Photo: Ivan Walsh/Flickr

There’s a several-week-long celebration of local strawberries slated to begin next Friday that we just had to share with you our readers. It’s the Mass Farmers Markets (MFM) Strawberry Dessert Festival, its third annual, beginning June 11th and lasting til July 4th. It works like this: if you eat at one of the participating restaurants (check the MFM site) during those three weeks of June/early July and order one of their specially-prepared desserts made with local berries, a portion of the proceeds will go to the MFM, the only non-profit “tasked with supporting and promoting the over 200 markets” in Massachusetts. So, get sticky sweet from local berries and raise some money for our local markets!

Note #1: Verrill Farm of Concord is holding its own Strawberry Festival on Saturday, June 19th, with music, hayrides, pony rides, strawberry shortcake made from scratch and a strawberry dessert contest open to all.

Note #2: the farmers market season is getting into swing. Check out PRK’s “Find a Farmers Market Map” (look right!) to find local produce markets (read: berries!) most convenient to you.

BIG NOTE #3:  we asked our friend Ilene Bezahler of Edible Boston AND Mass Farmer Markets (she wears many hats) to fill us in a bit about Massachusetts strawberries. Here’s what she had to say…

PRK: When exactly are strawberries in season here in Massachusetts?

This has been an unusual year and we are starting to see strawberries already. They are normally out mid-June and will go through July, though there are some varieties called “ever-bearing” which produce fruit throughout the summer.

PRK: We’ve seen some low-priced strawberries hit the stands in the past few weeks as both California and Florida’s berries came to market at the same time. How has this affected the sale of local strawberries across the state?

It’s too early to tell, but the demand for local berries usually outweighs the price of berries brought in from CA or FL. A big part of the strawberry season here in MA is the U-Pick farms. Like apple picking, strawberry picking is an activity in which many families partake during the early summer months.

PRK: What are the greatest challenges to Mass strawberry farmers in general each season?

Like most farming, weather is the critical factor. In the summers where there has been a lot of early rain, the berries can look good and are heavy, but they do not have the sweet flavor we like. This year the weather has been warm during the day and cool at night which is ideal growing weather, so it looks like strawberries will be available at farms a couple of weeks early this year.

The warm weather also came in spurts early this spring, so the apples trees flowered early and seem to be a few weeks ahead of schedule as well.

Do you have any details on the types of desserts the restaurants participating in the Festival are thinking up?

Over the few years we have been having the festival we have seen everything from the traditional strawberry shortcakes, pies and ice cream to a strawberry compote served with local cheese.

PRK: How does the strawberry dessert festival impact farmers markets in Massachusetts?

Directly, it reminds consumers who may not shop regularly at the farmers markets that it is the season for local strawberries. Once reminded, they go to the markets and purchase the fresh berries. Indirectly, it helps MFM connect with customers outside of the markets.

PRK: What in-season produce do we have to look forward to this summer?

Where to begin. Now, in May and June, we are seeing the more hardy greens such as spinach, arugula and lettuces. These vegetables are able to survive the cooler evenings of the season. End of May into early June is also the time that asparagus is in season. That season is short, so keep your eyes open for it.

July is really the beginning of peak season here in MA. Early on we begin to see cucumbers, eggplants, broccoli and bok choy, to name a few. Then with August come the tomatoes and corn. Of course, we cannot forget that the weather has a huge impact and the timelines can move by weeks!