Strawberry Season Begins in June!

By Gail McWilliam Jellie

There is nothing quite like a juicy, ripe strawberry picked fresh from the patch! June in New Hampshire means strawberries are ready for picking. Ripe local strawberries are much awaited and it’s a short, sweet season, typically beginning in mid to late June and lasting just a few weeks, until the beginning or middle of July — about a month’s time.

The weather has a lot to do with when strawberry season begins, as well as the length of the season. Sun, warmth and ideal moisture usually bring an earlier start. The first berries the plant produces are the biggest, called the king berries. This takes nothing away from the quality of the berries that follow along, even if they are a bit smaller. June-bearing strawberries are the type that are only available during this brief timeframe and are the typical variety grown on local farms. There are also ever-bearing varieties. Ever-bearing strawberries produce two to three smaller harvests, one in early summer and another in late summer to early fall. Some ever-bearing varieties, often called day-neutral, can produce fruit continuously from spring through fall, providing a steady supply of fresh berries. Ever-bearing berries are usually smaller fruit than June-bearing.

Once picking is underway, local strawberries are available at farm stands, farmers’ markets, some local retailers, or Pick-Your-Own options around the region. The following CGC members offer strawberries. Call to check availability.

Bascom Road Blueberry Farm, Newport, NH (farm stand, (603) 359-7703)

Deep Meadow Farm, Weathersfield, VT (farm stand and CSA, (802) 674-4181)

Edgewater Farm, Plainfield, NH (farmstand and Pick-Your-Own, (603) 298-5764)

Farm on the River, Springfield, VT (CSA and wholesale, (802)-881-0234)

Hemingway Farms, Charlestown, NH (farm stand and CSA, (603)-826-3336)

Enjoy our delicious strawberries while we have them!