The season to pick fresh strawberries has returned to Wisconsin. Strawberry season is brief and the availability of the berries can vary from farm to farm, but many took to the fields at Glendale Farms in the Town of Matteson, who opened their season on Friday.
Dale Kluth says they’ve been growing strawberries for 39 years and they’re looking forward to another successful season.
“The season is off to a good start,” said Kluth, who’s retired but still finds time to help during strawberry season . “Our goal is to have a three-week season, take it day-by-day, hopefully the weather treats us right.
Dale knows the weather ultimately plays a large part in the success of their harvest season, but Glendale Farms does its best to offer something for those that visit, including animals and wagon rides and of course the lure of freshly picked berries that just can’t be beat.
“These berries are fresh and ripened in the field,” Kluth said. “They don’t keep as well as some of the berries you might find in the store, but flavor is the reward. You just can’t beat Wisconsin grown strawberries.”
Strawberry picking season is something that Hershey Ruehmling looks forward to every year. She’s been a long-time visitor to Glendale Farms and even though she’ll turn 90 before the end of the month, she says picking your own berries is worth it.
“I like the outdoors and I just like hard work,” she said about why she continues to pick berries herself. “I never learned to knit or crochet, which I should have done, but I’d rather pick berries.”
As far as the best way to enjoy the berries you pick, that’s up for debate.
“I mainly like them in a bowl with a little ice cream, that’s my favorite part of the strawberries,” Kluth said.
“Strawberry jam, that’s just a must,” said Ruehmling. “You need to do that. Of course then we have to have strawberries with whipping cream and sugar.”
Glendale Farms is open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.