It’s just five weeks to the start of June. In Oregon, it’s the start of berry season. Strawberries, start the parade at the beginning of the month, followed by Raspberries and Blueberries.
STRAWBERRIES – “Strawberries fall into three categories, each with several varieties, according to Bernadine Strik, an Oregon State University Extension berry crops professor in the horticulture department. June-bearers produce one crop per year, usually during June. Everbearers produce two crops per year, one in June and one in August. Day-neutrals produce an almost continuous crop from May through early fall.”
Varieties typically grown in Oregon are June-bearers, including Hood, Shuksan, Totem, Benton, Tillamook, and Puget Reliance. June-bearers are ideal if large numbers of strawberries are needed at one time, such as for jam or freezing. Everbearers include Fort Laramie, Ozark Beauty, and Quinault; day-neutrals varieties include Albion, Seascape, Selva, Tribute and Tristar. To find U-Pick locations – Click Here!
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Hoods are truly the essence of the flavor strawberry! “…The reason is taste, OSU breeder Chad Finn said. Hoods are exceptionally sweet — they’re loaded with sugar — but it’s balanced by the berry’s acid content.” While you might buy Hoods to use in a recipe, if you eat one, you might not have any left for the recipe, as they are addictive! They are by far at their best eaten fresh! Hoods have a delicate skin that damages easily, so very little is shipped out of state.
Our first outing in the Covid-19 world was to pick Hood strawberries at Columbia Farm on Sauvie Island just outside the city of Portland OR. We went on the first day and were first in line at 9:00 am. We picked two flats which took two of us about an hour and a half, longer than normal, as there were fewer ripe berries. As we left I counted about 150 people there picking. The berries tasted great!
