Strawberry

Description: The 4-H Strawberry Program focuses on planting and renovating strawberry patches. it is a project the whole family can enjoy!

Division 1:

For first year, project members regardless of age.

  1. Plant at least 25-100 strawberry plants of a recommended variety and care for them.
  2. Complete the record sheet and attach in the appropriate place on the record a photograph of your strawberry patch.
  3. Exhibit a parent plant with attached runner(s) in suitable container. Container should be approximately 18” X 24” X 5” in size. Turn in the record sheet with photograph.

Division 2:

  1. Continue to care for your patch and increase the size if desired.
  2. Complete the record sheet and attach in the appropriate place a photograph of yourself and your strawberry patch.
  3. In the fourth year of your original patch consider starting a new patch. Consult Extension publications on growing strawberries for information on how to proceed.
  4. Exhibit one quart of berries (frozen with the caps and stems left on). However, you may want to freeze more than one quart in case something would happen to some of your berries.

How to Prepare Your Berries for Judging

  1. Pick about three times as many berries as you need for your exhibit. From these carefully select the best berries for show. Pick berries carefully. Cradle the berries in the palm of your hand and pinch the stem off with your thumbnail. Keep the “calyx” or cap and about 1/2” of stem on the berry. Do not jerk the berry off the cluster. Put the berries in the picking container carefully to avoid bruising. Take picked berries to a cool place as quickly as possible.
  2. Sort berries carefully. Select berries that are uniform (the same) in color and size and as large as possible. Leave out those few jumbo berries. Choose berries that are mature and full-colored. Select the ones without blemishes on either the berry or the cap. Select berries with caps that are bright green, fresh looking and free of any brown flecks or spots.
  3. Do not wash the berries. Gently brush any dirt off of the berries. Place the berries individually on cookie sheets and freeze whole. Leave the cap on.
  4. After the berries are frozen solid, place them carefully into quart plastic freezing containers.