The challenge. "Enough strawberries to feed 13 adults at one sitting"
Of course strawberries ripen in stages and we have already been eating starwberries for a couple of weeks, so there is a careful line to tread between overpicking and underpicking.
Come the big day I went to the allotments at 8:30, the first visitor of the day. On approaching the plot two squirrels, each with a large strawberry in mouth, scampered off. The vermin had clearly found a point of entry. I was more than a little concerned - but here's the haul :
The plastic punnets contain my new varieties Cambridge Favourite and Florence the remainder are the "old" Honeoye.
Back home:
There was plenty, and some over for the Pimms
how pretty! my kids would have that bowl wiped out in 2 days :)
ReplyDeleteThe squirrels found mine to Mal..and the chipmunks but this is a really good year for them, so am willing to share a bit ;-)
ReplyDeleteNice photos.
They look delicious don't they!
ReplyDeleteHope they taste as good!
Martin :0)
Oh fancy having to share those lovely berries with so many people!
ReplyDeleteWhich variety do you prefer between the two?
ReplyDeleteThe scent of all those berries must have been the true essence of summer.
They all tasted excellent. Honeoye is early and a bit acidic for some people. We love rhubarb so these are our kind of strawberry. Florence are large, sweet, but not very prolific (in this their first season). Cambridge Favourite perplexed me because they didn't seem to ripen. But then it dawned on me that they are pink when ripe. More prolific than Florence and just as sweet. I like them. But the final word goes to the squirrels. They stole the Honeoye!
ReplyDeleteJudibell is late season and hasn't fruited up yet. Neither have everbearer Albion. So more fun to come!
Great haul Mal, I expect the squirrels will always find a way to steal one or two. Just eating the last of ours now, must get some later varieties for next year.
ReplyDeleteI'm envious! Our strawberries did terrible this year. Even in the polytunnel they were'nt great. Ah well, there's always next year.
ReplyDeleteThat certainly is a great picking of strawberries. I tend to only pick enough for what we want at the time....but then you have the wildlife to contend with stealing what you leave behind. Our strawberries (which were donated to us so are an unknown variety!) start to ripen really early....but this is good for us as it means when we have run out there are always people on the plot saying....help yourself to a few strawberries....you can never have too many strawberries....that is if they are home grown!!
ReplyDelete