Whether you are a strawberry grower or a retailer, you want the best strawberries for your business and your customers. The right strawberries education and training resources will help you to learn how to grow, handle, package, store and ship your strawberries. Keeping up to date with the latest information about strawberries can be challenging, but it is important for the health of your strawberries.

The best strawberries education and training combines hands on training and studying. It will ensure your strawberries, strawberry plants for sale and strawberry bushes stay looking their best. For a well rounded strawberry education, try:

1. Joining a professional strawberry growers or strawberry distributors association.

2. Searching through strawberry companies research databases.

3. Partaking in a strawberry plants festival in your area.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Join a professional strawberries association and gain access to training materials

A strawberries association provides educational resources on everything from strawberry seeds to strawberry plants. Associations are also a great place to find strawberry wholesalers, strawberry distributors and strawberry growers.

I recommend: The North Carolina Strawberry Association can provide you with training information and a list of educators that specialize in the field of strawberry education. For strawberry growers educational resources check out the Florida Strawberry Growers Association.

Stay informed about strawberry seeds and strawberries with current research and information

Strawberry growers, distributors and wholesalers can all benefit from the right education about their fruit of choice. Whether you have time to read a full report or just scan for the highlights, online databases are sure to be an affective educational tool for your business.

I recommend: The California Strawberry Commission offers a database of researchers and health professionals that specialize in strawberries education. For the latest research concerning growing strawberry plants check out the North American Strawberry Growers Association.

Attend a local strawberry plants festival for hands on training

Festivals are the ideal places to network with other business owners and educate yourself on what other people are doing in the industry. Whether you are an exhibitor or an attendee, the knowledge you find is sure to help you with your business. Strawberry producers and strawberry growers often attend festivals to showcase their products and network with other business owners in the industry.

I recommend: The Strawberries and Art Festival is a favorite yearly event for the state of Massachusetts. On the west coast, consider the California Strawberry Festival to enhance your strawberries knowledge, and if you are in Florida check out the Florida Strawberry Festival for the latest information and educational resources in the area.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some cities offer local groups or associations. These groups are the ideal places to find strawberries education and training resources in your area.

Strawberries are one of the most consumed and utilized fruits, either served fresh or in any number of recipes. A super sweet berry, they are considered a staple of the pastry and dessert world. For your restaurant or bakery shop to be successful, you need to include strawberries in many ways on your menu.

Growing strawberries is relatively easy. Adding a few strawberry bushes to your greenhouse or garden will give you the freshest berries possible for your recipes. If you don't have the room or green thumb to grow your own, order directly from strawberry producers, strawberry companies and other distributor of strawberries. When looking for the best strawberry distributors, you should:

1. Peruse your recipes to determine the volume and variety of strawberries you will need for the dishes on your menu.

2. Find a reputable strawberry farm or distributor in your area for the freshest strawberries at the best price.

3. Purchase strawberries in bulk or wholesale to save money and help clear inventory from strawberry farmers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Pick the strawberry varieties you use most in your kitchen

There are many varieties of strawberries offering different levels of sweetness and different sizes. The variety of strawberry you choose to use in your dish should depend on the intensity of the sweetness you want in the dish.

I recommend: The National Gardening Association offers an extensive information on strawberry plant varieties and their characteristics to help you choose the best strawberry varieties for the dishes on your menu. They also offer information on how to grow, harvest and care for the strawberry plants and seeds. The Oregon Strawberry Commission hosts a page on their site with a listing of strawberry varieties which includes pictures and detailed information about each variety.

Find reputable strawberry plant growers offering strawberry plants for sale

The best place to find the highest quality strawberries is at a local farmer's market or strawberry grower in your area. Another option, especially if you want more control over the quality, size and flavors of the strawberries, is to grow them yourself. This can be done by planting strawberry seeds or plants in Spring and tenderly caring for them until Summer.

I recommend: Aarons Creek Farms, Inc. offers strawberry plugs in large quantities to save you money and give you the chance to grow your own strawberries. They are located in Virginia and orders can be picked up or shipped. Nourse Farms has a large variety of strawberry plants for creating your own strawberry garden. They also offer plants for blueberries, blackberries, elderberries and many other berry varieties for one-stop shopping.

Purchase wholesale strawberries to save money

To save money on strawberries, purchase them wholesale. This is especially good if you need large quantities of strawberries, need an assortment of varieties, or want to split the cost between two restaurants. Many wholesalers will offer you loyalty or advance ordering discounts also.

I recommend: Giammanco & Sons Produce has been around since 1905 and offers a huge variety of produce including strawberries. With one stop shopping, high quality strawberries and shipping to anywhere in the country, this is one of the best produce distributors in the US. Patterson Farm Inc. has wholesale strawberries available in three different bulk sizes--by the gallon, eight quart flats and 12 one-pint flats.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  For added convenience, some farms offer hulling and slicing services to make the fresh strawberries ready to use. This will cost extra but may be less for you in the savings of time and labor costs.

