Ask most Wisconsin strawberry growers and they will likely admit it hasn’t been the ideal spring for growing the red, succulent fruit.
April thunderstorms dumped plenty of rain across the state, and in May, growers spent many nights irrigating strawberry fields in an effort to protect the plants from frost.
For many of the “you-pick” operations, which open in late June, are a three-week window that spells the difference between a profitable year or one of loss. The season can be slightly longer or shorter depending on weather. Hot weather cuts the season short and wet weather tends to keep pickers away, and many berries end up rotting in the field.
Here are a few local places to pick fresh strawberries. Check the farms’ websites, Facebook pages and hotlines to see if their strawberries are ready.
Cuff Farms, Hortonville
Nature’s Finest Foods, Oshkosh
Glendale Farms Inc., Clintonville
Colleen Kottke is editor of the Wisconsin State Farmer. Email her at colleen.kottke@jrn.com. Taima Kern is editor of the Appleton Post-Crescent. Reach her at tkern@usatodayco.com or 920-993-7104.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Can I pick strawberries near the Fox Cities Friday? What to know
Reporting by Taima Kern and Colleen Kottke, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Taima Kern and Colleen Kottke, Appleton Post-Crescent | USA TODAY Network
