Berry nice returns

All things considered, and despite a dry start, the strawberry season has been a pretty good one.

Things started off a bit dry and temperatures were warmer than preferred at times but overall it’s been a good strawberry season, a local farmer says.

“They’ve been pretty good. We’ve had a good crop,” said Jim Lorraine, of his early berries.

“Early on in the season it was awfully dry there so we had to do some irrigation,” he said. “But other than that I’d say we’re probably on track.”

Berries have been selling at times this year for $2.99 per box and that sale period, which normally lasts about two weeks, has been extended to about four weeks so far “and that certainly has an impact on your bottom line,” Lorraine said.

“We have to be competitive. If (the supermarkets) are selling them for $2.99 then we have to be there too, unfortunately. I mean, that’s business and, we understand the two-week sale but this was three weeks.”

But Lorraine said he hopes the difference in price can be made up through volume sales.

He anticipates this crop of berries will last close to about the end of July. By early August, the fall crop of strawberries will be ready, which will run through until October.

And sweet, local corn is also expected to be ready after about the first week of August, Lorraine said.

HarrY sULLiVan/trUro daiLY neWs Shirley Lorraine, seen at her family’s fruit stand on Park Street, completes a sale of fresh strawberries to Marion Work of Truro. The current season is expected to run for almost two more weeks with fall offerings set to ripen in early August.