How to make the most of Michigan's short-but-sweet strawberry season

The arrival of local strawberries is a welcome sign that summer is here. 
How sweet it is.

Local strawberry U-pick farms began opening late last week, and others will open this week. Growers are reporting that the strawberries are ripe for picking and looking fine.

The season is a few days behind normal as a result of April’s chilly weather, said Bob Tritten, district fruit educator for the MSU Extension. 

“The berries took a long time to get going,” Tritten said. “Then we had one of the warmest Mays on record, and that eight days of really hot weather caught things up quickly.

There's a real flavor difference between locally grown strawberries and those available for purchase at other times of the year. Ripe local strawberries have an intense sweetness and are red throughout. 

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“It’s an amazing flavor difference,” Tritten said. “There’s nothing like a field-ripe, juicy flavorful strawberry.”

Tritten has seen some farms, such as Whittaker’s Berry Farm in Ida, increase strawberry acreage as a result of the demand for pick-your-own fruit. 

“The demand for locally grown fruits and vegetables is on the increase, and they (farms) are wanting to keep up with on that demand," he said.

Monday's nice weather brought Sherri Lorenz, 47,  and her daughter Abbey, 20, both of Woodhaven, to Rowe's Produce Farm in Ypsilanti for strawberry picking.

"We've been coming here since the kids were little," Sherri Lorenz said. "We use them to make desserts and jams." 

Abbey Lorenz said she likes coming to Rowe's because she likes being outdoors. 
"Strawberries are a signature of a Michigan summer," she said. 

 Erica Adair, 37, of Taylor brought her 5-year-old son, Joey Roe, to Rowe's to show him where food comes from.  "This is our second year here and we make jam," she said.

Anna Christich of Ann Arbor was out in the fields with her 15 month-old daughter, Vivienne Rohde. "We use them to make jam and pies," Christich said. "The people here are friendly, the berries are great, and I love the smell of them."

Pricing varies at farms. At Rowe's Farm in Ypsilanti, strawberries are $2.29 a pound, a 10-cent increase from last year. (It was brought on by a rise in costs, particularly wages and fuel.) Rowe's supplies the containers for the berries, and their weight is deducted at checkout. 

Michigan strawberries are delicate and have a short shelf life. Once they're picked, the ripening process stops. Another downer: Strawberry season, like a Michigan summer, is short. It typically lasts only about three weeks.

Strawberries, however, freeze beautifully and will keep about a year. To freeze, wash the berries and place them on a tray. Place the tray in the freezer until they are frozen and then place in a bag. Freezing them this way means you can take out only as many berries as you need when you're ready to eat them.

Here's a sampling of where you can pick your own strawberries in Michigan. Many places also have pre-picked berries. Prices vary. Always phone ahead or check websites for picking times and availability. Sometimes farms close to allow time for berries to ripen.
 

• DeGroot's Strawberries, 4232 Bull Run, Gregory. 517-223-3508 or www.degrootsstrawberries.com.

• Diederich Berry and Produce Farm, 3537 Morrice Road, Webberville. 517-521-4667.

• Blake's Orchard & Cider Mill, 17985 Armada Center Road, Armada. 586-784-5343 or www.blakefarms.com.

• Blake's Big Apple Orchard, 71485 North Ave., Armada. 586-784-9710 or www.blakefarms.com.

• Blake's Almont U-Pick Farm and Garden Center, 5590 Van Dyke, Almont. 810-798-3251 or www.blakefarms.com.

• Spicer Orchards, 10411 Clyde, Fenton. 810-632-7692 or www.spicerorchards.com.

• Westview Orchards, 65075 Van Dyke, Washington Township. 586-752-3123or www.westvieworchards.com. 

• Verellen Orchards & Cider Mill, 63260 Van Dyke, Washington Township. 586-752-2989 or www.verellenorchards.com.

• Whittaker's Berry Farm, 6724 Todd, Ida. 734-269-6612 or www.whittakersberryfarm.com.

• Middleton Berry Farm, 4790 Oakwood, Ortonville. 248-831-1004 or www.middletonberryfarm.com.

• Rowe's Produce Farm, 10570 Martz, Ypsilanti. 734-482-8538 or www.rowesproducefarm.com.

Contact Susan Selasky at 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. 
 

Strawberry Slab Pie

Serves: 6 / Prep time: 30 minutes / Total time: 2 hours plus cooling time

PASTRY
Favorite pastry dough for a double crust pie 

PIE
1 ½ pounds strawberries, hulled and quartered (4 cups)

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg, beaten

3 tablespoons sanding or turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving 3-inches of overhang on all sides.

Break off one-third of the pastry crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll out to an 8-inch square; transfer to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and refrigerate. Roll out the remaining larger piece of pastry to a 12-inch square, about ¼-inch thick. Ease the pastry into the prepared pan, pressing it into the corners and up the sides as much as possible; fold under any excess pastry at edges. Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for about 30 minutes, until just pale golden and set. The sides will shrink some. Remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the crust cool completely.

When crust is cooled, in a medium bowl, toss the strawberries with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and salt. Pour the filling into the cooled pastry crust. Cover with the chilled piece of crust, gently pressing it down around the edges and folding it under. Brush the top with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the sanding sugar. Using a sharp paring knife, make six 2-inch-long slits in the top pastry. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the crust is deep golden. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool, at least 3 hours. Carefully lift the pie out of the pan and transfer to a platter before serving. Serve with fresh whipped cream or ice cream. 

Adapted from www.foodandwine.com. 

Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.