Week of the 4th of July

Good morning!

It was so wonderful on Friday and Saturday to see so many happy people.  When the strawberries are doing well, then everyone, from the employees, to the U-pickers, to the people picking up pre-picked berries, is happy. 

We anticipate even more of the same this week, as our Jewel and Glooscap varieties are now ripe, and looking amazing.  Large, sweet, and almost flawless - I hope you all take this opportunity to share in summer's most wonderful crop. 

U-pick: Opening at 8 this morning, and probably every day this week except Sunday.  We anticipate being open all day and into the evening, but please check our website before coming out to confirm.  I will post updates there throughout each day as we monitor the field and keep an eye on how many rows we have left.  Dan finished the wagon (finally:) so you and your children can enjoy a wagon ride to and from the field. 

Pre-Picked: We will keep lots of extra on the shelves this week so you can swing by and pick some up for your family.  We anticipate high demand on the 3rd and 4th of July, so it may be wise to e-mail me at brberries@gmail.com to reserve what you want for those days.  I'll be posting on our website  and Facebook each day when we have extras to be claimed. 

Looking forward to seeing you,

Sarah

Taking orders for pre-picked berries!

Hooray!

The strawberries are ripening in our early varieties!

U-Pick: We are NOT open for U-pick yet... hopefully by the end of the coming week the big middle chunk of the fields will start producing.  Keep an eye on our homepage for any changes. 

Pre-Picked: Yes! We will take orders for next week Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.     Please e-mail or call with the day you want them, how many, and a phone number in case we have torrential rain and can't get out into the field:)
  We will have your strawberries ready by 10 am, and you can come any time after that to pick them up.  For prices, and a picture of a flat, look on our website FAQ's.  I'll post on our website homepage when I've taken enough orders for a day, and will start putting people on a waiting list.  I will also post there when we're ready to start taking orders for later in the week, and into the next week. 

Feeling relieved that the strawberries are still flourishing after the rain,

Sarah

Opening in about one week....

Hello, Dear Patient Strawberry People,

Yesterday, our weeding efforts were rewarded with ripe strawberries.  What a marvelous thing it is, to be out in the field with my children, and have them eager and happy to weed because they see red jewels popping up around them.  The flavor was magnificent -- worth the long, long wait!

We are in a whirlwind of activity here on the farm, getting ready to welcome you.  I can't wait to see all your faces when you behold the fields for the first time this summer.  Imagine what it is like when you haven't seen a child for a few years, and you come back and exclaim, "My, how you've grown!"  That's what it will be like!  The fields stretch so far, and they are so incredibly full of blossoms and white strawberries. 

U-Pick: We still hope to open late next week, or the first week of July.  Dan is modifying a hay wagon so that you can have rides to and from the field - won't that be fun?  Plan now for a family outing the week of the 4th of July - even the day of the 4th! 

Pre-Picked: NO ORDERS YET - I think we'll be able to start taking orders next week, but it depends on the weather, and we all know how changeable that can be! I'll keep you posted via e-mail and Facebook.

Giddy with excitement, and hoping you pass this on to LOTS of your friends and neighbors,

Sarah

p.s. Check out our Facebook page and while you're there, be sure to Like us!

p.p.s. Got questions?  Check out our FAQ's page!

First 2014 Strawberry E-Mail

I love seeing all those white flowers!

Hello all you lovers of locally-grown, super-sweet, Minnesota strawberries.  What a joy it is to be able to write you, finally, after a long and challenging winter.  The past few weeks, since the sun finally came out, have been a blur of activity as we have raced to get our baby strawberry plants into the ground and then to take care of them post-planting. 

This is only a quarter of our producing field!

 Meanwhile, we've been removing the straw from our mature plants, and prepping them for harvest.  We have been astonished at the size and proliferation of the plants and blossoms we are now seeing.  Lord willing, we will have an absolutely massive crop of strawberries in just a few weeks! The rows are loaded with white blossoms, just waiting for the sunshine, the rain, and the pollinators to work their magic and swell them into giant, red, luscious fruit. 

Thick & heavy blossom pack!

Quadrupling the business:  Last year, we were picking off just one acre; this year we have nearly FOUR acres just weeks away from harvest! 
Pass it on: If you are as excited about this enormous growth of the strawberry patch as we are, and want to help us out, would you please forward this e-mail to a friend, co-worker, or neighbor? 

The baby strawberry plants are just breaking dormancy.

Facebook: If you are curious about life on the farm the past few months, I've been posting  photos on Facebook.  While you are there, be sure to "Like" us and/or to write a recommendation for others who are just hearing about our farm!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brouwer-Berries/
When? We think the first strawberries will ripen around June 28, and the season will last through the 3rd week of July. 

How Can I Get Strawberries? I will let you know via e-mail and Facebook when we are ready to take orders for pre-picked berries and when we will open for U-picking.  Any other information you can find on our website: 
 http://www.brouwerberries.com/prices_and_procedures.html

We're looking forward to seeing you soon!

 Sarah

--

Dan & Sarah on some Dirty Dates:)

You want to know the dirty details of our delightful date life?  Why not?  I bet you didn't know that Dan and I have date night every night.  Not joking.  Every night after supper for the past two months, I head outside and work beside my husband at whatever task he's in the mood to do.

We get down and dirty doing yard clean-up and walking through the strawberry fields to discuss plans, and dream together.  We boiled sap for maple syrup, put up part of a high tunnel, planted a few hundred trees and hopefully tonight we'll butcher turkeys.  No city guy could entertain his lady with such a wide variety of dates, eh? 

When it was too cold to work outside, my husband took me to strawberry grower workshops - five full days worth!    I got wined, dined, and educated -- I'm even collecting a few more college credits just for fun.  I'm learning all about dirt, more scientifically known as "the rhizosphere surrounding our plant roots", the interactions between soil and air, and other absolutely crucial information:)   There's no chance to be bored on a farm!