Innovations bring seasonal favorites like strawberries to market early

It’s only March, but farm markets throughout Virginia seem to have an abundance of seasonal fruits and vegetables.

In Hanover County, strawberries are ripe and ready for sale in part due to the farm’s low tunnels which allow them to get a jump on the growing season.

“We place low tunnels over a portion of our 12 acres when the strawberries are planted in the fall,” said Anne Geyer of Agriberry Farm who serves on the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Specialty Crops Advisory Committee.

The plastic-covered low tunnels create a microclimate that protects the berries from frost allowing them to branch their crowns and develop more flower buds, she said.

“And then the magic sauce for 2023 was that warm blast in February, so that’s what initiated a lot of blooms underneath those same tunnels.”

When they removed the tunnels’ covers in late March, the berries were already ripening.

Geyer grows ever-bearing and traditional June-bearing strawberry varieties to have berries available for consumers much of the year.

Like Geyer, many farmers invest in season-extending practices like low tunnels, high tunnels and plasticulture – using lightweight plastic covers or mulch on raised beds to control soil temperature, moisture, weeds and pests. Those practices also help growers mitigate risk and potential crop loss from fluctuating early spring weather.

Janet Aardema of Broadfork Farm in Chesterfield County gives her crops an early start with hoop houses – taller, plastic-covered structures that create a greenhouse effect to warm the interior without added heat or ventilation. Aardema is currently harvesting salad greens, sweet salad turnips, radishes and spring onions, and said the hoop houses allow her to meet ever-increasing consumer demand for local produce while remaining sustainable.

“Our six hoop houses allow us to grow and harvest approximately 11 months out of the year, providing a huge help to our business,” she said. “Our customers want tremendous-tasting food, grown without synthetic inputs, and grown with climate resilience in mind. Our hoop houses allow us to grow more food that meets those metrics.”

In Westmoreland County, Dana Boyle of Garner’s Produce has already been selling spinach, watercress and other spring greens grown in her farm’s high tunnels. She said the infrastructure can be a costly investment, but it’s a worthwhile tradeoff to produce more varieties earlier and longer.

“For certain leafy greens, they would be impossible to have in the colder weather without high tunnels,” said Boyle.

Her spring greens and strawberries are the focus now, but she’s looking at offering more favorites earlier in the season.

“The tomatoes aren’t ready yet, but we’ll get them earlier since they’re in the controlled environment,” said Boyle.

To find seasonal Virginia-grown produce at local farmers markets near you, visit virginiagrown.com.