RICHMOND, Va. -- Get your shortcake ready. Virginia strawberry growers anticipate a strong season for fresh, state-grown strawberries. At many farms, cool temperatures in late April delayed this year’s strawberry crop by a couple weeks. But the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) said these strawberries will be worth the wait. Cooler conditions can help make the strawberries extra delicious.
VDACS anticipated the peak of this year’s Virginia strawberry season to arrive early- to mid-May for southeastern Virginia, where temperatures are milder; and mid- to late-May in other parts of the commonwealth, where the weather is cooler.
Robert Vaughn, president of the newly formed Virginia Strawberry Association, said the majority of the state’s approximately 80 larger-scale strawberry growers are located in the Tidewater region. Virginia has a total of 263 strawberry growers with 252 harvested acres, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture data from the 2012 Census of Agriculture.
For many Virginians, picking strawberries at a local farm is an annual spring tradition. Others can’t resist the sweet Virginia strawberries available at farmers’ markets and grocery stores each spring. VDACS maintains a database of Virginia pick-your-own strawberry fields and farmers’ markets on VirginiaGrown.com.
Virginians can celebrate the strawberry at upcoming festivals across the state. The 33rd annual Ashland Strawberry Faire in central Virginia will be held on June 6. VDACS provides a month-by-month online listing of food festivals taking place across the state.
