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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For homegrown treats, it\'s hard to beat the strawberry, the first sweet fruit of summer.

3 ]! F4 y' r/ g* a7 HFor 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.
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6 \4 h) L9 B0 G8 d3 j; ~! x6 ]\"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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1 u5 w3 H: x# n; XO\'Shea is encouraging residents to phone in before coming out to pick.
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4 ]2 p, W0 ^! U4 vOver at Red Barn Berries, near Woodstock, Sue Hilborn is expecting big things.

\"It\'s going to be huge,\" said Hilborn of this year\'s strawberry crop. \"We avoided any frost.\"
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Their pick-your-own operation opens today, said Hilborn, who urges residents to stock up on the summer treat.

7 x/ |  k+ b  M' I\"It\'s going to be easy picking,\" she said.

8 W. R& y3 Z$ w. p# ]STRAWBERRY PAIRINGS
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9 Q$ `2 s, ~0 z- e7 v# x5 v! U- Serve fresh strawberries with a cheese platter for an appetizer or after-dinner treat.

  e5 S+ D% \+ u6 K5 a  Y- Slice fresh strawberries into a salad of arugula and pecorino cheese.

- Another option is a salad of greens, sliced yellow pepper, strawberries and cooked pancetta or bacon.
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, v  j$ v- ]/ V7 c6 U- Try sliced strawberries in an omelette.

- 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

* P0 b8 |' X( l& j- When buying fresh strawberries, look for bright red berries with a sweet smell and no white or green spots.
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/ B( r1 x( v/ k6 }$ p6 }- Size doesn\'t matter -- large or small, all strawberries are equally sweet and juicy.

! k4 ^5 y& R6 t" v2 Q- Avoid crushed berries or those packed in juice-stained containers. Remove any damaged berries before they spoil the rest.
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- Refrigerate in a single layer with hulls intact. Just before using, gently rinse under cold running water and pat dry.
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; s: x9 ^% r, |& _- If freezing, place a single layer on a tray and freeze until firm. Pack into freezer bags and seal.

2 L8 O, N0 l" j4 H' m. }" U# I1 hFOR THE HEALTH OF IT
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Strawberries literally burst with healthy compounds, including anthocyanins -- natural plant pigments in berries that function as powerful antioxidants, sweeping out harmful free-radical molecules.

They contain ellagic acid, which is effective in neutralizing carcinogenic agents. As well, they are rich in kaempferol, which may help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol.

HOW SWEET

A sampling of area farmers offering strawberries.

- Foley Farms & Carolinian Winery, 4823 Dundas St., London, 519-268-2000
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- Ferguson\'s Produce, Wellington Road South, RR 6, St. Thomas, 519- 631-6589
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- G & M Howe and Sons, RR 5, Aylmer, 519-773-3837

9 i$ X! m( I3 k8 V8 t7 k- Heeman Greenhouses and Strawberry Farm, 20422 Nissouri Rd., Thorndale, 519-461-0555 or 519-461-1416
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- J.M.D. Vandepoele Farms, RR 1, Drumbo, 519-463-5796
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- Kerr Farm Market Inc., RR 6, Chatham, 519-352-4164
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! X& c. ~2 }: P- 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
3 N' L' A* W) ]+ W+ yJack & Teresa Van Diepen
519-652-5697
3 a& C! `- N/ B8 L& qwww.farmerjacksorchards.com
. l# ~2 s/ `5 H! ZLambeth
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Farm is located on Hwy. 4, 3 km south of Lambeth. Open daily 8 am - 8 pm