On 2015-06-27 8:22 AM, sf wrote:

>> I don't know the names of the different varieties of strawberries but
>> the berries that are imported here tend to be at least three times the
>> size of the local berries, and they tend to be bright red. They are much
>> better than the imported strawberries that we used to get, but they are
>> bland compared to fresh local berries.
>
> That probably has more to do with the amount of water they were given.
> Farmers are dry farming tomatoes now. The tomatoes are said to be
> fewer per plant and smaller, but more flavorful than tomatoes raised
> the conventional way.

I have always preferred the fresh local strawberries to the imports. The
imports we get are much better quality at this end than they used to be,
and they are much cheaper than they used to be. They have more flavour
than they used to have. The local berries have more and better flavour
and a nicer texture. Water content is a factor in size. Berries picked
after a good rain are always plumper than those picked in a dry spell.
I once made the mistake of making jam with berries picked after a couple
days of rain. They were nice and plump and easier to pick, but they jam
was disappointing.

While we had a dry spring, we have had lots of rain throughout our berry
season. Strawberries grow very quickly. Once the flower is pollinated
it turns into a green mini berry within a day or two and the the berry
grows and ripens within a matter of days.


On a related note.... I drive by a cherry farm every day on my at to the
dog park and it looks like we are going to have a bumper crop of cherries.