Monday, April 24, 2017
Picking the Perfect Strawberry
Clod Buster Farms' Zane Sells talks about finding that perfect strawberry.
Preparing For Strawberry Season in the Triad: Clod Buster Farms
Preparing for Strawberry Season at Clod Buster Farms
Another spring means that it is time for strawberries in North Carolina. Clod Buster Farms' Zane Sells is hard at work preparing for what he hopes is a successful spring harvest.
By: Kevin McMahon
Strawberries are beginning to become even more common in North Carolina. "Now it has become bigger... as the more tobacco goes out more strawberries are being planted,"said Sells.
The prefect strawberry is a sweet strawberry. Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring. However, if the sun comes out too early in the season, it can offset everything.
A lot goes into getting everything prepared for the strawberry season and every little detail matters.
Business is Blooming
"It was a little difficult [getting ready this year] because it was so warm back in January and February and we got a bunch of blooms in February so we lost some of those blooms," explains Sells. "But, it looks like it has not really hurt them because they are really loaded with blooms."
Blooms are essential to the strawberry going process.
"If you have a bloom within 30 days, you have a strawberry," Sells notes.
When a blooms are lost, they can be recovered but not all of them will come back. Sometimes, the loss of a bloom creates more space for the other strawberries to grow, which can result in larger strawberries.
The Warm-up
"A Strawberry plant is a funny thing, it just seems like it likes cooler weather, it does not like real hot weather. It seems like it will produce more if its in the 80s, once it starts getting in the 90s, it starts telling its self to shut down," explains Sells.
That what makes spring in North Carolina the perfect place for strawberries, May in North Carolina is an ideal setting for them and it is why they become ripe in May.
Strawberry season only last 5-6 weeks, but for Clod Buster Farms, strawberry season is how they make most of their profit. Clod Buster Farms is a "pick your own" strawberry farm and North Carolinians love to pick their own strawberries.
For The Kids
Sells said a lot of his customers are children with their parents and school groups.
Based on a study conducted by the U.S Department of Agriculture over 53 percent of 7 to 9 year olds picked strawberries as their favorite fruit.
Maureen McMahon, a former chaperone for school trips to strawberry farms reflected on all the beneficial reasons to take kids to pick strawberries.
"Taking children to pick strawberries is important, kids learn that farming takes time, and learn to be respectful of the plants" said McMahon, "They learn more about healthy lifestyles." McMahon added.
Kids love strawberries.
It's A Carolina Thing
North Carolina native Kinci Smith loves to pick strawberries. "It is a tradition for my family, we go every single year, it's a great way to spend time with each other," says Smith.
There are many North Carolinians like Smith who have May circled on their calendar as they cannot wait for the ripe strawberries.
Seventy percent of a strawberry's roots are located in the top three inches of soil.--
As strawberry season rapidly approaches a lot of hard work continues to be done each day in order to be ready for excited customers.
Sells relies on his love for farming as his motivation during this time of preparation. "I still love it, it's very hard;you're not gonna be rich doing it," he explains. "It's one of those things you got to love it or you won't do it."
Related: Strawberry Almanac Page
16 Fun Facts All Strawberry Lovers Should Know
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