Strawberries are ready to pick!

Taste the Local Difference says that strawberries are ready to pick! They have a great list of Leelanau farm markets and local food providers.

From Absolute Michigan (where you can also get recipes for Strawberry Shortcake and Strawberry Sorbet):

Strawberries are grown in every county of Michigan and your fun fact of the day is that 53% of seven to nine year olds say strawberries are their favorite fruit. Strawberries are high in iron and Vitamin C – Eight strawberries will provide 14% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C for kids – and have less than 60 calories per cup.

The MDA’s Michigan Strawberries page has a ton of strawberry purchasing, growing and preparation info and some great strawberry lore, such as the fact that strawberries were a symbol of perfection and righteousness that medieval stone masons carved on altars and around the tops of pillars in churches and cathedrals and that:

In parts of Bavaria, country folk still practice the annual rite each spring of tying small baskets of wild strawberries to the horns of their cattle as an offering to elves. They believe that the elves, who are passionately fond of strawberries, will help to produce healthy calves and abundance of milk in return.

If you’re looking for a fun place to eat strawberries, check out the Empire United Methodist Church Strawberry Social featuring strawberry sundaes, strawberry shortcake and lunch this Saturday (Jun 28) from 11 AM – 3 PM.