That haunting fragrant aroma. That decadent saccharine flavor. That brilliantly bold red pop of color.
You know the fruit and love them well. Juicy, wild, unrestrained: Strawberries.
Whether freshly sliced, prepared as the showstopper of a light, airy desert, or carefully blended in a rich, flavorful smoothie, strawberries are one of America’s most beloved fruits. Perhaps it is no surprise then that the strawberry also serves as an iconic symbol of summer.
Everything is more alive in the three glorious months we call summer: The sun is warmer, the days are longer, and the opportunities for growth are seemingly endless. Many of my favorite foods emerge during this magical time: Mouthwatering tomatoes, succulent corn, fresh basil, and decadent watermelon. Perhaps I live summer less through the hot days and endless adventures and more through my tastebuds and the wild trips they take over the course of the season. The flavors are endless, and yet no taste captures the season’s invigorating beauty and untamed freedom more fully than the “wild strawberry.”
Firm, juicy, and utterly dripping with indescribable zest, strawberries are easily one of my favorite fruits. And while they are inherently delicious, strawberries have long held significance aside from their indulgent flavor profile. From its quaint heart shape and deep red coloring that harkens an association with Venus, the Goddess of Love, to its medicinal ability to historically relieve ailments such as melancholy and kidney stones, society has long revered the strawberry for its beautiful design and seemingly impossible perfection.
Notably, the strawberry is a member of the rose family. The fruit is indigenous to North America, and Native Americans used strawberries in numerous dishes before they ever gained popularity overseas. The first American colonists shipped strawberries back to Europe as early as 1600, and shortly thereafter the berries became synonymous with new age luxury and rich natural decadence.
Perhaps what I love most about strawberries is that they are inherently American. No matter where you live in the U.S., you are never too far from the opportunity to pick local strawberries. Not only is the sinful fruit grown in all 50 states, but it is also cultivated in every Canadian province. To take things a step further, California processes over one billion pounds of strawberries each year. If each fruit was laid out—berry to berry—this quantity would be enough to circle the Earth fifteen times!
I think it’s safe to say we Americans like our strawberries. And for good reason too: They make a strong addition to any meal and play a fond role in the creation of many summer memories.
Hungry to partake in this favorite seasonal tradition, last weekend Cam and I decided to make a quick trip north to pick some fresh strawberries of our own. Berry Hill Farm is located in Anoka, Minnesota and spans 100 acres of scenic wooded countryside. Berry Hill Farm has grown produce like pumpkins, raspberries, rhubarb, and—of course—strawberries since 1991, and during picking season it proudly opens its fields so locals can get their hands dirty, access fresh produce, and partake in some classic family-fun. Berry Hill Farm officially opened for strawberry season last Friday, and we immediately knew we wanted to pick our own slice of the summer.
We drove about half an hour north, relieved by the opportunity to get in the car, turn up the music, roll down the windows, and feel the warm morning breeze whip across our cheeks. We arrived in no time at all, shocked by the number of people who evidently shared our passion for strawberries and itching desire to enjoy time outdoors. Eagerly, we parked the car, selected our picking containers, and waited until we were assigned our own dedicated row where, free from the crowds of strawberry lovers, we could indulgently pick as we pleased.
Finally settled in our turf, we gleefully set to work, kneeling in the cool, wet dirt and immersing our hands in the rich, fertile soil. The sweet, syrupy fragrance tickled my nostrils, and it took every morsel of self-restraint to prevent myself from stuffing my face full of rich berry goodness.
Admittedly, it has been awhile since I last hand-picked strawberries. The work was slow and required greater attention to detail than I originally anticipated. Just like all great surprises, I found that I thoroughly enjoyed this stillness: Our task required a type of careful concentration and patience not typically found in the hectic pace of everyday life, and I wholly welcomed this unexpected change of pace.
Being in the strawberry fields forced us to slow down, to dwell in the soil and get our hands dirty, and to train our eyes to spot the rich beauty that lies—often in plain sight—amidst a sea of seemingly ordinary sameness. Sometimes the thing we need most is to be shaken, displaced from the mundanity of our everyday routines so that we are forced to take a hard look, to see more deeply, and to welcome the pervasive beauty that swells around us, if only we choose to recognize it.
Nearly seven pounds later, we proudly transferred our strawberries back home, savoring the vigorous crescendo that dazzled our tastebuds as we enjoyed a few samples from the warm comfort of the car. Dreaming of light, frothy pies and rich, flakey shortcakes, we explored grand possibilities of using our berries to craft decadent desserts. Yet, we ultimately concluded it wouldn’t be right to distract our fruit with sugar or bog it down with rich creams. The flavors were simply too good and too pure in their organic state: Why tamper with what nature has already perfected?
Dirt, sun, vibrant growth, and impossibly fresh produce: These are the hallmarks that define summer. This season is inherently linked with freedom and exploration, and it is tempting to savor every ounce. And why shouldn’t we? Summer is a time of spontaneity, creativity, and endless days of unrestrained experimentation and grand adventures. This season offers so much to enjoy, so much to celebrate, and the big question we face is how: How will we celebrate it? How will we soak up every ray and savor every minute? How will we let our minds wander and encourage our spirits to roam free, drawing sustenance, inspiration, and beauty not only from strawberries but also, as Henry David Thoreau so eloquently captures, from “all good things [that] run wild and free.”
How is indeed the question.
And it is up to us to individually craft our unique answer.
Directing our energies in this way will surely promise a summer well spent.
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