Pick your own bowl of delight: what it's like to be a strawberry farmer

Whether you prefer to eat them with a dollop of cream, a scoop of ice cream or simply by themselves, now is the time when the fields are filled with this much-loved fruit.

The strawberry season is in full swing after a milder winter and warmer spring meant this year’s crop arrived ahead of schedule.

Latest figures show that as a nation we can't get enough of the classically British berry, which remains the country's most popular soft fruit.

During the past 12 months, more than 131,000 tonnes of strawberries have been sold in the UK, according to the British Summer Fruits growers' association.

While a whopping 140,000 portions of strawberries and cream are served up every year at Wimbledon, having been dished up at the tournament for the first time in 1877.

And 2019 is expected to be another bumper year with Pick Your Own sites around the region are open for business including Essington Farm, near Wolverhampton.

There are around three acres of the soft fruit growing in polytunnels at this long-running business run by the Simkin family.

The farm in Bognop Road, Essington,has been growing strawberries and selling them to the local community since 1978.

This year's season started two weeks ago and will run until late September with around 5,000 visitors expected to visit throughout the summer.

Some people come to pick them just for the fun of it usually buying less but paying for the enjoyable experience.

While others will make return visits throughout the warmer months to stock up on the fruit for tasty desserts.

At Essington Farm, the strawberry varieties have been chosen purely for their flavour rather than shelf-life as they know people will be enjoying them fresh.

"We have two main varieties - Sonata and Centenary - and they are renowned for their flavour and sweetness.

"This year the first crop is about 10 days earlier than it would normally be and I think it's because of the mild February we had this year.

"Last year we had the Beast from the East and we were only just started the early crop but already we're halfway though this time," explains Will Simkin, co-owner of the business.

The farm began growing their crop completely in polytunnels for the first time last year and it proved a huge success.

"It helps to extend the season because if they are growing in the ground the season is only six weeks as they are at the mercy of the weather.

"The strawberries are covered if we get a wet week they will still be okay. The early crop were covered with fleece to keep them warm during the spring to help them come on," says Will.

Strategic planting ensures that all of the crop doesn't ripen at once and strawberries continue to be available throughout the summer months.

They planted in grow bags placed on top of tables which means they are at the perfect height for picking.

"The table tops make it easy for the customers to pick them and they don't have to bend down.

"The quality of the fruit is better because they don't get any rain damage," Will tells Weekend.

He says they are "fairly easy" plants to grow and the farm has an irrigation system set up to ensure they receive the right amount of water each day.

Keeping on top of pests is important and the team uses a biological control method to get rid of two-spotted mite, which can be damaging to crops.

"We use predatory insects that will eat the mite before they eat the plants. This way we can control the pests without using pesticides," explains Will.

Another challenge is ensuring there is a plentiful supply throughout the summer.

"Demand sometimes outstrips supply especially when we have a nice weather and we are busy. We will have to close the Pick Your Own site for a few days so there is time for more fruit to ripen.

"There is always peaks and troughs in the demand and peaks and troughs in the supply according to the weather," says Will.

The farm has also recently had to start charging a deposit per person for entering the Pick Your Own fields after discovering some people were abusing the system and not paying for what they pick.

They even had one group of customers bring their own picnic with cream so they could sample the strawberries without paying.

But most visitors respect the rules and this much-loved summer tradition of visiting a farm, picking your own fruit and taking it home to eat continues to be enjoyed by families.

"It's a cheap family day out and children are learning about where their food comes from and can see how a strawberry grows. It's interactive and healthy and the strawberries are sweet and taste nice," says Will.

And it's not just its strawberries that the farm is known for as the 50-acre Pick Your Own site also offers raspberries and gooseberries in late June, blueberries and blackcurrants in July, and plums and damsons in August along with vegetables including runner beans and courgettes.

The farm is also looking ahead to the autumn to ensure they is a plentiful crop of pumpkins ready for picking and carving, which is becoming an increasingly popular family activity.

"The pumpkins are going in as we speak so they are ready for Halloween," says Will.

See www.essingtonfarm.co.uk