What's Up with Local Strawberries?

[sbp]

Any word on this year's crop, when the U-Picks will be ready? I saw some promo for the Mattituck festival (which we haven't gone to in years - I can buy Driscoll's at Waldbaums), and it got me wondering.

[roxlet]

On their website, Wickham's in Cutchogue says that they are picking strawberries. We are going out on Tuesday for a farm stand round up. Can't wait!

[EM23]

I just found this berry chart from Patty's Berries in Mattituck http://www.pattysberriesandbunches.co...

Fairway in Plainview had local strawberries for sale this week. They were small and very juicy but not as sweet as I like.

[sbp]

Really? I almost never see local berries in a supermarket, even at Fairway. I know they were advertising strawberries on sale, but they were California.

[EM23]

Really! They had them last year as well. They were in the lobby area.
And I mentioned this to a friend last night and she said her hubs had picked up local strawberries at Whole Foods (in Jericho) on Saturday.

[EM23]

SBP - an update. I was at Fairway tonight and they didn't have any local strawberries. I asked one of the regular produce workers and he said he expected a delivery tomorrow and that they usually have them for the weekend. He said it is good idea.to call ahead to find out if they have them.

[sbp]

Thanks. I'm OK paying more for local - and I suppose a lot of people are. I wish the supermarkets understood that.

[jwg]

saw them at farm market last week

[jwg]

Picked up some CT strawberries yesterday at Stews, and they were lovely this a.m.

[sunflwrsdh]

I am "Facebook friends" with my local farm, Hand Melon Farm, in Greenwich NY, which has pick your own strawberries ready now. They started picking on Friday, 6/1 and say they will be peaking this coming weekend. I am planning to pick and make jam on Sunday. Price is $2/lb.

[Chris VR]

Not sure where in New York you are, but we drove out the North Fork of Long Island last weekend and all the U-Picks were open. We picked up a quart for $5- not as sweet as they could be, and a bit watery. Still, local beats imported any day of the week!

[sbp]

I'm in Huntington, Long Island. Thought it might still be a bit early.

[Chris VR]

I think normally you'd be right, but this warm weather is pushing harvest dates forward. The U-Picks out East had a lot of people but not as many as you'd normally see when the season is in full swing. I think most people in the area associate strawberry season with mid-June.

[Scott_R]

Strangely, this was answered in this thread:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/851017

short answer: they're out. Golden Earthworm Farm (Jamesport) started pick-your-own on Memorial Day weekend, and I just got a quart in my CSA share. Also picked up a quarter of locals from the Garden City Farmer's Market.

As Chris and others have said, they're a bit watery right now, presumably because of all the rain the plants have been soaking up. My own plants have been producing for the last week or so--sweeter then the ones in the local markets--I think because I have them partly sheltered.

[sbp]

"They're out" as in they are sold out/picked out?

[Scott_R]

That would be a heckuva statement to make, covering all of Long Island as it would. I'd have thought "they're gone" would be generally what is used to indicate that sentiment... plus I spoke in the present tense about buying some (the GC Farmer's market is always on Tuesdays).

[frank113]

Actually, I think "they're done" would be generally what is used to indicate that set of circumstances.

[Scott_R]

"They're done"? Were they being cooked?

[frank113]

If you ever get the chance ask a farmer or a backyard gardener what they say when a crop's harvest time frame has passed. "No. No more ramps. They're done for the year" or something very much like that will be the response much more often than not.

[MacTAC]

No, they're available all over the North Fork when I was there a couple of days ago.

[coll]

Just took a ride all the way out, and every farm stand is basically strawberries and asparagus. Not much else yet.

[MacTAC]

Patty's Berries, my favorite for the early strawberry variety, also had Sugar Snap Peas a few days ago. The weekend before, I was out at Latham's in Orient and they had a new (to me at least) turnip, very small, white and sweet.

I'm likely heading out again in a couple of days for strawberries, rhubarb and? The forecasted rain might throw in a wrinkle, though...

[coll]

Oh I did see peas at one or two places, didn't notice rhubarb though. Everything is so early this year, I heard there might be corn by the end of June.