Strawberry Fever
Does the John Lennon song “Strawberry Fields Forever” fill you with visions of delicious, sweet berries at this time of year? While the time for picking fresh berries may be coming to a close, that’s no reason to stop singing the praises of this versatile fruit that isn’t really a berry at all! Wait…pardon? Read on to find out things about strawberries you might never have known, even how they can teach us about our own life!
Facts of the Fruit
While the origin of the name strawberry has many theories, most believe it comes from an Old English word meaning to strew, because the plant’s runners stray in all directions, and look as if they are strewn on the ground.
Did you think that the only kind of strawberries are the bright red ones that the grocery store sells? Then you will be amazed at the existence of pineberries (white with red seeds), purple strawberries, and white berries! How ‘berry’ surprising!
Strawberries, which are part of the rose family, are sadly not even considered a ‘berry’ in the world of Science. Instead they are called an “accessory fruit”, and before you start wearing them as a necklace or bracelet (which could get a little messy), check out this link on what “accessory” means, in this case!
Buy Local!
Didn’t catch the strawberry picking window at our local berry patches? Don’t worry, there are now greenhouse strawberries year-round! With Canadians buying more and more imported strawberries, Mucci Farms in Kingsville, Ontario saw the potential of growing them indoors, and now has the largest acreage of indoor strawberries in North America. Look for Smuccies” from Mucci Farms, available in local Loblaw stores. Support your Ontario farmers!
Don’t forget to visit the Brantford Farmer’s Market with your family as a great opportunity to talk to local farmers! They can answer any questions you may have about how their strawberries are grown, and concerns you may have about pesticides (after all, strawberries top the ‘Dirty Dozen List’). Try asking what fertilizer they use, if they welcome people to visit their farm, or how long ago they were harvested.
What can strawberries teach us?
Ok, stay with us. We know it’s just a strawberry, but let’s stretch our thinking a little to see the value and teachings in nature. Strawberries have ‘runners’ that grow out and away from the plant to find the best environment for themselves and then set down their roots. We do the same thing! We establish roots with our family and are always stretching out our arms to grow further and be as successful as we can in life.
If you plant strawberries in your garden next to peppers, tomatoes, eggplants or potatoes, the berries will still grow, but the crop will not be as good because of the possibility of disease. Changing this one thing about their growth will make the plants happier and allow them to flourish. Is there one thing in our lives that we could try and alter to make a difference in our lives? Try some of the items on this list to make a change in your life today! As you pop that strawberry in your mouth, remember that nature often has a lot to teach us about dedication, perseverance and success!
We didn’t forget recipes!
Sure, we know about strawberry smoothies and shortcake and other delectable desserts! But what about using strawberries in your main courses? Try Strawberry Balsamic Chicken, or Strawberry Bruschetta for a change. With Nutella made in our own city, you have to try Nutella Stuffed Strawberries or Strawberry Chocolate Nutella Cake! Yum!
Check out more Strawberry resources
- Books about Making Jam and Berry Cookbook to check out from our catalogue.
- Belgium Strawberry Museum
- Strawberry festivals in Canada
- Importance of the strawberry to Indigenous Cultures in North America.
- The ‘Strawberry Moon’ according to NASA
- Interesting Strawberry facts
- Growing Strawberries in pots (great summer activity with kids!)
- How to store Strawberries for weeks!
Strawberries bring us together as a community, as we flock to the berry picking patch or gather around the fresh berry display at out our grocery store. We hope we have given you a bit more knowledge and respect for this wonder of nature, and don’t forget to also be curious about all the other fruits and vegetables in season this Summer!