In the Addison Community Garden, I often see tomatoes, leafy greens and herbs. Today is the first time I have ever seen strawberries. Protected by a wire mesh cloche or bell, the juicy red bites of goodness are hidden underneath the leaves. Strawberries from the grocery store are delicious, so I can just imagine that a homegrown strawberry would be extra delicious. I have used strawberries as stripes on a flag dessert for the 4th of July, in strawberry shortcake, in a layered trifle dessert, in fruit salad, sliced on top of ice cream, etc. The possibilities are endless. It is a very versatile fruit. Its sweetness is such that it is wonderful all by itself without any sugar. It really evokes all the senses. You can run your fingers over its dimpled surface, feeling the tiny indentations. Its color is beautiful to look at, and the smell is divine. You can hear the skin break when you bite into it, and the flavor explodes in your mouth. Let’s find out more about this delectable nibble.
According to Wikipedia, the garden strawberry is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus Fragaria, collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely appreciated for its characteristic aroma, bright red color, juicy texture and sweetness. It is consumed in large quantities, either fresh or in such prepared foods as jam, juice, pies, ice cream, milkshakes and chocolates. Artificial strawberry flavorings and aromas are also widely used in products such as candy, soap, lip gloss, perfume and many others.
The garden strawberry was first bred in Brittany, France, in the 1750s via a cross of Fragaria virginiana or mountain strawberry from eastern North America and Fragaria chiloensis or beach strawberry, which was brought from Chile by Amédée-François Frézier in 1714. Cultivars of Fragaria x ananassa have replaced — in commercial production — the woodland strawberry or Fragaria vesca, which was the first strawberry species cultivated in the early 17th century.
From a botanical point of view, the strawberry is not a berry. Technically, it is an aggregate accessory fruit, meaning that the fleshy part is derived not from the plant's ovaries but from the receptacle that holds the ovaries. Each apparent "seed" or achene on the outside of the fruit is actually one of the ovaries of the flower, with a seed inside it.
In 2017, world production of strawberries was 9.2 million tons. China was the top producer, with 40% of total production.
History
The first garden strawberry was grown in Brittany, France, during the late 18th century. Prior to this, wild strawberries and cultivated selections from wild strawberry species were the common source of the fruit.
The strawberry fruit was mentioned in ancient Roman literature in reference to its medicinal use. The French began taking the strawberry from the forest to their gardens for harvest in the 14th century. Charles V, called the Wise, France's king from 1364 to 1380, had 1,200 strawberry plants in his royal garden. In the early 15th century western European monks were using the wild strawberry in their illuminated manuscripts. The strawberry is found in Italian, Flemish and German art, and in English miniatures. The entire strawberry plant was used to treat depressive illnesses.
By the 16th century, references of cultivation of the strawberry became more common. People began using it for its supposed medicinal properties, and botanists began naming the different species. In England the demand for regular strawberry farming had increased by the mid-16th century.
The combination of strawberries and cream was created by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in the court of King Henry VIII. Instructions for growing and harvesting strawberries showed up in writing in 1578. By the end of the 16th century, three European species had been cited: F. vesca, F. moschata and F. viridis. The garden strawberry was transplanted from the forests, and then the plants would be propagated asexually by cutting off the runners.
Two subspecies of F. vesca were identified: F. sylvestris alba and F. sylvestris semperflorens. The introduction of F. virginiana from Eastern North America to Europe in the 17th century is an important part of history because it is one of the two species that give rise to the modern strawberry. The new species gradually spread through the continent and did not become completely appreciated until the end of the 18th century. A French excursion journeyed to Chile in 1712, which led to the introduction of a strawberry plant with female flowers that resulted in the common strawberry we have today.
The Mapuche and Huilliche Indians of Chile cultivated the female strawberry species until 1551, when the Spanish came to conquer the land. In 1765, a European explorer recorded the cultivation of F. chiloensis, the Chilean strawberry. At first introduction to Europe, the plants grew vigorously but produced no fruit. French gardeners in Brest and Cherbourg around the mid-18th century first noticed that when F. moschata and F. virginiana were planted in between rows of F. chiloensis, the Chilean strawberry would bear abundant and unusually large fruits. Soon after, Antoine Nicolas Duchesne began to study the breeding of strawberries and made several discoveries crucial to the science of plant breeding, such as the sexual reproduction of the strawberry which he published in 1766. Duchesne discovered that the female F. chiloensis plants could only be pollinated by male F. moschata or F. virginiana plants. This is when the Europeans became aware that plants had the ability to produce male-only or female-only flowers.
