This year we are adding strawberries to our freezer, contributing to our goal of using only local fruits in our pies –year round. However, fresh from the field cannot be duplicated, so enjoy one of our delicious seasonal only special strawberry treats: Strawberry Whip Pies, Strawberry Torte Cake, Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberries, Strawberry Bread.

The Johnson family has been growing strawberries in Hobart for over 50 years. They were primarily a "Pick Your Own Farm" until the 1990s. At that time ready picked berries became more popular as people had less time to spend picking in the field. They currently farm over 400 acres and have 40 acres of strawberries ready to pick in 2009. The season usually starts early June and continues until the 4th of July.

Strawberry Season is a rather short season so stay alert for the commencement of the season or you miss out on some of the best strawberries. Reward your palette with the best tasting strawberries that have been grown with 50 years of experience. The picking season typically begins the first or second week of June and normally lasts for 4 -5 weeks. Imagine Father's day without strawberries. Exactly, that is unimaginable, because strawberry season peaks around Father's Day.

Journey to the fields and experience strawberries that U-Pick. If that does not fit into your schedule stop by to survey the already picked strawberries. To insure your participation in the U-Pick, check the calendar of events or our phone recordings for specifics.

The strawberries in Johnson's market are extremely fresh. In fact they are guaranteed to be the freshest. You may ask "How fresh are they?" Strawberries are constantly picked all day, everyday. Not fresh enough? They are so fresh that they seem as though you just walked off the field from picking the strawberries yourself. The local varieties of strawberries are particularly perishable and should be taken care within twenty-four hours.

Strawberries freeze exceptionally well. The most efficient method preserving the strawberries is to wash and pat dry, take off the stem, and then lay them flat on a cookie sheet until frozen. After being frozen, they may be transferred into an airtight bag or container. Another technique would be slicing them and then throwing them into the freezer. Forget the cherries, top ice cream with these delectable frozen morsels of heaven!

Strawberries are also superb when used for jams, jellies, pies, breads, salads, and smoothies. Oh goodness! We put strawberries in almost everything! The most excellent use of strawberries would be in Marilyn's Famous Strawberry Shortcake. Strawberry goodness stacked between layers of shortcake and topped with clouds of whip cream. Check out our favorite recipes.

For our 2011 season we have Strawberry Madness planned for June 11th. View Johnson's website for more details on the day's events. Celebrate the inauguration with Strawberry Madness and its festivities!!