Of Strawberries, graduations and barbecue

I pick up Miss B every Tuesday and Thursday from preschool. On our way back to my house, we pass DJ's Berry Patch and family farm.    

Beginning in February, the farm was being readied for strawberry season. It's a pretty complicated process. You can find out more about how strawberries in NC are grown here.

We got excited as the rows were planted. We got worried when the weather got colder than normal and plastic was put over the rows or covered with freezing water when the weather dropped down below freezing. 

After the miserable winter, we wondered about the strawberries. Would spring ever come? Would we ever get to pick strawberries?  Somebody asked twice a week, "are they ready yet?"

Finally, three weeks later than usual, they were!

Miss B picked some before we resorted to buying a big ole bucket. And grandma had to go back and buy another bucket because some grandchildren love strawberries so much they didn't want to share!

Do you know the correct way to store fresh picked strawberries, especially large quantities? Here is how you do it if you are going to eat them, like we do, quickly:

1)  Do NOT take the caps off or wash before storing.

2) Do examine strawberries for bruises or mold, especially if you are buying a container full. These affect how long they will keep.

3) Do NOT wash them. Strawberries soak up moisture. Very Spongebob like.  Put them in an open container with a layer of paper towels.

4) Wash and then de-cap right before serving. Eat within a few days

It's funny how every year, strawberry season coincides with graduations. This year, prime picking time was on top of graduation. And even funnier, one special graduation was celebrated by the pickin' of a pig.  

I've waxed poetic about my first North Carolina pig pickin' (you can read about that barbecue adventure here. Just click) But no barbeque was more fun than the one we attended this past weekend, hosted by our son, who graduated from law school, and our daughter-in-law.  Three years of hard work while raising three children under six. Of course, they were going to party. Sixty people from as near as their neighborhood and as far as Maryland showed up to congratulate this family that has done so well.

This picture is great but you ought to see the one with all the family trying on his grad cap. They all went to law school.

What about you? What growing season accompanies your graduation season? Are strawberries already gone? Are you still waiting for them? Is there something special y'all cook for big celebrations?