Strawberry season hits western, eastern Iowa at different times

Strawberries tend to ripen a little sooner in the western half of Iowa than in the eastern part of the state, according to one Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship official.

Tammy Stotts, a marketing specialist with IDALS, said no matter the weather, soil, moisture and other variables in all parts of the state each spring, the western part of the state seems to produce strawberries slightly quicker.

“We’re not sure exactly how that happens,” Stotts said. “We try to learn as much as we can about what farmers have ready for market, and when, to see if the trend ever changes, but it doesn’t.”

The Newton farmers’ market gets underway for the season Tuesday, while the Grinnell market began May 14.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said May 13 that the strawberry growers around the state were nearly ready to welcome customers with an earlier-than-normal harvest and a large, healthy crop of berries.

Strawberry growers from the western part of the state are reporting that strawberries were ready to pick within the week. Reports from the other parts of the state are showing that harvest season for strawberries should arrive by the end of May.

“Strawberries are the first fruit crop of the season,” Northey said. “Visiting a local farmers market, or going to a ‘you-pick’ farm is a great way to find fresh berries that can be enjoyed fresh, used in backing or preserved as jellies or jams. Regardless of where you get your berries, act fast — strawberry season in Iowa only lasts a few weeks.”

Once picked, strawberries do not continue to ripen like some fruits and vegetables, so select vibrant red berries. Also, shop early and often because strawberries have a short shelf life and should be eaten within a few days of being picked.

If visiting a strawberry patch, be sure to call or check the website for their harvest information.

You can find strawberry growers by visiting IDALS' Fruit and Vegetable Farms Directory at www.idalsdata.org/fmnp/index.cfm or on the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association "farm search" page at www.ifvga.org/en/about_us/farm_search/.

While there are no Jasper County growers on either list, there are farms not far outside the county. These lists are probably not a complete list of every farm with strawberries in a given area, so check with local farm agencies to see where strawberries are available in your area.

Here are some of IDALS’ list of most impressive attributes of Iowa strawberries.

• Strawberries are low in calories; one cup of unsweetened strawberries has only 55 calories.

• Strawberries are completely fat-free.

• Children, unless allergic, rarely run away from strawberries. In a recent survey, 53 percent of seven to nine-year-olds picked strawberries as their favorite fruit.

• Strawberries have a large amount of vitamin C and good sources of folic acid, potassium and fiber.