|
Back
Selection
Berries
should have a full red color, bright luster and firm, plump flesh.
-
Choose
fully ripe berries. Strawberries do not ripen after being picked.
-
The caps
should be bright green, fresh looking and fully attached.
-
Berries
should be dry and clean; usually medium to small berries have better eating
quality than large ones.
-
Avoid
berries with large uncolored or seedy areas or those with a dull, soft look.
Strawberries: Picking
Strawberries
look better and keep longer when they are picked and handled correctly.
Because they are a very tender fruit, they will bruise and discolor any time
they are squeezed, so handle them gently.
Picking Pointers:
-
Grasp the stem just above the
berry between the forefinger an the thumbnail and pull with a slight twisting
motion.
-
With the stem broken about ½
inch from the berry, allow it to roll into the palm of your hand.
-
Repeat these operations using
both hands until each holds 3-4 berries.
-
Carefully place -- don't throw --
the fruit into your containers.
-
Don't overfill your containers
or try to pack down the berries.
Whether you pick strawberries from your
own garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
-
Be careful that your feet and knees
don't damage plants or fruit in or along the edge of a row.
-
Remember that heaping strawberries
more than 5 inches deep will bruise the berries.
-
Only pick the berries that are fully
red. Part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden berries.
-
Remove berries that show rot,
sunburn, insect injury or other defects and destroy them.
Storage
-
Pick berries for immediate use 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 bruise easily and will not keep well.
-
Keep picked berries in the
shade and cool them as soon as possible after picking. Berries that have been
handled carefully will keep up to three days in the refrigerator.
-
Use
strawberries as soon after purchase as possible.
-
Take berries
home immediately after purchase.
-
Remove the
berries from their market or store container.
-
Leaving the
caps on the berries, sort and gently arrange them in a single layer on a
cookie sheet or other shallow container.
-
Store in the
refrigerator immediately.
-
Just before
serving, wash them in gently flowing cold water in a colander. Drain and
remove caps by giving them an easy twist with a strawberry huller or sharp
knife.
Yield
Due to the
many variables, such as moisture content, size and variety, it is impossible
to give specific recommendations as to quantity to buy. As a rule of thumb, 1
quart strawberries = approximately 3-3/4 cups hulled, whole berries.
One quart
equals 1 1/4 pounds
One Pound
equals 16 oz.
Ed, Debbie, and Nellie Bell
16447 State Road 38 -
Hagerstown, IN 47346
765-489-5753
765-489-6136 Fax
TT Relay 711
edbell@omnicityusa.com
<><
Back
|