Strawberry Fields

Fancy a picture of yourself in a plastic strawberry?
Mini Me didn't

Yes, it's Strawberry season in Florida and Mini Me took an excursion to Plant City, home of the Winter Strawberry Festival.

It was a mini county fair - with rides, animal exhibits, a milking demonstration, a parade including Miss Strawberry 2015, stuff to buy, plenty of eats and of course the strawberries.  The pig races were present (see blog post of 16 June 2014) and the food deep fried like the moon pie we had last June.

As awful as it looks
Bacon funnel cake on stick
with powdered sugar &
some maple caramel sauce!!

The Broadway

It started off cloudy, but in Florida that is a blessing as it keeps down the heat and makes the experience more pleasant.

Mini Me's new playmate

Turned out there was baking awards as well as quilting & crochet!  Yippee says Mini Me.  But they were all displayed in locked rooms behind glass.

Scrubbers bottom left & in hands of woman

There was also a 'Pioneer Village' with old-time crafts. Mini Me picked up a scrubber made from palm tree - hardy enough to clean potatoes, but soft enough not to scratch glass.

The 'Grand Parade' was a bit haphazard, with a few characters, lots of police vehicles and politicians seeking re-election; all threw strands of plastic beads into the crowd - a real pleaser! Following  a number of LARGE gaps in the parade Miss Strawberry appeared.

Tractor 1 - making the beds

Now back to the main event - the STRAWBERRIES; poor life-sized me doesn't even like the smell of them, not to mention the taste, but this was hubby's day out :-).  First a tractor forms raised beds from the ground.  A second tractor lays an irrigation tube and covers the beds with plastic.  The strawberry plants are hand-planted and when ripe hand picked.

Hubby advises the trip was worth it for the strawberries - much tastier, softer and richer flavoured than those in the grocery.

Tractor 2 - laying plastic

Growing alongside the strawberries out in the fields, as insect

Strawberry Fields . . . for now

protection, are strawberry onions; yes they are huge!  I am happy to report they do not taste of strawberries in any way.

Apparently a cold snap during growing season increases their sweetness.
Yum, Yum, we had for dinner baked with a little olive oil and thyme.  And you can use the green & white tops as well.