Pick Your Own Strawberries This Summer!

June is the beginning of strawberry season in Michigan! Along with strawberry season comes warmer weather, long afternoons, cool dips into the pool, summer vacations, and eating good food. Summer and strawberries just go together! Beginning in June, stock up on fresh strawberries and enjoy the best part of summer.

The strawberry season for Michigan starts in early June in the Lower Peninsula and ends in late July in the Upper Peninsula. This year due to the unusually cold spring weather and late spring frosts and freezes, the strawberry season will be a little later than usual, reports Michigan State University's Southeast Michigan district horticulture agent Bob Tritten. Thanks to numerous frost protection measures, strawberry plants are in full bloom and yields are not expected to decrease.

Though strawberries are grown in every county in Michigan, Berrien, Leelanau and Van Buren are Michigan's largest strawberry-producing counties. In 2001, sales of Michigan strawberries were estimated at $5.5 million. Most of these were sold fresh, picked by consumers at "u-pick" operations around the state.

"U-pick" operations are private farms that are opened to the public for the picking and purchasing of fresh produce. The advantage of these operations is that consumers choose the produce they want and also get the freshest products possible. When consumers buy produce from "u-pick" operations, they are supporting Michigan farmers and Michigan grown products.

"U-pick" operations are fun for the whole family. Adults and children alike enjoy the experience of picking farm-fresh produce. Family activities and seasonal events are often available at "u-pick" operations across the state.

Read on to find out:

The health benefits of eating freshly picked strawberries, 

Fresh strawberry recipes, 

Fun facts about strawberries, 

How to grow your own strawberries; and,

Where to pick your own strawberries. 

There's a world of possibilities using fresh Michigan strawberries!