First strawberry!

[gregorach]

I've just picked (and eaten, obviously!) the first ripe strawberry of the year from my allotment. It was nice.

Anybody else got 'em already? And I mean outdoors - polytunnels don't count! (Yes, I'm looking at you, Rob. )

[Iona]

Yeah!!! we've had 4/5, but we are rather further south than you...

[featherstick]

we have about 3 kg of this year's strawberries in the freezer already. We've had a glut - even little Leo is sick of them now.

(To freeze strawberries, freeze them in a single layer on a tray or lid, then once frozen transfer into a bag. That way you don't have a single coagulated strawberry lump.)

[gregorach]

Ach, you lucky southerners, with your long growing seasons...

[Rebel]

I've been getting a few ripe ones for the past week or so, grown organically and outdoors. Unfortunately all the birds and insects are partial to them too.

[durulz]

Yup, we've had quite a few strawberries already (in south east as well!). The only slight bugbear is that they rippen in twos or threes - not enough for a serving! So they get eaten as they ripen rather than as a pudding. Damned nice though.

[Jaysurfer]

We have had strawberries for the last 3 weeks in our garden. Very nice, we keep a net over them tho to stop the birds.

They are great... nothing better than home grown food