6月13日 本地草莓丰收季节即将到来!

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Strawberry season is sweet for many delicious reasons, and it heralds the beginning of summer.
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. _( h, [5 [+ j0 i4 x/ eFor homegrown treats, it\'s hard to beat the strawberry, the first sweet fruit of summer.
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% g% D. o' g5 y8 \0 d* p# CFor the next few weeks Southwestern Ontario residents can buy strawberries at a local farm, or be farmers for a day and pick the strawberries themselves.

Mike O\'Shea of the O\'Shea\'s Farm Fresh, a family operation near Granton, said this year\'s crop is much better than last season because the weather has been much more co-operative.

\"It\'s not as cold and wet as it was last season, so it looks a lot more promising,\" he said.
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\"If the weather continues this way and maybe gets a little cooler, it will be just perfect, and we\'ll have a great turnout,\" he said.

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% S! K2 l% y$ B) U/ G+ D2 D4 M1 {O\'Shea is encouraging residents to phone in before coming out to pick.

Over at Red Barn Berries, near Woodstock, Sue Hilborn is expecting big things.
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\"It\'s going to be huge,\" said Hilborn of this year\'s strawberry crop. \"We avoided any frost.\"

Their pick-your-own operation opens today, said Hilborn, who urges residents to stock up on the summer treat.

# O" |; N4 y- ~: s7 ?9 ^\"It\'s going to be easy picking,\" she said.
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STRAWBERRY PAIRINGS
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- Serve fresh strawberries with a cheese platter for an appetizer or after-dinner treat.

- Slice fresh strawberries into a salad of arugula and pecorino cheese.

5 n$ h! x; d( l- Another option is a salad of greens, sliced yellow pepper, strawberries and cooked pancetta or bacon.

6 p8 ]7 S5 W$ G2 L( v- Try sliced strawberries in an omelette.

  B+ J0 i8 [' {( s- Marinate a pint of strawberries with 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) sugar and 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) balsamic vinegar and serve chilled garnished with freshly ground black pepper.
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STRAWBERRY TIPS

- When buying fresh strawberries, look for bright red berries with a sweet smell and no white or green spots.

" i' W  }+ A8 S" ]- Size doesn\'t matter -- large or small, all strawberries are equally sweet and juicy.

- Avoid crushed berries or those packed in juice-stained containers. Remove any damaged berries before they spoil the rest.
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/ F! o# h& r1 e8 K- Refrigerate in a single layer with hulls intact. Just before using, gently rinse under cold running water and pat dry.
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  _8 U/ M$ O4 O9 H# A) d- If freezing, place a single layer on a tray and freeze until firm. Pack into freezer bags and seal.

FOR THE HEALTH OF IT

Strawberries literally burst with healthy compounds, including anthocyanins -- natural plant pigments in berries that function as powerful antioxidants, sweeping out harmful free-radical molecules.

5 N+ p0 O$ A" RThey contain ellagic acid, which is effective in neutralizing carcinogenic agents. As well, they are rich in kaempferol, which may help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol.
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HOW SWEET
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A sampling of area farmers offering strawberries.

- Foley Farms & Carolinian Winery, 4823 Dundas St., London, 519-268-2000

4 ?) p5 n- g; T- Ferguson\'s Produce, Wellington Road South, RR 6, St. Thomas, 519- 631-6589

2 m: y' f$ W* J- e* @$ i- G & M Howe and Sons, RR 5, Aylmer, 519-773-3837

- Heeman Greenhouses and Strawberry Farm, 20422 Nissouri Rd., Thorndale, 519-461-0555 or 519-461-1416
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# R/ P: S; H$ B. |. a; a; T- J.M.D. Vandepoele Farms, RR 1, Drumbo, 519-463-5796
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/ L* }) R/ e+ G2 v! l4 P0 E- Kerr Farm Market Inc., RR 6, Chatham, 519-352-4164
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8 j* l" _% t8 q% t1 K! ]# U) s- Listowel Greenhouses, RR 2, Listowel, 519-291-2434

W.R.liz

if you can type the full words,maybe i can understand it more easily

bluelove

Farmer Jack’s Orchards
1 L: ?2 k8 x" ~Jack & Teresa Van Diepen
519-652-5697
! F: A" O$ t" |, {4 lwww.farmerjacksorchards.com
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Farm is located on Hwy. 4, 3 km south of Lambeth. Open daily 8 am - 8 pm