21 replies to this topic

[annecros]

The mocking birds are nesting in my gardenia, the tomatoes are blooming, high today of 82 - and the most important harbinger of Spring in Florida - Plant City strawberries are at their prime!

3.29 a pound at Sedano's. Late season and dead ripe! I purchased 5 pounds.





Milkshakes for lunch! Some sliced, sugared and frozen for ice cream:




The rest, washed and in the fridge for eating out of hand:




I didn't make it to the festival in Plant City, Florida, but I understand that they keep the best berries for themselves.

Today is the last day:

Strawberry Festival Website


I've never seen strawberries that looked, tasted or smelled like this until I moved to Florida. We grew some nice ones in Georgia, but nothing like these!

Edited by annecros, 10 March 2007 - 04:52 PM.

[CaliPoutine]

We'll be in S. Florida on Tuesday. I'll have to look around for some from Plant City. Would they be availble at Publix?

[insomniac]

The mocking birds are nesting in my gardenia, the tomatoes are blooming, high today of 82 - and the most important harbinger of Spring in Florida - Plant City strawberries are at their prime!

3.29 a pound at Sedano's. Late season and dead ripe! I purchased 5 pounds.





Milkshakes for lunch! Some sliced, sugared and frozen for ice cream:




The rest, washed and in the fridge for eating out of hand:




I didn't make it to the festival in Plant City, Florida, but I understand that they keep the best berries for themselves.

Today is the last day:

Strawberry Festival Website


I've never seen strawberries that looked, tasted or smelled like this until I move to Florida. We grew some nice ones in Georgia, but nothing like these!

I live near the strawberry headquarters of Somerset but I have never seen such BRIGHT fruit...almost had to put my sunglasses on!!
wow

[annecros]

We'll be in S. Florida on Tuesday.  I'll have to look around for some from Plant City.  Would they be availble at Publix?

Yes. Publix is a regional company, and usually has an endcap full of them when in season. Look for Plant City on the label, or you might luck up on a tent and a truck from central Florida on the side of the road. Those are usually the freshest and the cheapest.

[annecros]

I live near the strawberry headquarters of Somerset but I have never seen such BRIGHT fruit...almost had to put my sunglasses on!!
wow

Yes, they are quite gaudy, aren't they? In a good way.

They have all the taste and aroma that the look advertises. I thought I was going to perish from strawberry hunger on the drive home.

Edited by annecros, 10 March 2007 - 11:40 AM.

[robyn]

We'll be in S. Florida on Tuesday.  I'll have to look around for some from Plant City.  Would they be availble at Publix?

Yes - they're in Publix - frequently BOGO. They've been pretty good the last few weeks. Robyn

[ghostrider]

The mocking birds are nesting in my gardenia, the tomatoes are blooming, high today of 82 - and the most important harbinger of Spring in Florida - Plant City strawberries are at their prime!

3.29 a pound at Sedano's. Late season and dead ripe! I purchased 5 pounds.

They look beautiful!

But can someone explain to me how Fla berries are $1.99 / lb in New Jersey?

I suspect that the berries in those pix are significantly riper & tastier than what we're seeing in NJ right now - I haven't seen berries that ripe, judging by appearance, in a couple of months - so maybe both are priced fairly for what they are.

[annecros]

The mocking birds are nesting in my gardenia, the tomatoes are blooming, high today of 82 - and the most important harbinger of Spring in Florida - Plant City strawberries are at their prime!

3.29 a pound at Sedano's. Late season and dead ripe! I purchased 5 pounds.

They look beautiful!

But can someone explain to me how Fla berries are $1.99 / lb in New Jersey?

I suspect that the berries in those pix are significantly riper & tastier than what we're seeing in NJ right now - I haven't seen berries that ripe, judging by appearance, in a couple of months - so maybe both are priced fairly for what they are.

I don't know. Maybe precontracted buy before the latest freeze?

I could have gotten them cheaper roadside, but this was just an impulse buy I couldn't walk away from. Those roadside guys are notoriously unreliable. You would think they drink up the profit when they sell all their berries, or something...

[robyn]

The mocking birds are nesting in my gardenia, the tomatoes are blooming, high today of 82 - and the most important harbinger of Spring in Florida - Plant City strawberries are at their prime!

3.29 a pound at Sedano's. Late season and dead ripe! I purchased 5 pounds.

They look beautiful!

But can someone explain to me how Fla berries are $1.99 / lb in New Jersey?

I suspect that the berries in those pix are significantly riper & tastier than what we're seeing in NJ right now - I haven't seen berries that ripe, judging by appearance, in a couple of months - so maybe both are priced fairly for what they are.

