I almost forgot that strawberries picking is this time of the year, as I was heading to a graduation party yesterday, I passed a strawberries farm, and there were people picking the strawberries. In the South, the strawberries typically peak during May, and June up North. Last year was a real bad year for strawberries farmers due to drought, but this year is not so bad, the berries are smaller in size, but the small berries are often most flavorful. I don’t like to pick the ripe ones (but they expect you to), mainly because I like to eat it with Jail jaew (hot sauce), so they stay good for a while. I don’t think they went up on their prices, the basket below is 4 quart, which cost $8, the strawberries don’t look as big and pretty as the ones in the supermarket, but these are a lot fresher.
I asked them if they would open next weekend, he said it depends because strawberries are affected by weather (both rain and cooler temperature) more than most crops, and when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, if that’s the case; I have to make sure I get there really early.
I think I can get use to living out in the country like this, on second thought; this farm is only about 20 minutes from my house. It started to get real cloudy when I headed back home, then it started to pouring down. As I was driving, I could hardly see the road, I glanced over to the passenger side where I sat my camera, and the passenger seatbelt light indicator kept flickering, as if someone was sitting there but didn’t have a seatbelt on. It started to thunder, I kept thinking to myself that the camera is heavy, that there is no one there; I must have translated too many ghost stories, my imagination is getting the best of me.
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May 21, 2008 at 12:10 am
Jey
my friends are debating on the dish next to the strawberries.. is that ‘jaew?’
May 21, 2008 at 1:46 am
Salat
$8 is pretty expensive for strawberries and I assume at that price is has to organic too. And what kind of farmer would want you to pick only the ripe ones…. they are all going to be eaten or picked eventually. Lame! But I guess you are paying for the experience and “freshness” of the season. It really does look like a good way to spend the day.
Here in California, strawberries are pretty cheap (except for organic ones). Most are farmed in Watsonville and Fresno area. In Fresno, a majority of the strawberry farms are own by Hmong families. An interesting fact I found out recently.
And Ginger, I love the photos – feels like I’m already at the farm. Thanks for sharing this experience with us
May 21, 2008 at 5:37 am
Ginger
Jey, it is Jaew, looks more like sparkling chocolate.
Salat, they want you to pick it that way because you have to pick in a row, and place a flag where you left off so others will pick up from there, and if you don’t pick the ripe ones, then it will not get picked until all rows are picked and then they start over with the first row, then the strawberry of that row will go bad, knowing this, I don’t blame them, it’s their system but they don’t mind if you also pick the green ones. With the drought in our area, he said that it’s a blessing to have anything at all, everything is so expensive nowadays, and yes, I believed it’s organic because the owner picked and ate without washing, I didn’t dare. I like to go to the farm, I like the view, and fresh air, blueberries is next, then apples and pears.
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