Duchesne determined F. ananassa to be a hybrid of F. chiloensis and F. virginiana. F. ananassa, which produces large fruits, is so named because it resembles the pineapple in smell, taste and berry shape. In England, many varieties of F. ananassa were produced, and they form the basis of modern varieties of strawberries currently cultivated and consumed. Further breeding was also conducted in Europe and America to improve the hardiness, disease resistance, size and taste of strawberries.
Cultivation
Strawberry cultivars vary widely in size, color, flavor, shape, degree of fertility, season of ripening, liability to disease and constitution of plant. On average, a strawberry has about 200 seeds on its external membrane. Some vary in foliage, and some vary materially in the relative development of their sexual organs. In most cases, the flowers appear hermaphroditic in structure, but function as either male or female. For purposes of commercial production, plants are propagated from runners and, in general, distributed as either bare root plants or plugs. Cultivation follows one of two general models — annual plasticulture or a perennial system of matted rows or mounds. Greenhouses produce a small amount of strawberries during the off season.
The bulk of modern commercial production uses the plasticulture system. In this method, raised beds are formed each year, fumigated and covered with plastic to prevent weed growth and erosion. Plants — usually obtained from northern nurseries — are planted through holes punched in this covering, and irrigation tubing is run underneath. Runners are removed from the plants as they appear, in order to encourage the plants to put most of their energy into fruit development. At the end of the harvest season, the plastic is removed and the plants are plowed into the ground. Because strawberry plants more than a year or two old begin to decline in productivity and fruit quality, this system of replacing the plants each year allows for improved yields and denser plantings. However, because it requires a longer growing season to allow for establishment of the plants each year, and because of the increased costs in terms of forming and covering the mounds and purchasing plants each year, it is not always practical in all areas.
The other major method — which uses the same plants from year to year growing in rows or on mounds — is most common in colder climates. It has lower investment costs, and lower overall maintenance requirements. Yields are typically lower than in plasticulture.
Another method uses a compost sock. Plants grown in compost socks have been shown to produce significantly higher oxygen radical absorbance capacity, flavonoids, anthocyanins, fructose, glucose, sucrose, malic acid and citric acid than fruit produced in the black plastic mulch or matted row systems. Similar results in an earlier study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms how compost plays a role in the bioactive qualities of two strawberry cultivars.
Strawberries are often grouped according to their flowering habit. Traditionally, this has consisted of a division between "June-bearing" strawberries, which bear their fruit in the early summer and "ever-bearing" strawberries, which often bear several crops of fruit throughout the season. One plant throughout a season may produce 50 to 60 times or roughly once every three days.
Research published in 2001 showed that strawberries actually occur in three basic flowering habits: short-day, long-day and day-neutral. These refer to the day-length sensitivity of the plant and the type of photoperiod that induces flower formation. Day-neutral cultivars produce flowers regardless of the photoperiod.
Strawberries may also be propagated by seed, though this is primarily a hobby activity, and is not widely practiced commercially. A few seed-propagated cultivars have been developed for home use, and research into growing from seed commercially is ongoing. Seeds or achenes are acquired either via commercial seed suppliers or by collecting and saving them from the fruit.
Strawberries can also be grown indoors in strawberry pots. Although the plant may not naturally grow indoors in the winter, use of LED lighting in combination of blue and red light can allow the plant to grow during the winter. Additionally, in certain areas like the state of Florida, winter is the natural growing season where harvesting starts in mid-November.
The Kashubian strawberry is the first Polish fruit to be given commercial protection under EU law. They are produced in Kartuzy, Kartuzy, Kościerzyna and Bytów counties and in the municipalities of Przywidz, Wejherowo, Luzino, Szemud, Linia, Łęczyce and Cewice in Kashubia. Only the following varieties may be sold as kaszëbskô malëna: Senga Sengana, Elsanta, Honeoye that have been graded as Extra or Class I.
In continental Europe, particularly in Ukraine, strawberry harvesting in hoophouses is widespread.
