During this time of year, strawberry lovers are not looking forward to seeing this particular sign.
“This Patch is CLOSED,” said the bold black letters that was placed over a cartoon strawberry that had its tops crossed out. “Please Do Not Pick.”
The strawberry season that Jimmy Messick is experiencing right now is unlike any other he has experienced in the thirteen years that he has been running Messick’s Farm in Bealeton, Virginia.
“It is the lowest production year that we’ve had in the years we’ve been producing strawberries,” Messick told the television network News4. There is a strawberry drought in this region, as I have heard it said in the past, and I believe it is still current. Our strawberry production simply cannot keep up with the demand that we are experiencing.
It was on April 15 that his farm in Fauquier County, which is home to five acres of strawberry plants, opened its doors to clients who wanted to pick their own strawberries.
As a rule, our season lasts between ten and twelve weeks, and it begins in the middle of April and can last until the end of June. Messick stated that this year it was just for a total of four weeks.
According to him, a fungus known as neopestalotiopsis, or Neo-P for short, is one of the culprits that has been affecting his property as well as other farms.
“You see these brown spots on this plant?” To illustrate his argument, Messick pointed to a leaf that was green with yellow-brown dots and was surrounded by rings of a darker, almost reddish brown color. “This is typical of what you are going to see with the new disease.”
While the disease does not cause spots on other plants, it does reduce the amount of berries that are produced.
“You wouldn’t think that there’s anything wrong it it, but if you look down into it, you see no blooms, you see no green fruit,” Messick explained to reporters.
He is not by himself. On their websites, several strawberry farms in the District of Columbia are informing prospective consumers of the unfortunate news.
“It’s been a really rough season,” Great Country Farms writes on its website. “I was not prepared for it.” In addition to Messick’s patch, several patches have already been restricted to selecting.
There has also been a negative impact from the weather, with the torrential rains that we have experienced over the past few weeks making the situation much more difficult.
According to Messick, strawberries thrive in conditions that are cool and dry. “That’s just what they like.”
Some farms, however, have not been impacted as severely as others. Some, such as Wegmeyer Farms, continue to sell berries that they have cultivated themselves or are available for pick-your-own.
The staff at Messick’s Farm market, on the other hand, continues to deliver the unfavorable news to customers who call in.
“It’s just been really disappointing for us and for our loyal customers that really wanted to come out and enjoy that experience,” said Jessica Howland, an employee at the company. “The best thing for me is to see some children out here with strawberries all over their face … that’s the best thing to see.”
Messick has stated that he will grow a different variety of strawberry for the following season, one that is more resistant to developing fungus.
In addition, the farm informs its customers that it will only be a few weeks until the blackberries, which are growing in prolific quantities, are ready to be picked. From now until the end of pumpkin season, the farm will continue to receive an increasing quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables.
