawberries are hand-planted and hand-picked. It’s quite a sight to see.