STRAWBERRY

FIELDS FOR EVER

IT is strawberry time and we   have  got strawberries!                                      

eight acres of strawberries, growing on high tech sophisticated raised beds. this means ya don't have to bend down as far cause the plants meet ya half way, and the berries are always big and beautiful. so if your tired of those dry tasteless imported berries and you want something that actually tastes like a strawberry and not the container, come on out and try ours, ya won't be disappointed.

pick`em yourself or we`ll pick`em for you, they`re only available for about four weeks every year, from June 15th to July 15th, just click on the now picking for the exact date, don`t miss out because Ontario strawberries are the best in the world

RECIPES

for strawberries

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2 c Crushed strawberries
4 c Sugar
1 pk Pectin
3/4 c Water

Combine strawberries and sugar. Let stand about 10 minutes. Combine pectin and 3/4 c water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add pectin to fruit mixture. Stir for 3 minutes. Ladle jam into 1/2 pint jars, leaving 1/2 headspace. Adjust lids. Let stand at room temperature until set. Up to 24 hours. Label and freeze.

Strawberry Jam

2 c Sugar
2 c Strawberries

Use large firm berries. Wash and hull the strawberries; then measure. Place a layer of berries in a kettle, then a layer of sugar until all ingredients are used. Let stand over night or until the sugar dissolves. Place on fire, bring to a boil and cook about 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl and let stand until the next day; then fill sterilized jelly glasses and seal.

Strawberry Pie

1 Pie crust (9 inch); baked
1 1/2 qt Strawberries
1 1/2 c Sugar
1/3 c Cornstarch
1/2 c Water
3 c Cool whip lite(c)

Chop 2 cups of berries. In saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Slowly add water to combine smoothly. Add chopped strawberries. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Cool in refrigerator for about 1/2 hour. Pour about 3/4 of mixture into prepared pie crust. Stand up whole strawberries in syrup (to fill crust). Pour remaining syrup over strawberries. Chill until firm (about 3 hours). Spread cool whip over top of pie and serve.

Strawberry Cake

1 c Sugar
1 tb Butter;or shortening
1 Egg
2/3 c Milk
2 c Flour
2 ts Baking Powder
1/4 ts Salt
1 ts Vanilla
1 c Strawberries;crushed
1 qt Strawberries

Cook balance of quart of berries in 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar, thicken with 1 tbls cornstarch. Serve over cake while still warm. Mix all ingredients in order given and Bake in med heated oven, 350 degrees until done.

Strawberry Slush 

• 1 large can pineapple juice
• 1 pkg. Orange Kool Aide
• 2 pkg. Strawberry Kool Aide
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 quarts water
• 1 quart gingerale
• 1/3 cup Real Lemon
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 quart fresh strawberries

Mix first 7 ingredients together.  Puree strawberries and bananas in blender.  Add to other ingredients.  Freeze in several containers or plastic freezer bags.  When ready to use, half thaw and add 7 Up, Sprite or Mountain Dew to make a slush.  (Three frozen quart sized bags of slush and 1 liter Sprite will fill a punch bowl).  Guaranteed delicious!!

Conversions

1 litre= 2.1 pints

1litre=4.2 cups

1litre= 1.05 quarts

1pint= 2 cups

Nutritional Information

Freezing Strawberries

When you have more strawberries than you can eat or when strawberries can be obtained at a reasonable cost, freeze them to eat later. For freshly made strawberry 'am at any time of the year, freeze berries and then make the jam at your convenience.

Strawberries are easy to freeze. You can use a dry-sugar or a syrup pack. The dry-sugar pack is especially easy and gives the best flavor and color for sliced or crushed berries. For whole frozen berries a syrup pack is recommended because it produces a plump, well-shaped berry after thawing. For special sugar-free diets, strawberries can be frozen unsweetened, but they will not be as high in quality as sugar- or syrup-packed berries.

Twelve pounds or 8 quarts of fresh strawberries will yield approximately 13 pints of frozen berries.

No matter which type of pack you choose to use, follow these general directions for preparing and packaging strawberries for freezing:

• Use only firm, fully ripe berries.
• To avoid bruising and soaking the berries, wash only a few at a time in cold water. colander or
• Drain on absorbent paper or in a colander or sieve.
• Remove the hulls with the tip of a floating blade peeler.
• Chill the fruit in ice water to lower its temperature for fast freezing.

When packaging for freezing:

• Do not fill containers completely; allow a head space of ½" for pints, 1/4" for 11/2 pints, and I" for quarts.

  Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) may be purchased in crystalline or tablet form or as a commercial ascorbic acid mixture to help prevent darkening of foods. If using the crystalline form, dissolve ½ teaspoon of ascorbic acid in each pint of water, berry I . nice, or crushed berries. For a dry-sugar pack, mix the ascorbic acid with the sugar. If using tablets, use 1,500 milligrams per pint; crush the tablets so that they will dissolve more readily. When using a commercial mixture, follow the manufacturer's directions.

• Seal containers and label with the name of the product and the date frozen.
• Freeze promptly, then store at 0 degree F or below.

Dry-Sugar Pack

• Halve, quarter, or slice clean berries into a bowl or shallow pan. If desired, berries may be crushed rather than sliced.
• Sprinkle sugar over berries, using 1/3 to 3/4 cup sugar for each quart of fruit.
• Gently turn berries over and over until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved.
• Package and freeze.

Syrup Pack

Make a syrup using 11/4 cups water to each cup sugar. Dissolve the sugar in either cold or hot water; if hot water is used, be sure to chill the syrup before using. Use about ½ to 1/3 cup of syrup for each pint container. Place whole or sliced berries in containers and cover with cold syrup. Package and freeze.

Unsweetened Pack

• Pack whole, sliced, or crushed berries in containers.
• Cover whole or sliced berries with water or berry juice. For better color retention, add ascorbic acid to the water, berry juice, or crushed berries. Cover crushed berries with their own juice. Package and freeze as discussed earlier.

How Many Seeds?
On the average, there are 200 tiny seeds in every strawberry

Tips for Strawberry Pickers

Whether you pick strawberries from your own garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Be careful that your feet and knees do not damage plants or fruit in or along the edge of the row. At a Pick-Your-Own farm, it is important that you pick only on the row assigned to you.
2. Most growers furnish picking containers designed for strawberries. If you use your own container, remember that heaping strawberries more than 5 inches deep will bruise the lower berries.
3. Pick only the berries that are fully red. Part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden berries ready for harvest.
4. Pick the row clean. Remove from the plants berries showing rot, sunburn, insect injury, or other defects and place them between the rows behind you.
5. Berries to be used immediately may be picked any time, but if you plan to hold the fruit for a few days, try to pick in the early morning or on cool, cloudy days. Berries picked during the heat of the day become soft, are easily bruised, and will not keep well.
6. Avoid placing the picked berries in the sun any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than 'In the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Strawberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for 3 or more days, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.
7. Give the harvested fruit a soft ride home. 

good things grow in Ontario
maintained by katy
links:  Ontario Rural Routes, Ontario Berry Growers Association,
Ontario Apple Marketing Commision