THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 17, 1996 TAG: 9605150137
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 128 lines
LITTLE IAN ABERNATHY squatted in the dirt of the farm field, examining a row of low-growing plants.
The blond 5-year-old scrutinized the area beneath the bushy, green leaves. Each time he found a ripe, red strawberry lying half-hidden in the dust, he held it up to marvel at its natural perfection.
For his child's mind, it was like a great conquest.
He and his Great Bridge Children's Center classmates jostled to show their teachers how many of the crimson treasures they'd collected. Their juice-stained faces hinted at how many never made it into the baskets.
``This is so much fun,'' said Anna Mincheff, 53, a teacher at the center who managed to fill her own basket with fruit even while supervising a van load of excited pre-schoolers.
But the sweetest reward would come later at home, when the kids helped their parents wash the berries and make them into treats like sweet strawberry pie and shortcake.
The children were among the first wave of Chesapeake residents to enjoy this year's strawberry picking season, which opened on many farms last week.
The season got a bit of a late start, thanks in part to an abnormally long, harsh winter. And there are mixed reviews about whether the intermittent freezes hurt this year's crop.
At the Warren Farms fields on South Battlefield Boulevard, for example, strawberry plants cultivated in long rows covered with black plastic normally produce plenty of fat, juicy berries, said Matt C. Garrett, 21, who helps oversee the field for his uncle, the owner.
``This year, the berries are much smaller,''
Garrett said, as he let a couple of young girls with less than a pound of tiny strawberries take them without paying. The berries weren't good enough quality to charge for, he said.
``The winter's just put a real crimp into the crops,'' he said.
Garrett said he didn't anticipate his uncle's fields being open very much longer.
Herman A. Hall, 47, who normally opens about three acres of his farm to strawberry pickers, said the winter pretty much decimated his crop, also planted under plastic.
``We can't justify opening'' the fields for picking, he said. It's a loss of an investment of about $5,000 for him.
``You don't like to lose like that,'' he said.
But other farms, with plants cultivated directly into the soil with no plastic covering, say they're having a good season and are harvesting plenty of quality fruit.
The plants appear to be loaded with ripe and almost-ripe berries.
``I was kind of surprised there were any out here, because we had such a late spring,'' said Linda C. Overholt, 42, a Fentress resident who squatted and picked with her daughters in the Hickory Ridge farm fields on South Battlefield Boulevard. Overholt picks her own fruit every year to make fresh strawberry jams and pie, her husband's favorite dessert.
``Everybody's been real satisfied,'' said Frank L. Rittenberry, 66, a worker at the Powell fields near Hickory Ridge farm on South Battlefield Boulevard. Last Saturday, cars were jammed into the parking lot and alongside the road, Rittenberry said. The fields were packed with pickers.
Loretta N. Jenkins, 58, one of six owners of Hickory Ridge, said Tuesday that customers are starting to arrive at her fields in droves too, including regulars, such as the Children's Center kids.
``People are finally realizing that the strawberries are ready, because we were late starting,'' said Jenkins, who expects to remain open until the first part of June.
Earlier this week, growers were praising brisk weather and chilly breezes. Lower temperatures mean that ripe, unpicked berries don't rot on the ground as quickly. And pickers stay cool while they work.
``The kids love it,'' said Mincheff, surveying her brood as they swarmed among the rows. ``Out in the fresh air - it's good exercise for them. And it's part of nature.'' MEMO: [For copies of the recipes, see microfilm for this date.]
ILLUSTRATION: [Cover, Color photo]
STRAWBERRY PICKIN' TIME!
ON THE COVER
Mary Poziomek came early to pick strawberries at Hickory Ridge Farm
on South Battlefield Boulevard. This time, she was picking
strawberries for a pie. The staff photo is by Mort Fryman.
Staff photos by MORT FRYMAN
Sarah Gordon traveled from South Mills, N.C., with her daughters to
pick berries in Chesapeake. Gordon has a big smile and a bucket full
of berries.
Linda C. Overholt and her 5-year-old twin daughters Michelle and
Maria, pick strawberries at Hickory Ridge Farms.
Norman Walker takes his 4-year-old grandson Andrew to pick berries.
WHERE TO PICK 'EM
Culpepper Farms
2933 Buskey Road
421-9232
Hickory Ridge Farm
2928 South Battlefield Boulevard
421-4720
Poor John's Farm
Two locations: 930 Dominion Boulevard and 2019 Cedar Road
485-3656
Powell's Pick-Your-Own Strawberries & Pumpkins
South Battlefield Boulevard next to the Hickory Ruritan Club
421-3607
Warren Farms
1448 South Battlefield Boulevard
482-7150
Williams Farm
4336 Sunray Avenue, Bowers Hill
488-2250
* This list was provided by the Chesapeake Office of the Virginia
Cooperative Extension Service. It may not be comprehensive. If you
have a strawberry farm or know of one that should be included,
please call The Clipper at 547-9761. We will publish an updated
list.
by CNB