The strawberry itself is a highly perishable delight, but the essence it leaves is as enduring as the terms that encompass its identity. From the parts of a strawberry to varieties, handling and uses, your knowledge of the berry will result in appealing and mouth watering dishes. Since strawberry varieties vary in color, flavor, season, shape and size, there are many instances where knowing strawberry key terms is beneficial.

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Calyx, hull

The calyx along with the stem make up the hull of a strawberry. The calyx is the leafy part that cups the top of the berry. To keep the berries fresh longer, the calyx should stay attached to the fruit until it is prepared to be eaten.

I recommend: Good Food's information page on the strawberry talks about the calyx and how it should be considered in finding and keeping the freshest fruit. See a diagram of strawberry parts at The Free Dictionary.

Phytonutrient, phenol

Phytonutrients are disease-preventing compounds found in plants. Recent thought is that eating foods rich in phytonutrients has benefits of maintaining health by preventing and fighting disease. Strawberries are loaded with the phytonutrient phenol. Phenol is known to work against inflamation.

I recommend: The George Mateljan Foundation explores in detail the phytonutrients of strawberries. Visit Hungry Zone for information on how these phenols benefit our health.

Pips, achenes

Pips, formally known as achenes, are the dots on the outside of the berry. Most people think these are seeds, but they are really fruits themselves, each having its own seed. The achenes can add a grainy texture to dishes that call for strawberries; however, since they contain large amounts of phenols, so removing them detracts from the fruit's nutrients.

I recommend: Learn more about achenes from the Illinois Natural History Survey. EDinformatics goes into more detail on pips and its significance with the strawberry.

Double-cropping strawberry, everbearing strawberry

One of the two types of everbearing strawberry plants, double-cropping plants yield biannually. These strawberries are harvested in the spring and in the fall. The cool evenings trigger the plants to produce fruit.

I recommend: The Garden Helper gives information on these everbearing strawberries including recommendations of different varieties. For first hand information from experienced gardeners, check out You Grow Girl.

Day-neutral strawberry

Day-neutral varieties of strawberries produce a crop steadily through the growing season. Neither day length nor night temperature is a determining factor in promoting growth in this kind. Day-neutral varieties make it possible for consumers to have fresh berries throughout the year.

I recommend: The Virginia Cooperative Extension offers extensive information on the day-neutral kind of everbearing strawberry. Plant Land goes into great detail on this and other types of strawberries.

June bearing strawberries

June bearing strawberries have a short harvesting season of about three months. During this time, more berries are harvested than any other time throughout the year. June bearing varieties tend to yield bigger and more flavorful berries than other varieties.

I recommend: The How To Garden Guide explores deeper into June bearing strawberries. Iowa State University will help you learn about and grow June bearing berries.

Strawberries are a tasty, seasonal fruit that can be expensive. Restaurants and other food establishments can save money on strawberries pricing and costs by growing their own wild strawberries to use in recipes. Strawberry seeds are the least expensive way of growing your own strawberries, but do require more effort on the part of the business owner. For less than $30, though, you can have several strawberry plants to get started.

It is important to weigh the time versus money option when looking into having a supply of strawberries. Frozen strawberries are also a way to have a consistent supply of strawberries and not have to worry about waste. Considering strawberries pricing and costs when looking to add strawberries to your inventory:

1. Frozen strawberries are a good way to purchase wholesale strawberries and only use what you need.

2. Strawberry seeds from strawberry seed distributors is an inexpensive way to cultivate strawberries.

3. Strawberry plants can lessen the time for growing strawberries, but can cost a little more.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase frozen strawberries to eliminate wasted fruit

Frozen strawberries from a distributor of strawberries are a way to have 'fresh' strawberries without having to worry about the expiration. Buying frozen costs slightly more than fresh strawberries, but you don't have to worry about wasting any of the fruit. Frozen strawberries, when thawed, do have a softer texture than fresh, but frozen is a good alternative when you want to always have strawberries on hand. You can purchase a pound of frozen strawberries for around $5. Buying in bulk will decrease the per pound price.

I recommend: Organic Direct sells organic frozen strawberries by the bag. Food Service Direct sells frozen strawberries by the pound.

Buy seeds directly from strawberry seed distributors

Buying strawberry seeds is the least expensive way to have strawberries. The trade off is the time and effort that needs to be put into cultivating the strawberries. For around $3, though, you can have a packet of between 20 and 25 seeds. Eventually your $3 could really pay off, but it will take time and care to produce enough strawberries to supply a restaurant or food establishment. Purchasing seeds directly from the strawberry seed distributor will get you a better wholesale price on seeds.

I recommend: Hortus Botanicus sells two varieties of strawberry seeds. Organica Seed provides information on growing strawberries from seed.

Spend a little more on strawberry plants to expedite the growing process

Strawberry plants are a good way to have access to your own strawberry supply, but get a jump start on the growing process. Buying strawberry bushes requires a minimal investment for strawberry producers to grow strawberries and doesn't require the additional time to grow strawberries from seed. For around $30, you can purchase up to 25 strawberry plants. Again, strawberry growers can save money by purchasing strawberry plants in bulk.

I recommend: Mountain Valley Growers has strawberry plants for sale by the dozen. Garden Guides has tips for cultivating strawberry plants.