Harvesting
Most strawberry plants are now fed with artificial fertilizers, both before and after harvesting, and often before planting in plasticulture.
To maintain top quality, berries are harvested at least every other day. The berries are picked with the caps still attached and with at least half an inch of stem left. Strawberries need to remain on the plant to fully ripen because they do not continue to ripen after being picked. Rotted and overripe berries are removed to minimize insect and disease problems. The berries do not get washed until just before consumption.
Soil test information and plant analysis results are used to determine fertility practices. Nitrogen fertilizer is needed at the beginning of every planting year. There are normally adequate levels of phosphorus and potash when fields have been fertilized for top yields. In order to provide more organic matter, a cover crop of wheat or rye is planted in the winter before planting the strawberries. Strawberries prefer a pH from 5.5 to 6.5, so lime is usually not applied.
The harvesting and cleaning process has not changed substantially over time. The delicate strawberries are still harvested by hand. Grading and packing often occurs in the field, rather than in a processing facility. In large operations, strawberries are cleaned by means of water streams and shaking conveyor belts.
Pests
Around 200 species of pests are known to attack strawberries both directly and indirectly. These pests include slugs, moths, fruit flies, chafers, strawberry root weevils, strawberry thrips, strawberry sap beetles, strawberry crown moth, mites, aphids and others. The caterpillars of a number of species of Lepidoptera feed on strawberry plants. For example, the ghost moth is known to be a pest of the strawberry plant.
The strawberry aphid, Chaetosiphon fragaefolii, is a bug species found in the United States in Arizona, Argentina and Chile. It is a vector of the strawberry mild yellow-edge virus.
The amounts of pesticides required for industrial production of strawberries — 300 pounds in California per acre — have led to the strawberry leading the list of Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" of pesticide-contaminated produce.
Diseases
Strawberry plants can fall victim to a number of diseases, especially when subjected to stress. The leaves may be infected by powdery mildew, leaf spot, leaf blight and by a variety of slime molds. The crown and roots may fall victim to red stele, verticillium wilt, black root rot and nematodes. The fruits are subject to damage from gray mold, rhizopus ro, and leather rot. To prevent root-rotting, strawberries should be planted every four to five years in a new bed, at a different site.
The plants can also develop disease from temperature extremes during winter. When watering strawberries, advice has been given to water only the roots and not the leaves, as moisture on the leaves encourages growth of fungus.
Marketing
In the United States in 2017, the collective commercial production of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries was a $6 billion industry dominated by the California growing and marketing company Driscoll’s. In 2017, strawberries alone were a $3.5 billion market of which 82% was for fresh fruit.
To increase consumer demand in the 21st century, commercial producers of strawberries cultivated them mainly for favorable aroma characteristics similar to those of wild strawberries, in addition to having large size, heart-shape, glossy red exterior, firmness and slow ripening for long shelf-life favorable to ship by ground transportation from farms to stores nationwide for consumption within two weeks of harvest. In U.S. and Canadian grocery stores, fresh strawberries are typically sold in plastic clamshells and are among the top fresh produce items in grocery revenues. One marketing analysis identified strawberries and other berries as a source of "happiness" for consumers.
Culinary
In addition to being consumed fresh, strawberries can be frozen or made into jam or preserves, as well as dried and used in prepared foods, such as cereal bars. Strawberries and strawberry flavorings are a popular addition to dairy products, such as strawberry milk, strawberry ice cream, strawberry milkshakes/smoothies and strawberry yogurts.
In the United Kingdom, "strawberries and cream" is a popular dessert consumed at the Wimbledon tennis tournament. Strawberries and cream is also a staple snack in Mexico, usually available at ice cream parlors. In Sweden, strawberries are a traditional dessert served on St John's Day, also known as Midsummer's Eve. Depending on the area, strawberry pie, strawberry rhubarb pie or strawberry shortcake are also common. In Greece, strawberries may be sprinkled with sugar and then dipped in Metaxa, a brandy, and served as a dessert. In Italy, strawberries are used for various desserts and as a common flavoring for gelato.
Suonenjoki in North Savonia, Finland is a small town famous for its strawberries, which is why it is also known as "the Strawberry Town" or "the Strawberry Capital." Many foreigners, mainly from Ukraine and Russia, come to Suonenjoki during the summer to work on strawberry farms. In July, there is a festival in Suonenjoki celebrating the strawberry called Mansikkakarnevaalit or "Strawberry Carnival."
