Picking yourself is a trend, strawberries are ripe at the moment. What must be considered during Corona if you want to harvest the red fruits safely.
Photo: Wilma Wolf
Now they are ripening again in the region: fresh, delicious red strawberries. They can be found not only at sales booths or in shops, but also on plantations that invite you to pick them yourself. This also applies in corona times, provided the hygiene rules are observed.
The Reinhard family’s strawberry field is located in Essfeld near Bundesstraße 19. Divided into individual sections with red and white ribbons, it tempts you to pick them yourself. “Reinhard’s best” is the motto. “We are QS certified and guarantee the highest standards in production, harvesting and marketing,” says Birgit Reinhard.
Photo: Wilma Wolf
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To protect the sensitive fruits from moisture and dirt, they are placed on straw. Drip irrigation supplies the strawberry plants with moisture with pinpoint accuracy. That saves water.
The corona-related regulations for seasonal workers from abroad are currently affecting the company. “All of our seasonal workers did not come from Romania this year because they are only allowed to enter Germany by plane. Many did not want to do so and were concerned about the current situation,” says the boss. Fortunately, the Reinhards found students from the university of applied sciences and the university in Würzburg as substitutes, who are now actively involved in the plantation.
“All of our seasonal workers did not come from Romania this year.”
Birgit Reinhard – farmer–
There is a lot to do, the strawberry is a labor-intensive fruit: weeding, weeding, and getting out into the field at 5 a.m. to pick the sweet red fruits so that they can be found fresh and on time in the supermarkets. Because in addition to the self-picking system, the Reinhards also supply the retail trade.
The Reinhards strawberry plantation is open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for all those who want to pick themselves. Every customer must bring mouthguards and gloves and keep the minimum distance. And of course there are strawberries already picked to buy.
“The strawberry is the most complex crop in our company.”
Also on the self-picking field of the Stolzenberger family from the Bütthard district of Oesfeld. The approximately three-quarter-hectare area is located on Bundestraße 19 near the exit and towards Riedenheim and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. There are organic strawberries here. Because Michael Stolzenberger’s family business operates according to the guidelines of the organic farming association Bioland. In recent years, the company has increasingly specialized in the cultivation of strawberries and field vegetables, as well as the propagation of grain, legume and vegetable seeds.
Photo: Wilma Wolf
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“The strawberry is the most complex crop in our company and, in addition to a lot of maintenance, it also requires a special irrigation technology,” says organic farmer Michael Stolzenberger, who is also district chairman of the Bavarian Farmers’ Association. As on the Reinhards plantation, the plants are supplied by drip irrigation. This not only saves water and energy, says Stolzenberger, but also protects the berries from moisture, which would promote the development of putrefaction.
Trying is explicitly allowed when picking yourself.
Just in time for the Pentecost weekend, the Stolzenbergers opened their own picking field and are satisfied with the customer interest. “The demand is quite high,” says Michael Stolzenberger. This is probably also due to the fact that many stayed at home on Pentecost vacation. Trying is explicitly allowed when picking yourself. “People can snack as much as they want,” says the organic farmer generously, while his little son Leonhard shows how it’s done.
Photo: Wilma Wolf
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In addition to the self-picking system, there are also other strawberry fields that are only harvested by employees of the organic farm. “In the early morning hours, our hard-working helpers have to pick the individual fruits by hand and put them carefully in the bowls,” he says. Because strawberries are very sensitive to pressure, they need extremely gentle treatment. Michael Stolzenberger had no problems finding enough harvest helpers. His Polish seasonal workers are supported by local helpers.
Michael Stolzenberger prefers to eat his sweet fruit freshly picked. “The strawberries taste best when the midday sun is shining, fresh off the stick,” he says. Personally, he doesn’t think much of storage, even if strawberries can be kept in a closed container for three to four days.
Photo: Wilma Wolf
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And Michael Stolzenberger has another tip: “Pick the strawberries clean, do not pack them by the fruit, but remove them from the plant on the stem and with the stem.” And in which form of preparation does he prefer strawberries? “My favorite is the classic strawberry cake without cream,” says the organic farmer. The strawberry season in Germany will continue until the end of June, provided the weather is suitable.
Photo: Wilma Wolf
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Bütthard
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Wilma Wolf
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Farmers’ associations
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Bavarian Farmers’ Association
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irrigation
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Grain
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