This week, Terry Jones of Jones Family Farms will celebrate a golden anniversary - fifty years of harvesting the sweet, red, Jones' strawberries!
“I guess you might call it more of a ‘Strawberry Red Anniversary’ than the typical ‘Golden Anniversary’ that honors a half century of tradition,” said Jones. “Since it takes a year for the plants to begin production, it’s a two-year celebration. In 2013, we recognized the 50th anniversary of planting the ‘Queen of Fruits’ and 2014 marks the 50th harvest!”
According to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner, Steven K. Reviczky, Terry Jones may be the state’s oldest commercial grower having continuously harvested strawberries for 50 years.
Two aspects of strawberries have remained constant over the last half-century, according to Jones. First, the consistent challenge of the weather. This spring is no exception. “Fortunately we haven’t experienced any big heat waves so far this 2014 spring season.” However, Jones points out “this was the first time in 50 years we have not needed to protect the strawberry blossoms from frost!”
“The second constant,” says Jones, “is the excitement and passion of our farm guests to harvest and to taste the sweet goodness of the first, ripe strawberries of the season!” Connecticut strawberries are ripening now, as they normally do in mid June, just a little later due to the slow arrival of spring after the endless snow of last winter.
Jones Family Farms is located in Shelton, Connecticut, off Route 110. For more information regarding hours of operation, picking locations, picking tips, and other information, visitors can call the Farmer Jones crop info line at (203) 929-8425, visit the Jones website at www.jonesfamilyfarms.com/farm/strawberries, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jonesfamilyfarms, or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jonesfamilyfarm.