School is coming to a end and Charlie graduates on May 30th and I am so excited to see where the next chapter of his life will lead Charlie. In the meantime I would like to invite you to celebrate May 20th National Pick Strawberries Day #PickStrawberriesDay with us. My family hasn’t ever been to a Farm to pick any type of Fruit. Have you?
For one last field trip I would like to see if I could find a Pick Your Own Strawberries for a field trip. Then Charlie and I could make a Strawberry Pie in his Homeschool Home Economics Cooking Class for his grandfather David. Although, if I was to ask David what he would want out of the Strawberries I bet he would choose a Strawberry Cheesecake if he didn’t just eat all of the Strawberries before the Pie or Cheesecake get’s done. Men what can I say other than they are worse than boys at times.
National Pick Strawberries Day falls on May 20. Did you know Strawberries are a Summer fruit that is celebrated by many for the nostalgia of sunny days Strawberries brings. More than half the children in the U.S. go to pick Strawberries from special farming and gardening areas around this time. A fun activity Strawberry picking allows for quality time to be spent with nature and loved ones. Strawberries offer amazing nutritional value. Strawberries are full of antioxidants, vitamin C, folic acid, fiber, etc. As if these qualities weren’t enough. Did you know Strawberries is also a cousin of the beautiful Rose plant. Now that’s beauty on the inside and out, if you ask us.
There’s no record of when the first National Pick Strawberries Day was celebrated, the history of the activity and the Fruit goes way back. In ancient times, wild Strawberries were used mainly for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. Here is a fun tidbit for you. There are mentions of Strawberries in Roman records that date to the first century A.D. In other Centuries, the wonders of Strawberries were also proclaimed in literary texts, and one prominent example includes the words of William Butler, a 16th-century writer/poet, who said, “Doubtless God could have made a better Berry, but doubtless God never did”.
The great properties of Strawberries have also led to other historical figures using them. Madame Tallien, a renowned figure from the French revolution, took baths in tubs full of Strawberries to keep her skin glowing and radiant. Another example is of Fontenelle, a centenarian writer from the 18th Century, credited his long and healthy life to Strawberry consumption.
As time went by, Strawberries started being cultivated for mass consumption, with the first instance taking place in the 13th Century. Initially, Strawberries were only found in North and South America. However, globalization led to the Fruit traveling great distances into other Continents. After several failed attempts to grow the Strawberry Plant in France, the French horticulturalists finally succeeded in their endeavors in the 1750s. The resulting Strawberry variety from the 1750s is one of the most produced varieties today. Strawberries are not only enjoyed by humans for their great taste and nutrients but are also used by Bees for their nectar and pollination.
LET’S CELEBRATE NATIONAL PICK A STRAWBERRY DAY
- Make a day out of National Pick Strawberries Day and go Strawberry picking with your friends and family
- Give your green thumb a chance by trying your hand at planting and growing a Strawberry plant.
- Remember Strawberries, unfortunately, are one of the Fruits that you will always find on a list of Fruits with high pesticide concentrations. By growing Strawberries yourself, you will have organic and much healthier Strawberries.
- Strawberries are loved worldwide and you will find a number of recipes that use Strawberries online and don’t forget you can also use Strawberries for skincare and scented candles.
5 FACTS ABOUT STRAWBERRIES
- Annually, Americans consume three-and-a-half pounds of Strawberries on average!
- Strawberries have about 200 seeds on average, and botanists consider each seed to be its own individual fruit.
- Here is a fun fact for your Strawberries don’t only come in red strawberries, but blue, white, yellow, black, and purple too!
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL PICK STRAWBERRIES DAY
- Going to pick Strawberries allows for a much-needed quality time spent with loved ones and nature and going to pick Strawberries also allows for a breather from our hectic lives. At the end of the day, you get to taste the Strawberries you spent time picking.
- While you can always get Strawberries pre-packaged and ready to eat from your local supermarkets, those hand-picked warm Strawberries just taste so much better.
- Strawberries have much to offer in terms of their taste, scent, and nutritional values and this why Strawberries have been celebrated and used for Centuries.
Recipe for Strawberry Pie:
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust
- 1 1/2 qt. fresh strawberries, stems removed, halved
- 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp. corn starch
- Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
- 1For the crust: Bake 1 refrigerated pie crust according to package directions. Let it cool completely.
- 2For the strawberry filling: In a small bowl, use a fork to mash 1 1/2 cups of strawberries. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the mashed berries with the sugar, vanilla, and 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a low boil, stirring and mashing frequently, and cook until the fruit begins to soften and break down more, about 5 minutes.
- 3In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1/2 cup of water. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the simmering strawberry mixture and return the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and fold in the remaining fresh strawberries. Immediately transfer the strawberry mixture to the pie crust.
- 4Let cool slightly, about 15 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to cool completely, about 4 hours.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