If you're getting Plant City strawberries - you're getting the same stuff we get. The price difference is mostly a factor of whether a particular store wants to push something as a loss leader (or you can get tons of the stuff really cheap in a place like Costco). Robyn

[therese]

We're getting the same berries at Dekalb Farmers Market in Atlanta (Wishnatzki Farms out of Plant City) for at least two weeks now. Very ripe, very sweet. I bought a half flat last week, and another half flat this week. Can't remember what I paid, but they were neither incredibly cheap nor incredibly expensive, but probably less than annecros paid.

[annecros]

CaliPoutine,

I stopped by Publix yesterday afternoon while I was out, and counted three displays! You should have no problem. 2 pounds for $5.

I should have gone to Publix. But I was in Sedano's for something else, and they called my name.

[artemisanne]

If you're coming down to FL, and you're around Plant City, you can pick your own at millions of farms off I-4- about 45 minutes from either Orlando or Tampa- if you're in a hurry I'd advise stopping by Parkesdale Farms or any of the markets- try the strawberry cookies!!!!

I buy whole flats of strawberries for 7$.

[annecros]

If you're coming down to FL, and you're around Plant City, you can pick your own at millions of farms off I-4- about 45 minutes from either Orlando or Tampa- if you're in a hurry I'd advise stopping by Parkesdale Farms or any of the markets- try the strawberry cookies!!!!

I buy whole flats of strawberries for 7$.

Cool, what do you do with them?

When I lived in Palm Beach County I would pick them up at Rorabeck's for anywhere from $12 to $17 a flat depending upon the season. I also had a bigger bunch to feed at the time.

We moved down here to Broward in October, and I am still hunting for a place like Rorabeck's, but haven't settled on one yet. There is a place next to the Greyhound track on US1 that looks promising, but they were closed when I stopped by last weekend.

[CaliPoutine]

If you're coming down to FL, and you're around Plant City, you can pick your own at millions of farms off I-4- about 45 minutes from either Orlando or Tampa- if you're in a hurry I'd advise stopping by Parkesdale Farms or any of the markets- try the strawberry cookies!!!!

I buy whole flats of strawberries for 7$.

Cool, what do you do with them?

When I lived in Palm Beach County I would pick them up at Rorabeck's for anywhere from $12 to $17 a flat depending upon the season. I also had a bigger bunch to feed at the time.

We moved down here to Broward in October, and I am still hunting for a place like Rorabeck's, but haven't settled on one yet. There is a place next to the Greyhound track on US1 that looks promising, but they were closed when I stopped by last weekend.

That place on US1 is always closed on Saturday. The owners are Jewish and they observe the Sabbath on Saturdays. They are open on Sunday though. You might find the berries at the fleamarket on the weekend. Check out carini's, they have great pizza. They are on the corner of Atlantic Shores and US1

[annecros]

That place on US1 is always closed on Saturday.  The owners are Jewish and they observe the Sabbath on Saturdays.  They are open on Sunday though.  You might find the berries at the fleamarket on the weekend.  Check out carini's, they have great pizza.  They are on the corner of Atlantic Shores and US1

I suspected as much when I saw the bagel signs (I bet they are good bagels, too). Will be out and about today with my daughter and we will be checking out the various flea markets. The fleamarket at the Greyhound track the last time I went only had a few berries. Mostly citrus, squash, beans, okra and tomato. I like the market on 441 north of Sunrise (it is a branch of the SwapShop market on Sunrise), but that is a little bit of a haul for me to do on a regular basis. Festival fleamarket is almost in Palm Beach County.

Will continue to explore, and thanks.

[ghostrider]

The berries I mentioned previously weren't genuine Plant City, but the ones I got last night are, & oh so fragrant & tasty. $1.29 / lb at my local farmers market place. Hadn't been able to get there for a week, had become dispirited looking at the lifeless $2.99 / lb CA berries at the supermarket, but the farmers' market came through big time! I'm in strawberry heaven this weekend!

[CaliPoutine]

Anne,

The bagels at The Sage on Hallandale Beach Blvd are amazing. I'm sure a lot better than the ones at the Farmer's Market. I even brought a dozen bagels back to Canada with me.

I had some strawberries while I was down. Bought them at publix, 2.50 for a quart. I bought some berries today too. They cost 1.99pint and the sign said Product of USA. Not sure where they come from, maybe Florida. They were sweet and juicy.

I'm anxiously awaiting our Ontario berries. They usually hit around June and they are fabulous as well.

