Strawberries- We are currently right smack dab in the middle of strawberry season, and I still see blooms! This means strawberries will continue ripening into June this year. It is about 30 days from bloom to ripe fruit depending on temperatures. The plants are planted in late fall and over winter to get cold hardy and acclimate to our temperatures. In Texas this can be challenging with all four seasons sometimes in a week’s time. We use frost covers and straw when it gets very cold. Maybe this explains the “straw” in strawberry. The plant itself can tolerate cold temperatures but once February rolls around we must start protecting the blooms and baby berries. Anyhow, Strawberry season continues…. Pre-picked strawberries are going to start being less and less because as we get closer to summer the “U-Pickers” are showing up more and more.
Blackberries- Man are we going to have blackberries this year! I think you will be able to pick a box full and not even move a step. This season will start in the next 10 days or so. We have thorny and thornless varieties. I have not found a thornless variety yet that can match the production of the thorny varieties. When picking it may get frustrating being pricked a bit but at least I don’t think you’ll have to move much. Also, you may notice a white powdery substance in the blackberry field. Do not panic, this is just Dematiaceous Earth…its good for you! We use it to repel the fruit flies after rain events. We will update our website and post on social media when the U-Pick blackberry field is open.
Peaches- This is our main crop. Currently we have three orchards that total about 6,000 trees and consist of 30 different varieties ripening from May until August. The crop this year is not a great one due to last year’s drought and very low chill accumulation during winter. I’m thinking we have about 30% crop overall. The earlier varieties that ripen in May and June are lower chillers and have 100%crop but as the season goes along less and less percentage or volume of peaches. Therefore, U-Pick Peaches will have to wait until next year. To be clear, we will have peaches all season long but just not enough volume to keep our store supplied and allow the public in the Peach Orchard. Let me do the work this year and stop by grab a box that we are going to pick daily and/or do one of the other things that we offer. The ripening sequence can be found on our website. www.fredericksburgfruitfarm.com
Pumpkins/Corn Maze- Lots of exciting new things coming again this year. We have decided to move the maze closer to the highway. This year it will be located just past the strawberry field. This block had some very old peach trees that were ready to retire. Almost as old as I am. With that be said something new will be planted at the old corn maze sight soon. It is 5 acres with underground irrigation so possibly my wife will get her flower field. This way there is something to pick year-round. We are also fine tuning this year’s maze design and I feel it is the best one yet. Pumpkin seed has been ordered and field prep will begin this month in order to plant in June. www.fredericksburgmaze.com
Other- Stay tuned for updated info on social media daily until the next crop update. We will open 7 days a week very soon. Our new restaurant onsite “Leroy’s” just celebrated its one-year anniversary. Those folks are doing a really good job. If you want quality and customer service, I think you won’t be disappointed. Check out the menu and hours at www.leroystexmexbbq.com
Lastly, I wanted to mention I am currently working on a cartoon map of the farm so our customers can easily find their way around. I look forward to sharing this. Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
Barrett Jenschke |
