Our farmers have been telling us for a while now that this year's strawberry crop looks great – and the anticipation has been almost too much to bear.  But no more waiting!  Alewives Brook Farm will be at the market this week with their always-delicious berries – well worth a trip to the market, showers or no showers.
 They're big, they're beautiful, and the flavor can't be beat!  Stop by the WFM on Wednesday for our third annual Strawberry Shortcake Social to get your strawberry fix!
Shortcake serving, at $3.50 a serving, will begin at 2:00pm until it's gone, so get there early!
With strawberries aplenty and only a few weeks to enjoy them, you might want to preserve some for later using one of the methods below.  You won't be sorry you did when February arrives and you need a little taste of summer!

Freeze them whole.  Once you get your flats of strawberries home, hull them (remove stems), rinse and dry them gently, then place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Put the sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours or until they are frozen solid.  Remove the berries from the sheet and put them into a freezer bag.  This method allows you to easily remove the exact amount of berries you need from the freezer bag without worrying about the berries sticking together.

Freeze them in a simple syrup.  A simple syrup amounts to 4 cups of water to 1 cup of sugar.  Prepare your strawberries by hulling and rinsing, leaving them whole or slicing them, then place the berries in freezer bags, plastic containers or glass jars.  Then pour the liquid into the containers.  Beware that when you use containers that do not expand (glass), you'll need to leave extra room at the top of the jar to allow for the liquid to expand in the jar.  About a half inch of headroom should be enough.  When thawed mid-winter, strawberries preserved this way make for an instant snack, ice cream or shortcake topping.    

Freeze them as sauce.  Prepare one pound of strawberries (about a quart) by removing the stems and washing the berries.  In a blender, combine the berries, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice.  Pulse until the berries are mostly chopped.  You can decide how smooth you'd like your future-use sauce to be.  Add more sugar to taste.  Sauce may be poured into freezer bags, plastic or glass containers, but again, remember to leave enough room at the tops of glass jars to allow for the sauce to expand.  Sauce will provide you with a topping for pancakes, ice cream, cheese cake or anything lacking a little summer flair when the cabin fever hits.
 
If you're feeling really adventurous, and you don't already do any canning, pick up a basic canning book (Ball Guide to Home Canning is recommended), or ask one of our jam vendors to guide you through the process of trying your hand at an easy strawberry jam recipe.  It is perfect for learning how to preserve in sealed jars without a lot of risk.  You can do it!  In the meantime, gather up those strawberries and make room in the freezer!

Did you know?

There is a legend that strawberries were named in the nineteenth century by English children who picked the fruit, strung them on grass straws and sold them as "straws of berries".

The strawberry belongs to the genus Fragraria in the rose family, along with apples and plums. The name of the scientific classification was derived from the Old Latin word for fragrant.  The modern Italian word for strawberry is still "Fragola".

Native Americans called strawberries "heart-seed berries" and pounded them into their traditional corn-meal bread. Discovering the great taste of the Native Americans' bread, colonists decided to create their own version, which became an American favorite that we all know and love... Strawberry Shortcake.

Celebrate the Top 10 Reasons to Shop WFM

• Celebrate the Seasons....The food you buy at the Wells Farmers' Market is seasonal. Everything is locally grown and it is exciting to see what each season produces. Reconnect with the cycles of nature; enjoy spring snap peas, fresh garden greens, rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, summer sweet corn, fresh herbs, luscious heirloom tomatoes, the juiciest of peaches, and crisp fall apples, squash and pumpkins. Eat with the season and enjoy the variety!
• Support Family Farmers .... Family farmers are becoming increasingly rare. Large agribusiness farms and ranches are steadily taking over food production in the U.S. and small family farms have a hard time competing. Buying directly from farmers gives them a better return for their products and gives them a fighting chance in today's economy.
• Variety..... Find a bountiful assortment of plants, flowers, vegetables, fruits and other goodies that you might not find at the grocery store. You can also find all sorts of yummy things aside from produce, such as local meats, dairy, jams, Wicked Good pickles, goat cheese, Maine maple syrup, goat milk & herbal soaps, lobsters and baked goods (sooo hard to resist). It's a great opportunity to try something new!
• Taste Real Flavors.... The fruits, vegetables and other goodies you buy at WFM are at the freshest and tastiest available. Our produce is allowed to ripen in the field not in a truck that is transporting it thousands of miles.
• Know Where Your Food Comes From....Food in the U.S. travels an average of 1,500 miles to get to your table. Egads! Meeting and talking to farmers is a great opportunity to learn more about how food is grown, where it is grown, when it is grown and why. You can also ask our vendors any questions you might have about their goods and how they are processed – they will be happy to answer!
• Learn Cooking Tips, Recipes & Meal Ideas... Our vendors at the WFM are often passionate cooks with plenty of free advice about how to cook the foods they are selling. Also, if you have a recipe you would like to share be sure to stop by and let us know; we would love to share it with others! You may also sign up for our newsletter, which also offers seasonal recipes, and gardening tips with each issue. Watch for the dates of our guest Chef's cooking demonstrations this season,too! Stop by to sample our wares. And don't forget to mark your calendars for our annual Strawberry Shortcake Social. Just plain yummy!
• Teach Your Children Something New....Promote healthy eating habits by shopping at the market with your kids. Helping them to understand where their food comes from will help them to understand the importance of being informed about their food choices. It might also help you to get them to eat more fruits and veggies!
• Connect with Your Community! ..You never know who you're going to run in to at the market. Shopping at WFM makes shopping a pleasure rather than a chore. The farmers' market is a community gathering place – a place to meet new friends, bring your children, or just enjoy a few minutes of fresh air!
• We're OPEN Rain or Shine! Our vendors aren't afraid of a little sprinkle! They will be there each and every week to serve you the best variety of goods they can. Let your kids puddle jump while you purchase your goods, and everyone goes home happy! Who wants to be cooped up inside anyway?
• And lastly.... We're a fun group of vendors located in "the friendliest town in Maine" :)