Allergy
Some people experience an anaphylactoid reaction to eating strawberries. The most common form of this reaction is oral allergy syndrome, but symptoms may also mimic hay fever or include dermatitis or hives, and, in severe cases, may cause breathing problems. Proteomic studies indicate that the allergen may be tied to a protein for the red anthocyanin biosynthesis expressed in strawberry ripening, named Fra a1 or Fragaria allergen1. Homologous proteins are found in birch pollen and apple, suggesting that people may develop cross-reactivity to all three species.
White-fruited strawberry cultivars, lacking Fra a1, may be an option for strawberry allergy sufferers. Since they lack a protein necessary for normal ripening by anthocyanin synthesis of red pigments, they do not turn the mature berries of other cultivars red. They ripen but remain white, pale yellow or "golden," appearing like immature berries; this also has the advantage of making them less attractive to birds. A virtually allergen-free cultivar named 'Sofar' is available.
In culture
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Shortcake is a cartoon character originally used in greeting cards published by American Greetings, but who was later expanded to include dolls, posters and other products. The Strawberry Shortcake properties also include a toy line of the character's friends and pets. In addition, the franchise has spawned television specials, animated television series and films. The franchise is currently owned by the Canadian children's television company WildBrain and American brand management company Iconix Brand Group through the holding company Shortcake IP Holdings LLC.
1957 Film “Wild Strawberries”
“Wild Strawberries” is a 1957 Swedish drama film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. The original Swedish title is “Smultronstället,” which literally means "the wild strawberry patch," but idiomatically signifies a hidden gem of a place, often with personal or sentimental value, and not widely known. The cast includes Victor Sjöström in his final screen performance as an old man recalling his past, as well as Bergman regulars Bibi Andersson, Ingrid Thulin and Gunnar Björnstrand. Max von Sydow also appears in a small role.
Bergman wrote the screenplay while hospitalized. Exploring philosophical themes such as introspection and human existence, “Wild Strawberries” received positive domestic reception upon release and won the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 8th Berlin International Film Festival. It is often considered to be one of Bergman's greatest and most moving films and one of the greatest films ever made.
Strawberry Fields Forever
"Strawberry Fields Forever" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon-McCartney. It was released on February 13, 1967 as a double A-side single with "Penny Lane." It represented a departure from the group's previous singles and a novel listening experience for the contemporary pop audience. While the song initially divided and confused music critics and the group's fans, it proved highly influential on the emerging psychedelic genre. Its accompanying promotional film is similarly recognized as a pioneering work in the medium of music video.
Lennon based the song on his childhood memories of playing in the garden of Strawberry Field, a Salvation Army children’s home in Liverpool. Starting in November 1966, the band spent 45 hours in the studio, spread over five weeks, creating three versions of the track. The final recording combined two of those versions, which were entirely different in tempo, mood and musical key. It features reverse-recorded instrumentation, Mellotron flute sounds, an Indian swarmandal, tape loops and a fade-out/fade-in coda, as well as a cello and brass arrangement by producer George Martin. For the promotional film, the band used experimental techniques such as reverse effects, jump-cuts and superimposition.
The song was the first track the Beatles recorded after completing “Revolver” and was intended for inclusion on their forthcoming “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Instead, with pressure from their record company and management for new product, the group were forced to issue the single, and then adhered to their philosophy of omitting previously released singles from their albums. The double A-side peaked at number 2 on the Record Retailer chart, thereby breaking the band's four-year run of chart-topping singles in the UK. In the United States, "Strawberry Fields Forever" peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. To the band's displeasure, the song was later included on the U.S. “Magical Mystery Tour” LP.
Lennon viewed "Strawberry Fields Forever" as his finest work with the Beatles. After his death, a section of New York's Central Park was named after the song. In 1996, the discarded first version of the song was issued on the out-takes compilation “Anthology 2;” in 2006, a new version was created for the remix album “Love.” Artists who have covered the song include Richie Havens, Todd Rundgren, Peter Gabriel, Ben Harper and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs featuring Debbie Harry. In 1990, a version by the Madchester group Candy Flip became a top-ten hit in the UK and Ireland.
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