Because we have a small patch of everbearing strawberries we rarely get a lot at any one time. Usually there are just enough ripe berries to have a snack, or put on top of granola or top dessert if you let them build up for a few days.
But that’s okay, I can always get enough berries for jam and freezing from the local farmers. There’s something charming about getting just a handful at a time.
We have a small patch of strawberries, one prolific blueberry bush, and a few raspberry canes. For preserving I always buy from local farmers. The ones from my yard are also eaten a handful at a time.
My 4-year-old finds this practice of going out into the yard for a few berries particularly delightful.
Many of the things that we have planted somehow mysteriously disappear in the garden, shortly after they make it to the bowl. I suppose there is nothing wrong with that–no chance for it to go bad that way!
Preserving fruits and veggies is great for having a narrower range of ripeness. Especially for canning tomatoes–we plant a ton of tomatoes, but they take forever to ripen and it is never at the same time between the varieties. It just makes sense.
There is nothing to compare with walking out to the yard and picking berries in your PJ’s for breakfast, though!! (: Thank goodness for late sleeper neighbors.
I have the same situation – everbearing berries, and a fairly small patch, so its never a huge yield at a time. But as you said, I’m okay with that since I’ll be able to pick a quick handful throughout the season rather than be innundated all at once. Luckily we have several local berry farms here, so I’ll be heading out to pick the larger amounts for freezing, canning, etc. And of course some of those will be eaten fresh too
That is like a handful of early summer goodness!
Amber :: Same here – we’ve got big rows of blueberries and raspberries, but as it’s the first year we’ll likely only get a handful here and there. We should really pinch off the blossoms/fruit, but I just don’t have the heart…
Monica :: By planting many of each kind of paste tomato I usually have enough for big batches of sauce as they ripen. If not, oh well, that’s what seconds at the market are for. So far I don’t think a single strawberry from our patch has made it to the kitchen…
Mangochild :: I bought a half flat of the first strawberries at the market on Sunday with the full intention that we’d eat them all fresh. We’re about 2/3s through it already!
I have just a tiny planter of strawberries on the deck, with four different varieties. I’ll never make jam from it, but I adore being able to pick just a few for morning cereal. When I buy a flat at the market I feel obliged to eat or process them all immediately.
Our patch is doing well. We have harvested 7 pounds of berries so far. I can’t wait to make some jam, I’m currently saving them up for that. We’re hoping to expand our bed next year. Right now I’m growing Yellow Wonder Strawberries from seed, yellow strawberries should be interesting.