Mitzi Powers picks fresh, winter-grown strawberries at their farm on Barker Church Road. These berries are grown in high-tunnel structures designed to protect the plants from frost and winter freezes.

It's that time of the year again. No, I'm not talking about Christmas. I'm talking about time to buy fresh, locally grown strawberries.

If you did not read this column about this time last year or if you do not get much information about what is happening in the county, you may not be aware that a couple of our strawberry farmers are now producing winter strawberries. I used this column last December to provide information about how Kenny and Anna Floyd from Fairmont were growing winter strawberries in an old tobacco greenhouse and how Jimmy and Mitzi Powers from the Powersville community were growing winter strawberries under row covers.

As odd as it sounds, strawberries can be grown during the winter. If you are like me, you always thought strawberries only grew here in the spring. I have always associated strawberries with the nice, comfortable days of spring and always thought that once the weather got hot, strawberries turned to mush, and the season was over until next spring.

Those living in the Fairmont area, or the southern part of the county, should be glad to know that the Floyds are growing strawberries again this winter in their old tobacco greenhouse. They have not expanded their winter strawberry production, but if the winter does not get too severe, they will have winter berries available right up until time for spring strawberries. I encourage you to call Anna Floyd at 910-740-6151 and place your order.

Jimmy and Mitzi Powers did not sell as many berries last year as they had hoped for. This is probably because most people are not accustomed to eating fresh strawberries during the winter months and also because of the difficulty of getting the word out so folks would know they could buy locally grown winter strawberries. But they did realize there was good potential, so they have expanded their production for this year. Demand for locally grown winter strawberries continues to increase.

Since they did not have an old tobacco greenhouse available, last year the Powers grew their berries under row covers. This is simply huge plastic tarpaulins that are pulled over the plants when frost is expected or when temperatures are expected to drop below a certain level. The tarps are weighted down, often with small sacks of rocks, to keep the wind from blowing them off the plants.

They are using this same process again this year on a large area of their traditional strawberry field. This is very time consuming, since the tarps must be pulled off the plants for harvest and if the weather gets real warm. Then they have to be pulled back over the plants to protect them from frost and cold weather. With this process, these plants will continue to produce berries unless the night temperatures drop into the 20s. This coming spring, the covers will be removed entirely and the plants will then produce berries just like those that had not been managed for winter production.

In addition to row covers, the Powers have added two structures that look a lot like greenhouses but are much smaller and are not heated. These structures are called high tunnels. They provide even more protection for the plants than do the tarps and are not near as labor intensive. Doors are located at each end of the high tunnels, and when temperatures drop too low, these doors are closed to retain heat inside the structure. The tunnels are high enough for a tractor to pass through them, and each tunnel contains five rows of berries.

I visited the Powers' strawberry operation last week and was really surprised at both the quantity and quality of the berries they were harvesting. These berries are just as delicious as those grown in open fields in the spring, and there were lots of ripe berries throughout both tunnels.

This year, the Powers are producing two different varieties. They are growing Sweet Charlie, a variety they have grown in their traditional fields for many years. They are also growing Festival, a new variety that is more tolerant to cold and has a taste more similar to the old strawberries we used to pick out of our grandmother's strawberry patch.

They offer both varieties since different people have different tastes and different preferences. Oddly enough, even though they taste just as delicious as when grown in the spring, the Sweet Charlies do not get a lush, red color when grown in the winter. Because of shorter day length, less light due to more cloudy days, and being inside a structure, the berries remain slightly green in color.

I encourage you to call Mitzi at 910-734-3531 and place your order for fresh, locally grown, and absolutely delicious winter strawberries. Try both varieties and let her know which you like the best. Although it is not unusual to find strawberries during the winter in our local grocery stores that have been shipped in from California or Mexico, it is surprising to learn that our local strawberries are more delicious and also less expensive.

Impress your family when you serve holiday meals. Treat your guest like royalty when you host social events during the holidays. Serve them something that is both rare and delicious - Robeson County winter strawberries.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 01/18/09