Rows and rows of strawberry plants, separated by hay covered walking paths, are dotted with ripe red fruit waiting to be picked at Secor Farm, 63 Robinson Lane, Wappingers Falls, one of our local pick-your-own farms. Bring your own containers or grab a cardboard box, and hand pick to your heart’s content. The sound of young pickers delighted by the task accompanies you as you fill your containers to the brim.
The strawberry, symbol for Venus, the Goddess of Love, has significant health benefits: they “contain a large amount of antioxidant, anticancer, anti-neurodegenerative, and anti-inflammatory properties.” Strawberries are packed with nutrients; help prevent Alzheimer’s disease; and improve cardiovascular health. Positive results from recent studies have researchers “investigating the possibility that strawberries may be valuable as an add-on or alternative treatment to cancer-treating drugs.”
Although strawberries are listed on the "Dirty Dozen", due to the numerous species of insects that attack the strawberry plant, growers at Secor Farm explain that they spray minimally and never once the fruit appears, avoiding spraying pesticides on the fruit itself.
If you have a dehydrator, you can use the following steps to preserve this amazing flavor (intensified by the drying process) throughout the year:
Hull strawberries (remove the stem).
Slice them ¼” thick.
Soak for 30 seconds in water with a squeeze of lemon.
Spread them out on the trays; dehydrate for 8 – 10 hours, until brittle.
Store in a canning jar.
Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment