Strawberry fields emerging in Iowa — but not forever

When strawberries become ripe for the picking in Iowa, the clock starts ticking for consumers looking to get in on the bounty.

This short window of time lasts about a month, typically from the end of May to the end of June, which is why people across the state keep watch for the bright red colors that signal that the harvest is ready.

'We had actually some warmer weather earlier this spring, and that kind of moved things up a bit,” said Maury Wills, bureau chief of the state Agricultural Diversification and Market Development Bureau.

Wills said the southwest part of the state is especially early, and areas south of Des Moines will have strawberries ready in the next week.

'There are pockets here and there that will have strawberries soon,” Wills said.

Typically, strawberries in the southern part of the state are ready before those up north because of climate differences. The difference between east and west is less explainable.

Local strawberry producers are not quite as ready to admit it will be an early season for them.

'I don't think that they're going to be significantly earlier,” said Ann Franzenburg of Pheasant Run Farm in Van Horne, who grows strawberries in greenhouses and in fields.

While Pheasant Run Farm does not allow customers to pick strawberries themselves, the Franzenburgs are vendors at the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids farmers markets. They expect their strawberry crop to be in by this weekend, perhaps slightly early but nothing out of the ordinary.

'Asparagus and strawberries kind of go together,” Franzenburg said, adding that she had noticed her farm's asparagus had been growing on track.

Once strawberries are picked, they stop ripening, which adds significance to the timing of strawberry picking.

'They're an impressive little dynamo in the next couple of weeks,” David Myers, owner of Heartland Farms in Waterloo, said about strawberry plants. 'I've always been impressed by what they can do in that month.”

Heartland Farms devotes 12 acres of land to strawberries. Most recently were covered by white sheets to create a mini-greenhouse effect, in an effort to keep the plants warmer. Myers said ideal temperatures for Iowa strawberries are in the range of 50 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Myers produced his first commercial strawberry fields in 1983. He said the earliest he ever has had a crop ready is May 23 and the latest June 17. This year, he said he believes his strawberries are running on track if not behind by a few days.

According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture, fresh strawberries have benefits beyond their taste: A cup of unsweetened strawberries comes in at 55 calories and are a good source of vitamins, folic acid, potassium and fiber.