Strawberries — fresh picked and local in Madison County

There are a few things that truly mean summer here in Upstate New York. The smell of fresh cut hay down in the fields, the beautiful sight of peonies blooming… and the taste of fresh strawberries!

According to the Cornell Cooperative Extension Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Team, New York State ranks eighth in the nation in strawberry production. They also mention that statewide there are over 1700 acres in strawberry production which yields 3.6 million pounds with an approximate cash value of nearly $8.5 million. Strawberries are a perennial crop, which means that they grow back year after year. Most strawberry plants tend to produce for around 5-6 years, but most strawberry beds are rotated into a different crop (such as pumpkins or cabbage) after 3 years.

Strawberries tend to be the first locally grown crop available each season, which makes the beginning of every summer so very sweet! Strawberry season kicks off the first crop of produce for “u-pick” at most farms and farm stands. CCE ENY Commercial Horticulture Team also says that, “95 percent of the crop (strawberries) are sold this way (as u-pick), often hand-picked by customers and always for immediate fresh consumption.”

Speaking of immediate fresh consumption… did you know that one serving of fresh strawberries (approximately 1 cup) is only 50 calories? Plus, that one serving also contains 160% of your daily value of Vitamin C! Corey Mosher, one of the local produce farmers here in Madison County, says that we should get our fresh and local strawberries while we can. Due to the cool and wet weather this season, the window in which we would normally pick strawberries is condensed. There will be around a 3-4 week stretch of time (which started this week!) where strawberries will be good for the picking.

Were you able to get strawberries recently? Here is a great recipe that you can try at home with the local, fresh Madison County strawberries that you picked!

• Pie crust

• 3 cups cubed rhubarb

• 3 cups chopped strawberries

• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk Instructions: 1. Prepare a crust. (Top and bottom)

2. Make the filling: Stir the rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Set filling aside as the oven preheats. 3. Preheat oven to 400°F. 4. Carefully place the dough into a pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Spoon the filling into the crust, leaving all of the extra liquid in the bowl. Slice pieces of butter on top of the filling. 5. Place top crust. 6. Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the egg/ milk mixture. Sprinkle the top with a little coarse sugar, if desired.

7. Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350°F and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly.

8. Allow the pie to cool for before serving. This allows the filling to thicken up. Enjoy!

For more information on Cornell Cooperative Extension Madison County, please visit our website and ‘like’ our Facebook page. You can also contact us at 315-684-3001.

PHOTO BY CONNOR YORKS According to the Cornell Cooperative Extension Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Team, New York State ranks eighth in the nation in strawberry production.