News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Upper Cumberland farmers seeing a “wonderful” strawberry crop this year.
Amazin’ Acres Co-Owners Karen McCulley said that the mark of a good strawberry has to do with taste and texture. She said that’s why customers should shop from local farms as opposed to grocery stores.
“Shipping berries are firmer and they’re harder on the inside,” McCulley said. “They pick them green, and here on our farm, we pick our berries when they are ripe. So you’re going to get a berry that’s been on the plant until it was ready to pick not picked early so it could be shipped.”
McCulley said that strawberry season typically runs from about April 20th to June 10th. She said that they started late this year because of cooler temperatures, and could end early because of hotter temperatures.
McCulley said that hot weather can bring runners on plants instead of blooms, which cuts the picking season short. She said that the process of creating a good crop is a year-long affair.
“We start in August and we grow our own strawberry tips, we will work our ground in June, and then we work it again and work it again, about three times, then we lay plastic and put the plants in that plastic where they will go dormant for some time,” McCulley said. “And then in February or March, we start frost protecting and freeze protecting. So it’s pretty much all year long you’re working on it.”
McCulley said there are times available for the public to come and get their own strawberries. For more information, visit Amazin’ Acres’ website.
