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Sunday, June 15, 2008

First fresh strawberries


First harvest of strawberries - oh so sweet! These are an early ripening variety called "Vestra" which we got two years ago from our farmer friend Brenda. Brenda is our source for local farming wisdom and we feel so lucky to know her. She and her family live about 40 minutes north-west of us, and grow about 5 acres of mixed produce for a local CSA, flowers for cutting (she supplied our wedding flowers a few years ago), a pick your own strawberry field (best organic strawberries around!), and have a beekeeping business. Her husband also makes custom wood furniture - busy family, but small family-farming in this area needs to be diversified in order to make a living. We've had many conversations with Brenda about that topic!

These berry plants in our home garden were given in exchange for going to work at her farm one day per week a few years ago - well worth the trade as I learned so much from being out there. They are now spreading well near our pond and underneath one of our apple trees, and we've had just the right amount of rain and heat to bring on a nice harvest this year. Mmm, strawberries & yogurt, strawberries & icecream, strawberries with poundcake, strawberry smoothies...

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