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The month of June
brings the first of many delicious locally grown
fruits: strawberries. Sweet and juicy, a handful
will meet your daily vitamin C requirement. Strawberries
are also a good source of antioxidants, folic acid
and potassium. New York farmers produce a lot of
these little red nutritional powerhouses, over 5
million pounds last year, and Tompkins County farmers
grow their fair share.
Eaten fresh or transformed
into a pie, shortcake or jam, this versatile berry
has uses limited only by one’s imagination or access
to a cookbook. Area supermarkets have had fresh
strawberries available for weeks, but this month
you’ll find locally grown berries at roadside stands
and u-pick farms throughout the region. Locally
grown strawberries offer something imported berries
can’t - varieties selected for flavor rather than
the ability to hold and ship well.
Strawberries are
a good choice for a pick-your-own experience; they
hold up well in the container and in the refrigerator
at home, giving you a day or two to eat them all
or freeze some for later. When you pick your own
berries fresh at the farm, you get berries ripened
to perfection. U-Pick farmers are happy to explain
exactly what to look for if you’re new to pick-your-own
strawberries, and consumers can choose from a number
of local u-pick farms to visit.
Allison’s
Acres Pick Your Own Strawberry Farm at 5150
Cold Springs Road in Trumansburg is one such operation.
Owner Allison Pritts started her business in 1998
and will have 1/3 acre open for picking this year.
She offers three varieties of berries, Northeaster,
Jewel and Ovation, all chosen for flavor rather
than size. Northeaster is a very sweet, early variety
that is a taste favorite with children. Jewel is
the best all around berry, good for fresh eating,
freezing or making jam, and with a taste that is
just what you expect when you bite into a strawberry.
New this year is Ovation, a later season berry promoted
as being a larger, dipping-size berry with nice
flavor.
Allison prides herself
on her weed-free fields and being family-friendly.
Children are welcome to help pick but can also play
on the playground or visit with some of the family’s
livestock: Gem the goat, Bailey and Trigger the
lambs as well as baby pheasants and a full grown
turkey. Customers are invited to bring a picnic
lunch and enjoy the farm, especially the flower
gardens. A large canopy and picnic tables provide
comfortable, shaded space to relax. To check on
picking conditions, check the web site, http://allisonsacres.baka.com/,
or call the farm at 607-387-6010.
Bill and Shirley
Hilker of Hilker Haven Farm on Burns Road in Ithaca
offer a new twist on u-pick strawberries: hydroponically
grown berries. Bill’s first experience with hydroponics
was in Florida in the 1960’s. He and Shirley lived
near Plant City, the “strawberry capital of the
United States"?. He started with a small greenhouse
in the back yard, planting several kinds of vegetables
and strawberries. In more recent years they’ve increased
their knowledge by visiting many hydroponic farms
while wintering in Florida.
In 2004 Bill thought
he’d try his hand at hydroponic strawberry growing
in Ithaca and planted 2000 plants. The results were
so promising that the next year he planted 6000
plants. This year he has over 8000 plants; four
different varieties, each with a little different
size, flavor and texture.
Hilker’s hydroponic
set-up grows berries in pots on poles, which means
it’s very easy to pick the fruit - no bending, kneeling
or searching for berries. Rows are set far apart
and the ground is covered with landscape felt, making
the operation wheelchair accessible. An added plus
is that feet stay dry and clean, even in muddy conditions,
and since the berries never touch soil, they are
always clean. Hydroponically grown berries also
have a longer growing season – from mid June through
September. For more information or to check on crop
availability, contact Hilker Haven Farm at 607-273-7732.
Strawberries are
just one of many, many fruits and vegetables grown
on area farms. The Guide to Foods Produced in
the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes can help
you find u-pick strawberry farms and other produce
growers near you. For a copy, contact Cornell Cooperative
Extension of Tompkins County at 607-272-2292.
Debbie Teeter
is Senior Program Coordinator in the Agriculture
Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins
County.
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