A berry good harvest

It appears that 2015’s strawberry harvest in England is going to be a bumper crop. According to The Telegraph, strawberry yields are expeced to increase by nearly 20 percent this year. The bump is due to “a perfect combination of weather conditions, new growing techniques and more land given over to the crop.”

Despite a sluggish start to the season with several cold nights in April, the berries recovered thanks to the sunniest winter on record, which benefitted greenhouse-grown crops. In addition to an increased yield, you can expect the berries to be sweeter as well.

The news in North America isn’t as heartening, as the continued drought in California puts stress on strawberry growers in that state. However, strawberry producers in other states report better luck with above-average May temperatures boosting yields. Berries should be plentiful in markets across the US and Canada.

If you find yourself with an excess of berries, look no further than the EYB Library for great strawberry recipes, including these Member favorites:

Strawberry mousse cake from Delicious Magazine (Aus) (pictured above)
Meringue and berry mess with hazelnut praline from Cuisine Magazine
Panna cotta with balsamic strawberries from Barefoot Contessa at Home
Strawberry Pimm’s cup from Saveur Magazine
Frozen strawberry margarita pie from Gourmet Magazine
Easy strawberry ice cream from Tinned Tomatoes