THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 10, 1995 TAG: 9505100657
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: COVER STORY
SOURCE: BY MARY REID BARROW, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 112 lines
A DELUGE OF HAIL-SIZE marbles pelted holes in close to 20 percent of the Virginia Beach strawberry crop recently, but strawberry lovers, don't despair!
There will be plenty to go around this year despite the disaster. That's because farmers planted about 10 more acres of strawberries this year than last, said Agriculture Extension Agent Mel Atkinson.
Residents began picking their share in force last weekend. The word is spreading across the city.
Strawberries are here!
They are looking good, too, according to Atkinson. Except where hail dealt its devastating blow, the strawberries are coming in big, bright red and sweet.
The hail, part of a line of strong thunderstorms that swept through the area Sunday a week ago, pummeled a swath of acreage in the center of Pungo, ruining crops on two farms and damaging the berries on two others. But adjacent to the storm-damaged area, strawberries are coming in better than ever.
``They look great,'' Atkinson said. ``We're going to have an excellent season.''
The folks at Bay Breeze Farms lost a farm building in the storm, but their strawberry field just down the road a piece on Sandbridge Road was out of the hail's path and didn't suffer at all. Bay Breeze was able to open its pick-your-own berry field last week.
``We were very fortunate,'' Cindy Barnes said. ``And they are beautiful. You can pick a pound a minute.''
If you think the strawberry season crept up on you, you're right. Some berries were even ripe at the end of April. The proliferation of strawberries early in the season could be due to a new variety called Sweet Charlie that some farmers are growing this year. Sweet Charlies, even sweeter than the popular and familiar Chandler berries, come in a week to 10 days earlier than the Chandlers.
``It used to be the old saying, Mother's Day to Father's Day,'' Atkinson said.
Not any more. Still, Mother's Day weekend coming up should be a big strawberry weekend and so will the next two weekends after that, Atkinson assured. Prices for pick-your-own strawberries range from 60 cents a pound to up to $1 a pound.
``Barring disaster,'' he added. ``The way things are looking, and if the temperature stays cool, we'll be picking into June, but if it gets real hot, the strawberries will shut down.''
But for now, they're just right. North Landing Farms on North Landing Road opened for pick-your-own over the weekend and according to Deanna Wolfarth, she's only had one complaint.
``A man told me this morning, `Your berries are too big!' '' Wolfarth said. ``I can handle complaints like that.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos, including color cover, by PETER D. SUNDBERG
Rudy Weiss of Norfolk, also pictured on the cover, picked nine
pounds of strawberries at Bay Breeze Farm - in fewer than 15
minutes.
Dean Davis looks over the damage done to his crop off Gum Bridge
Road. Most of the fragile, green strawberry plants were beaten to
the ground by large hail.
Douglas Munden shows some of his ruined crop of strawberries off
Princess Anne Road. The pelting of the icy hail carved big pock
marks, some so deep they look like worm holes, in both ripe and
unripe strawberries.
Graphic
WHERE TO PICK YOUR OWN
In Virginia Beach, strawberry lovers can pick their own berries at
a number of locations. It's a good idea to call ahead to see if the
fields are open.
These locations come from the city's fruit and vegetable guide,
available soon in city libraries.
Munden Farm, 1377 Princess Anne Road, 7 a.m. until dark Monday
through Saturday. Call 426-2747. This crop was storm damaged.
Bay Breeze Farm, corner of Sandbridge and New Bridge roads, 8 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 721-3288.
Henley Farm, 3513 Charity Neck Road, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Call
426-7501.
North Landing Produce, 3320 North Landing Road, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Call 427-2266.
Davis Farm Produce, 1813 Gum Bridge Road, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call
721-2165. This crop was storm damaged.
Pungo Produce, corner of Indian River and Princess Anne roads. Call
for hours. 721-2766.
Princess Anne Produce and Petting Farm, 2400 London Bridge Road, 9
a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Call 427-9520.
Williams Farm, 1000 N. Newtown Road. Call for hours. 497-5649.
by CNB