5 Strawberry Picking Tips

Something exciting happened this week in Michigan—strawberry season arrived! There’s nothing like fresh strawberries from the field. Strawberry season usually begins in mid-June and lasts around three weeks depending on the weather and supply/demand. My favorite Michigan berries come right at the beginning of the season, and U-pick at Blake Farms began their season this week—so you know I had to go there immediately.

Are you ready to go strawberry picking? I’m sharing some tips to give you the best strawberry picking experience below.

5 Strawberry Picking Tips

1. Plan ahead.
Make sure you know what the u-pick hours are.
With inflation at an all-time high find out what the prices of picking will be.
Make sure the fields are plentiful so you don’t waste a trip.
Find out if they supply containers or if you need to bring your own.

2. Wear sunscreen and bring water
Strawberry fields are in a wide-open space, you’ll be getting full sun and it’s best to keep yourself protected. I also wear sunglasses and a hat and stay hydrated.

3. Don’t wear nice clothes
Strawberry plants are not elevated, you’ll be crawling or bending over to pick. This means the chances of getting strawberry juice all over you are pretty high, and no one wants to ruin their clothing.

4. Pick red berries
Strawberries only ripen on the plant, therefore you only want to pick the completely red berries.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to look underneath the strawberry leaves, this is where you’ll find the most berries.

5. Be gentle
Leaving the caps on will help the strawberries last longer. You also don’t want to squish or bruise the berries.

What to do when you get home with your berries

1. Wait to wash them
You only want to wash your berries when you are ready to eat them. Once you wash the berries they are prone to spoiling quicker.

2. Best if used within 3-4 days of picking
Strawberries don’t have a long life and are best consumed within 3-4 days of picking.
Pro Tip: Storing them in the refrigerator will help you get the most out of your berries.

3. Freeze extras
Wash and hull them (take the green part off). Let them dry and put them in plastic bags in the freezer. I love to add frozen strawberries to smoothie bowls, make chia seed pudding, and more.

Happy picking!

If you live in the metro Detroit area I highly recommend heading over to Blake Farms for your u-pick experience!