The Strawberries are Done for 2009
We had a great season with berries from May 17 to June 13, but strawberries, like all good things must come to an end. Strawberry season 2010 will begin in mid-May.

At Wegmeyer Farms, we provide a unique opportunity to enjoy delicious, juicy strawberries “as fresh as it gets” through our pick-your-own fields. We also offer pre-picked berries. Please call ahead to place your order.

Our strawberries are grown on raised plastic beds for easy picking and clean berries. Berries are picked in our one-gallon buckets that are complimentary to PYO Club members and $1 a piece for non-members. (No credit cards - cash or check only)

Tips for Your Visit to Wegmeyer Farms

1. Call before you leave the house. Ripening of strawberries is dependent on the weather. Call to be sure that a good supply will be available on the day you want to pick. If you want to pick up a large quantity of ready-picked berries, call in advance to see if you can reserve some. (540) 751-1782

2. Pick early or late in the day, when it is cool. Your strawberries will keep better and you ' ll enjoy yourself more!

3. Dress appropriately. Consider wearing long sleeves if the serrated edges of the leaves tend to irritate your arms.  Access to fields is generally easy, but appropriate shoes or sandals for outdoor walking and a hat for sun may also be good ideas.

4. For PYO, dress small children in red or dark colors. Then you wont need to worry about the inevitable juice stains.

6. Please follow signs and directions and respect farm property. We are concerned about the safety and welfare of everyone who visits our farm.

7. Please watch your children. Don't let them trample the rows, climb on farm machinery, or wander off towards farm ponds or the road.

8. No pets are allowed in the berry field. For the safety and health of all, pets are not allowed in the berry field and must stay in the vehicle.

9. Care for your fruit on the way home. Dont put your berries in the trunk of your car or leave them sitting in the car if it is sunny. Consider bringing an insulated cooler along.

Strawberry Care Tips

Picking
Pick by pinching the stem of the berry between your thumb and forefinger. This will prevent damage to both the fruit and the strawberry plant. Leaving the caps on helps your strawberries last longer. When selecting berries look for the ones that are plump, firm, and well colored. These are the best for all your needs--freezing, preserving, or eating just the way they are.

Storing
Strawberries are best when prepared and eaten in the same day, but if you must keep them longer, store them in your refrigerator. Arrange the berries in a shallow container, separating out any damaged berries. Cover them loosely, and keep at 35 degrees for best results. Do not remove the caps or wash the berries until you are ready to use them. When caps are removed before use, the berries lose some of their moisture. Washing early tends to bruise them and the berries lose their freshness.

Preparing
When preparing (for whatever use), place the berries in a strainer and rinse with cool water. To remove the caps, give the caps a gentle twist or use the point of a sharp knife, trying not to remove any of the berry. The tip of an ordinary vegetable peeler makes a good tool for capping berries.

Strawberry Nutrition

Strawberries are a delicious, nutritious, fat-free food. Strawberries are high in Vitamin C. A serving of strawberries contains more Vitamin C than a medium orange. Vitamin C helps your body heal, resist infections, and maintain healthy bones, gums, and teeth.

Strawberries are a significant source of fiber in the diet. They are also sources of iron, calcium, folate, and Vitamin A.

Strawberries are high in ellagic and ferulic acid, both of which are very high in their antioxidant capacty. In laboratory tests, strawberries ranked third in these substances out of all fruits and vegetables tested.

One serving of fresh strawberries (one cup or about 6-9 berries) contains:
-only 50 calories
-no fat,cholesterol, or sodium
-140% of the RDA for Vitamin C

Frozen strawberries retain all the nutritional benefits of fresh strawberries.