Makiifi 



STRAWS 



Strawberries can be grown consistently with as high a monetary return for 

 the investment as any crop there is. You must grow good berries which will pay 

 lor the extra effort used in producing them. The price of strawberries is dependent 

 upon quality, and quality makes it easy to sell your berries at a nice profit. Here 

 are some things to consider: 



having his crop picked by his customers. 

 Packages are in most cases suppUed by the 

 grower so the harvesting operation consists 

 of supervising the customer-pickers and col- 

 lecting the money for the fruit. Any location 

 within a few miles of a population center is 

 a natural for this type of berry growing. 



A person living in the city is able through 

 "Pick Your Own" to get a supply of com- 

 pletely fresh strawberries for his own use 

 with an outing that is both work and fun. 



In most cases "Pick Your Own" has the 

 unique situation of providing an ever-in- 

 creasing market, as satisfied customers tell 

 their friends and, like gossip, more and more 

 people find out. Usually 'Tick Your Owners" 

 have a regular mailing list by which they 

 let customers of past years know what vari- 

 ety will be available and when. A small 

 ad in the newspaper, a spot announcement 

 on the local radio station, or other means of 

 publicity may be necessary to bring cus- 

 tomers for the first time. After your reputa- 

 tion for good berries is established they will 

 be back. Here is an article from the Morris 

 County (N.J.) Daily Record of March 19, 1964, 

 which Mr. W. R. Muschett sent us: "Pick Your 

 Own Strawberries have come to the Borough. 

 A new hobby, to be tried for the first time, 

 will be started on June 6 when the first ber- 

 ries ripen. W. R. Muschett has been planting 

 berries for the past six years, and has finally 

 selected the Catskill variety, king of all straw- 

 berries in the north, a virus-free registered 

 plant from Maryland. The plants bloom in 

 May and picking should last 4 weeks in June. 

 Appointments may be arranged for picking 

 dates. So when you plan that strawberry 

 shortcake for dessert, pick your own." 



1. Strawberries can be grown anywhere; fine 

 varieties suitable for any state are available, 

 with new selections being released often. 



2. Strawberries are an excellent way to uti- 

 lize good land because a high income per 

 acre can be expected. This is especially true 

 near urban areas where good land is limited. 



3. Strawberries have a wide variety of mar- 

 kets available — local stores, chain stores, res- 

 taurants, processors, commission houses, road- 

 side markets and "Pick Your Own" projects. 



4. Strawberries require very little machinery 

 with little capital investment required. 



5. Strawberries are the first crop of the season, 

 and bear sooner than any other fruit crop: 



6. Strawberries under irrigation are protected 

 in the spring from blossom damage from frost 

 or freezing and the berries produced are 

 larger and better with ample moisture. 



7. Strawberries are excellent as a family busi- 

 ness or a commercial venture. The work re- 

 quired is suitable for older people, children 

 and women who enjoy working outside. 



8. Strawberries appeal to everybody. No one 

 can resist them when quality berries are of- 

 fered either at retail or wholesale. 



Here are some things to watch out for: 



1. Do not try to grow more strawberries than 

 you can take care of. The profit in growing 

 strawberries is in growing them well. 



2. Do all the things necessary to grow good 

 berries. Inferior berries will sell only when 

 quality berries are not available. 



"PICK YOUR OWN" 



As we have said for several years, the "Pick 

 Your Own" projects are increasing every year. 

 Fields will vary from less than an acre to 

 more than 20 acres, with the owner-grower 



New Haven Co., Conn., April, 1964: "I received 500 Midland plants three years ago. They 

 were out of this world. I am a retired man, age 52, and this gardening deal is a real hobby, 

 as well as a paying one. I sell 500 quarts each year at 50(^ per quart." Emil Lersh. 

 Dent Co., Mo., March 9, 1964. 'The Pocahontas berries were the most beautiful we ever 

 raised. We picked over 1200 quarts from 1,000 plants and got top market price for every 

 quart from A and P Stores." John A. Dill. 



Madison Co., N.Y., Jan. 30, 1964. "Next June will be fifty years I have been growing berries 

 for market. Have a roadside stand and supply many stores in the vicinity. Have purchased 

 plants from you for many years and always received good plants and good count. Please 

 accept order for 5,000 Earlidawn for this spring." Harry L. Gaines. 



