Freshest picks
The following farms offer pick-your-own and/or freshly picked from the field:› Tidwell’s Berries. Located on Highway 27, 17 miles north of Dayton, Tenn., and four miles south of Spring City. Call 423-365-9300 for daily updates on hours and availability.› LCCL Strawberry Farm, 3743 Old Dalton Road, Rome, Ga. 706-295-2587. lcclstrawberryfarm.com.› Sims Farm, 1608 Burning Bush Road, Ringgold. 706-866-4062. simsfamilyfarm.com.
Berry-good tips
› Don’t wash them … at least not until you are ready to eat them. They will get mushy.› Keep them under wraps. Place the strawberries in a thin layer on a plate or bowl, cover and chill.› Put them on ice. Hull them using a strong straw and put them in a freezer storage bag.— Tara McAlister, The Charlotte Observer
Coming up
Fresh strawberries will be in abundance Sunday at Chattanooga Market for the EPB Strawberry Festival. Along with fresh strawberries, vendors will offer strawberry-infused foods such as Miller’s Strawberry Lemonade, fresh strawberry salsa from Daylillies, berry-blend granola from Nokes Granola, desserts from Bitler’s Bistro and strawberry breads and other baked treats from Simply Southern Bakery. Chattanooga Market is held at the First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Carter St., from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
Two-year-old Reed Mull pushes back the leaves of a strawberry plant, peering beneath its healthy, bright green foliage.
“Look, here’s another one,” he says excitedly.