Usually Strawberry Day takes place the week of the 4th of July. But, this year’s 4th was a little wonky and we had to skip our regular Strawberry Day festivities.
I was not willing to let a summer go by without fresh strawberries from my favorite local farm, so I found time to squeeze in a little visit to Luney Berries Farm.
Picking Berries
It was a Monday in the middle of July and I had to take the puppies for haircuts. These appointments create about three free hours while I wait for the dogs to get beautified. This was the perfect opportunity to pick berries. Despite the 80 degree heat and humidity, Meg and I braved the field and were able to pick a heaping bucket in about 20 minutes.
Freezing Berries
The trick with fresh berries is deciding what to do with them. They don’t last long, so you have to have a plan for them as soon as you pick ’em. I had plenty of freezer jam leftover from last year, so that option was out. I decided the best thing to do with my berries would be to freeze them. I love having fresh strawberries in my freezer. I often pop a few in my water bottle to add some flavor or I throw some in my overnight oats and let them thaw while I sleep. But I can’t deny that the best use for frozen berries is smoothies. Whether is strawberry banana, chocolate strawberry, or just plain strawberry; nothing tastes better than blending up fresh berries you picked with your own hands.
Freezing strawberries is super easy, but can be a bit time consuming depending on how many berries you’re working with.
The secret to perfectly frozen berries: DON’T wash them! ( This method will keep your berries fresh and prevent them from forming into one giant clump, but you will have to remember to rinse your berries when you take them out to eat.) I take mine straight from the flat to the cutting board, slice off the tops, then line them up on a cookie tray. Place the cookie tray in the freezer for a day, allowing the berries to freeze all the way through. Then I dump the tray into a gallon size freezer baggie. That’s it! Easy as pie! Mmmm a strawberry pie sounds good. Anyone have a good recipe?
And so, it was another Strawberry Day in the books. We picked, I cut, and they froze. It was an easy, laid back Strawberry Day this year, but that’s okay. Sometimes life’s little charm comes from the spontaneity of squeezing in a trip to the strawberry patch in the middle of a busy week. Oh and I know you were wondering… the puppies looked great after their haircuts:
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