Manitoba Strawberries!!!

Heading out to do some strawberry pickin!?

1. Go online or call ahead and check to make sure the market (or the U-pick is open). Bring change in case you have to pay for parking. Take some water, a hat, sunscreen and bug spray.

2. If you have a shopping cart (anything on wheels) it will make life easier. You don't want to be juggling bags while you pick out produce.

3. If you're taking home berries, remove them from those cardboard pint containers right away. If the cardboard gets damp it will stay that way and it's not good for the berries. Empty the containers and check for squashed or damaged fruit. Do not rinse until you are ready to eat! Place the berries loosely in a dry container, eat them within 2 to 4 days.

Here are just a few websites that have all the skinny on fresh fruits and vegetables in Manitoba this summer. You can Google "u-pick berries Manitoba" and "farmers markets Manitoba" for even more links.

-- www.manitobafarmersmarkets.ca -- The Farmers' Markets Association of Manitoba has information, links and lists of their member markets.

-- www.stnorbertfarmersmarket.ca -- Inside the St. Norbert Farmers Market website you'll find a really great page with the harvest schedule so you'll have and idea what you might find when you get onsite.

-- www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/food/upick/markets.html -- This is the Manitoba Local Produce Guide, which is downloadable. It contains a produce guide, tips, links, phone numbers and maps.

-- www.pfga.com -- The Prairie Fruit Growers Association Berry Hotline: 253-PICK (253-7425) is up and running now until the first week in August.