[annecros]

The berries I mentioned previously weren't genuine Plant City, but the ones I got last night are, & oh so fragrant & tasty.  $1.29 / lb at my local farmers market place.  Hadn't been able to get there for a week, had become dispirited looking at the lifeless $2.99 / lb CA berries at the supermarket, but the farmers' market came through big time!  I'm in strawberry heaven this weekend! 

They are super good.

Look for corn soon. I'm just seeing the early spring corn come in and it is still expensive, but I bought a dozen ears and creamed it the other day, and it was super sweet.

I don't understand why they insist on bringing California strawberries to the east coast. There are a couple of chains down here in Florida that insist on doing just that. Talk about taking coals to Newcastle! Those same strawberries are wonderful in California, I'm sure, but by the time they are picked green and trucked across the country, they taste like nothing.

[annecros]

Anne,

The bagels at The Sage on Hallandale Beach Blvd are amazing.  I'm sure a lot better than the ones at the Farmer's Market.  I even brought a dozen bagels back to Canada with me.

I had some strawberries while I was down.  Bought them at publix, 2.50 for a quart.  I bought some berries today too.  They cost 1.99pint and the sign said Product of USA.  Not sure where they come from, maybe Florida.  They were sweet and juicy. 

I'm anxiously awaiting our Ontario berries.  They usually hit around June and they are fabulous as well.

Thanks, The Sage isn't far from me at all, and I have recently had a bagel jones going. Will have to go by.

By June, our berries are just a memory and it's mostly what people think of when they think Summer produce around here. I should have my own peas and butterbeans by then.

[robyn]

...I don't understand why they insist on bringing California strawberries to the east coast. There are a couple of chains down here in Florida that insist on doing just that. Talk about taking coals to Newcastle! Those same strawberries are wonderful in California, I'm sure, but by the time they are picked green and trucked across the country, they taste like nothing.

So we can have strawberry shortcake in August! We have found that Driscoll's is a pretty reliable product. Berries (not only strawberries - but other berries - like blueberries) are coming not only from California - but from south America in the winter. Some (which we bought at Costco's) have been really excellent. I eat fruit and cereal at least 5-6 times a week - and I used to get pretty sick of bananas in the winter. Robyn

[annecros]

...I don't understand why they insist on bringing California strawberries to the east coast. There are a couple of chains down here in Florida that insist on doing just that. Talk about taking coals to Newcastle! Those same strawberries are wonderful in California, I'm sure, but by the time they are picked green and trucked across the country, they taste like nothing.

So we can have strawberry shortcake in August! We have found that Driscoll's is a pretty reliable product. Berries (not only strawberries - but other berries - like blueberries) are coming not only from California - but from south America in the winter. Some (which we bought at Costco's) have been really excellent. I eat fruit and cereal at least 5-6 times a week - and I used to get pretty sick of bananas in the winter. Robyn

Oh, Driscoll's is a very fine company. I have had the pleasure to meet individuals who have worked for Driscoll's in the past. Although they are California based, they purchase extensively in Florida, and more than just strawberries.

I guess I should be more specific. Why would a supermarket chain bring strawberries from California into Florida, or New Jersey for that matter, when the Florida berries are in season?

Surely robyn, you are not telling me that you would hunt out a Driscoll's label, when Plant City is in season?

Edited by annecros, 26 March 2007 - 03:54 PM.

[robyn]

...I don't understand why they insist on bringing California strawberries to the east coast. There are a couple of chains down here in Florida that insist on doing just that. Talk about taking coals to Newcastle! Those same strawberries are wonderful in California, I'm sure, but by the time they are picked green and trucked across the country, they taste like nothing.

So we can have strawberry shortcake in August! We have found that Driscoll's is a pretty reliable product. Berries (not only strawberries - but other berries - like blueberries) are coming not only from California - but from south America in the winter. Some (which we bought at Costco's) have been really excellent. I eat fruit and cereal at least 5-6 times a week - and I used to get pretty sick of bananas in the winter. Robyn

Oh, Driscoll's is a very fine company. I have had the pleasure to meet individuals who have worked for Driscoll's in the past. Although they are California based, they purchase extensively in Florida, and more than just strawberries.

I guess I should be more specific. Why would a supermarket chain bring strawberries from California into Florida, or New Jersey for that matter, when the Florida berries are in season?

Surely robyn, you are not telling me that you would hunt out a Driscoll's label, when Plant City is in season?

I shop mostly at Publix and Fresh Market - and - this time of the year - all the strawberries are from Plant City. Of course - the season isn't very long. March and April - that's about it. The other 10 months of the year - it's mostly California - some South America. Robyn