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Suter's Produce

Home of the famous Strawberries, Sweetcorn, and Corn Maze & Cider Press in Pandora, OH!

Strawberries!

  • Fresh picked Mon-Sat by our wonderful family of workers!
  • Our Strawberry Season typically starts in June. Season updates are posted on our Home page, on Facebook, and through our email list.
    • To join our email list:
      • email us at suterproduce@yahoo.com
      • put “email list” in subject line
      • Please put your zip code or preferred Red Barn Market in your email for the most accurate updates.
Our Strawberries usually bloom in May...
...the blooms develop into green berries...
strawberries
...in June, the berries turn red and ripe...
...the tasty strawberries are picked by our awesome berry pickers...
eating a berry
... for you to ENJOY!
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Frost Protection

Did you know?
Most years we are faced with several Spring frosts that would kill our strawberry blooms. We use irrigation to try to protect as many blooms as possible when a frost is predicted. The protection comes from the freezing process of the water on the plants. When water changes state from a liquid to a solid, heat is released. It’s this small amount of heat that can keep the plant temperature closer to 32 degrees instead of colder bloom killing temperatures.

 

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Ice Covered Straw

While not perfect, irrigation remains the most effective way to protect the tender strawberry blooms from cold frosts in the spring.

 

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More Ice Covered Vegetation

As nerve racking as these cold spells are, they often lead to some beautiful scenes in the early morning sunshine that usually follows the long nights of frost protecting the berry blooms.

 

Some of our Favorite Strawberry Recipes:

Wauneta Suter’s special recipe for freezing strawberries:

Wash berries gently in cold water, drain and remove caps then set aside. Boil together 1 1/2 cups sugar and 6 cups water. Add 1 large packet of strawberry Jello. Cool. Fill Freezer bags 3/4 full with berries. Evenly fill bags with cooled Jello solution & mix well. Freeze completely. Defrost before serving.

Strawberry Freezer Jam with Suter’s strawberries:

  1. Use about 1 quart of Suter’s strawberries for each batch of freezer jam.
  2. Crush Suter berries. Measure exactly 2 cups of crushed Suter berries with 4 cups of sugar.
    Let stand for 10 minutes.
  3. While it is standing, stir 4 Tbls. pectin into 3/4 cup water in small saucepan and bring to a boil on high heat. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
  4. Stir pectin mixture into fruit, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved (about 3 minutes)
    Pour into clean containers, leaving 1/2 inch space at top for expansion during freezing.
  5. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours until set. Store in freezer for up to 1 year. Or refrigerate up to 3 weeks.
  6. Makes about 5 cups.

Strawberry Ice

1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
2 Tblsp. Lemon juice
1 ½ c. sugar
2 c. water
1 qt. Suter’s Strawberries

In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over lemon juice: set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Stir in softened gelatin. Wash strawberries, remove and discard caps. Puree berries in blender or food processor. Stir pureed berries into syrup mixture. Cool to room temperature.

Ice Cream maker method: Pour into ice cream canister. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacture’s directions.

Freezer method: Pour prepared mixture into a 9-inch square pan or several undivided ice trays. Cover with foil or plastic wrap. Place in freezer: freeze until firm, 3-6 hours. Scrape frozen mixture with a fork until pieces resemble finely crushed ice. Serve immediately. For a smoother texture, freeze prepared mixture until firm; break into small pieces. Spoon half of mixture into chilled food processor bowl. Beat with metal blade until light and fluffy but not thawed. Repeat with remaining frozen mixture. Serve immediately or return beaten mixture to pan and freeze until firm, 1-3 hours. Makes about 2 quarts.

Strawberry Mousse

Crust:
½ c. butter, softened
¼ c. confectioners’ sugar
1 c. all-purpose flour
Filling:
1 qt. fresh Suter’s Strawberries, divided
2 Tblsp. Lemon juice
¾ c. sugar
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
¼ c. water
2 c. whipping cream, whipped or whipped topping
Few drops red food coloring, optional

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. With a fork, stir in flour. Pat into the bottom of a 9-inch or 10-inch spring form pan; prick with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until golden. Cool.
Meanwhile, for filling, puree enough berries to make 2 cups. Reserve remaining berries for garnish. Blend lemon juice and sugar into puree. Combine gelatin and water in a saucepan; warm over low heat to dissolve. Add gelatin to puree; chill until mixture begins to thicken. Fold in whipped cream, and food coloring if desired. Pour into crust; chill. Garnish with reserved berries.

Serves 8-10.

Fresh Strawberry Cobbler

¼ c. butter or margarine, softened
¾ c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ c. flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ c. milk
3 c. fresh Suter’s Strawberries, cut in half lengthwise
¼ c. flour
¼ c. sugar
¼ c. butter or margarine, chilled

Beat ¼ cup softened butter at medium speed with electric mixer; gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, beating well. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing well.
Combine 1 ¼ cups flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon into a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Arrange berries on top, cut side down.
Combine ¼ cup flour and ¼ cup sugar, cut in ¼ cup butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over strawberries. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or till tests done with wooden pick. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

Serves 8.

Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Mix

2 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. lime juice (from 2 medium limes)
¼ c. water
1 qt. fresh Suter’s Strawberries, washed and hulled

Combine sugar, lime juice and water in a bowl. Stir to mix and then let stand until sugar is almost completely dissolved, about 15 minutes (mixture will be thick).

In blender or food processor, combine the sugar mixture with the berries. Blend until smooth. Pack into half-pint, pint, or quart size freezer containers; freeze. Or, pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until firm, unmold and pack into resealable freezer bags.