Strawberries are very fragile and they do not stand up well to being left in direct sun or in extreme heat. After picking, keep your berries in a cool place. Do not leave them in a hot car. For any storage of berries beyond those that will be immediately eaten, place them in the refrigerator with a damp paper towel over the berries – the towel will help protect the fruit from drying out.
Wash berries right before eating them or processing them. Gently swirl the berries in a bowl of cool water to remove any bits of dust, dirt or hay.
Strawberries are best if eaten or processed as soon as possible after getting them home from the fields. We recommend eating or processing them within 24 hours of picking. Freezing berries is a great way to use them later for recipes and smoothies.
Freezing Strawberries
Sweetened:
Select unbruised fruit, hull.
Slice and sugar to taste (about 3/4 cup sugar to 1qt berries).
Mix gently.
Package in rigid containers and freeze.
Without Sugar:
Select medium-sized fruit, hull carefully.
Line on baking trays, place in freezer until frozen hard.
Remove and package fruit in seal-tight plastic bags.
Return to freezer for storage.
1qt strawberries = 1.5 pounds = one 9" pie.
Instructions on making jams and more can be found in ourrecipessection.