One of America’s favorite foods is the strawberry. Packed full of vitamins, fiber and antioxidants, strawberries are not only delicious, they’re good for your health. About eight strawberries provide more vitamin C than an orange!

Researchers have reported for a number of years that strawberries are good for the heart. The Iowa Women’s Health Study cited in a research report — “Berries: Emerging Impact on Cardiovascular Health” — found that postmenopausal women who consumed strawberries at least once a week showed a significant reduction in cardiovascular disease mortality over a 16-year period.

It also reported that a randomized controlled trial of more than 38,000 women taking low-dose aspirin and vitamin E showed women who consumed two or more servings per week of strawberries experienced a borderline risk reduction of elevated C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation in the body).

Strawberries may also play a role in maintaining cognitive function and memory in elderly persons, according to an April 2012 Annals of Neurology report. Physicians Elizabeth E. Devore, Jae Hee Kang, Monique M.B. Breteler and Francine Grodstein saw a slowdown in cognitive degeneration in those eating at least two servings of strawberries a week, and they speculated that chemicals known as flavonoids, plentiful in strawberries and blueberries, may be responsible.

Since both cold storage and aging of berries affect their nutritional value, they’re healthiest when picked fresh. Maine has its share of pick-your-own strawberry farms and many of those are located in central and western Maine.

Stevenson’s Strawberries at 271 Tucker Road in Wayne is expected to open its 16 acres of strawberries and peas for public picking around the end of June. The father, Ford Stevenson, has been growing pick-your-own strawberries for 30 years. Ford’s son Tom is now taking over more of the operation as the elder Ford plans to retire soon.

Tom said they grow several varieties of strawberries, with Cavendish, Wendy’s and Cabot being the most popular. He said they try to keep berries ripening the whole season. Pick-your-own this year are $1.95 a pound and pick-your-own peas are $1.60 a pound.

Stevenson’s hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weather permitting. They advise people to call 685-3532 for the latest picking updates. Their produce is also sold at Stevenson’s Farmstand on Route 202 in East Winthrop. The farm stand is open mid-June through mid-October.

Another local grower of pick-your-own strawberries is Chipman Farm. Their pick-your-own strawberry fields at 32 Goodwin Road in Minot will be open for picking in late June, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., weather permitting. You-pick strawberries sell for $1.99 per pound.

According to Tomi Chipman, they grow Brunswick and Jewel strawberries. She said most Maine growers, including Chipman’s, only grow June-bearing strawberries, which is one reason why the season is short here. She added that other states, such as California and Florida, grow a different type of strawberry plant that bears fruit longer, which contributes to a longer harvest.

“The strawberries here have been grown by Doug Chipman for the past 37 years and our customers know the quality of our berries,” said Chipman. “In a good year, we sell thousands of pounds of strawberries.”

Chipman said they offer a wagon ride to the area where they’re picking for the day. She said they also offer a discount to people who pick more than 50 pounds. They will be having Kids Day at the strawberry patch on July 8.

Roaring Brook Nurseries at 639 Gardiner Road in Wales offers pick-your-own strawberries for $2 a pound. They have a children’s play area and invite children of all ages to visit their baby bunnies. They have picnic tables, and picnic lunches are welcome. Rides to the fields are available on the strawberry golf cart taxi. Owners planned to open this weekend. Call their Berry Hotline at 375-8682 for more details.

According to their website, they offer pre-picked strawberries daily at their Farm and Garden Market Store for $6 a quart. Large pre-picked orders for family reunions and/or cookouts are also available by calling ahead. Their strawberry season generally lasts from mid-June to mid-July.

For a list of Maine berry growers or to find one in your area, go to www.pickyourown.org, www.getrealmaine.com or www.meliving.com.

Once picked, strawberries have a short shelf life. They will only last a day or two on the counter, and only a few days when refrigerated. So, growers recommend not picking more than you’ll use in the next few days, unless you plan to freeze them

Chipman offers the following additional advice:

* Don’t wash them until you’re ready to use them, unless you’re freezing them. “A lot of people want to wash them before refrigeration, but that will only cause them to spoil more quickly.”

* If freezing them, the berries can be frozen whole or cut up with some sugar. “When freezing them whole, they should be washed and then left to dry, said Chipman. “The berries should then be hulled. Once dry, they should be placed on a sheet of freezer paper or wax paper, spread out, and placed in the freezer. Once they are frozen, you can pick the frozen berries off the sheet of freezer paper and place them in bags or containers and now they won’t be frozen together!” To freeze them with sugar, wash and hull the berries, cut them to desired size and add 1/2 cup sugar per quart, Chipman said. Then place them in a container and freeze.

For more tips on picking and using strawberries, see related story.

Before you pick: tips, facts and reminders

* Call ahead to make sure the farm you’ll be picking at is open and has berries.

* Bring containers (and a hat, sunscreen, bug spray and water if desired).

* If you’re going to go home and use your berries immediately, pick any time of day, but if you plan to hold the fruit for a few days, try to pick in the early morning or on cool, cloudy days. Berries picked during the heat of the day become soft quicker, are more easily bruised and will not keep well.

* Select firm, fully-red berries. Strawberries DO NOT continue to ripen after they are picked.

* Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase: Strawberries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a couple of days in the refrigerator.

* Don’t pile strawberries more than 4 or five deep, to avoid crushing and damage.

* Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunshine any longer than necessary once picked. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking.

* When you get home, don’t wash the berries until you are ready to use them. Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.

* You can easily freeze berries that you cannot use right away: Just wash, cut the hulls off, let dry and pop them into a Ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible. (Those vacuum food sealers REALLY do a good job of this!) The berries will keep for many months frozen without air.

* One cup of strawberries contains about 50 calories.

Courtesy of www.pickyourown.org.

Chipman Farm’s strawberry pie filling

2 quarts of fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled and sliced

1/2 cup flour

1 3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Mix filling ingredients together in bowl and dump into your favorite 8-inch unbaked pie crust.

Place another 8-inch unbaked crust on top of the strawberry mixture. Crimp the edges with a fork. Prick holes in the top crust in the shape of an “S.”

Bake pie at 350 degrees until crust is light brown.

Stevenson’s Strawberries strawberry frosting

8 ounces cream cheese

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup strawberries, cleaned, hulled and sliced

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Beat cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar until smooth. Add berries. Beat until blended. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream and lemon juice at medium speed until foamy; increase mixer speed to high and slowly add remaining sugar. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the cream mixture into the cheese mix; fold in remaining cream mixture. Use immediately on your favorite cake or as a filling.

No strawberries at Rupert’s

A surprise for many area strawberry pickers was announced June 10. Dot Rupert posted a note on Rupert Berry Farm’s Facebook page announcing they would not be offering strawberries after more than 40 years of growing.

“This year seems a little strange here,” the post stated. “After 40+ years of raising strawberries we have decided to focus our efforts on blueberries and raspberries. So instead of selling strawberries I’ll be heading out to a nearby pick-your-own farm for wonderful, fresh strawberries. We will let you all know when the other berries are ready. We’ll look for you later in the summer.”

Rupert Berry Farm is at 519 Wilson Hill Road in West Turner. Contact is 966-2721 and on Facebook.

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