There’s something about strawberry season that feels like the true beginning of summer.
Bright red rows begin to fill the fields, families head out with buckets in hand, and fresh-picked strawberries quickly find their way into pies, jams, shortcakes, and kitchen counters across Nebraska. But beyond their sweetness, strawberries carry a few surprises that most people never realize.
Strawberries are packed with more vitamin C per serving than an orange, making them one of summer’s freshest ways to support your immune system and overall health. They are also full of antioxidants and natural sweetness, which is part of what makes them a favorite this time of year.
But here’s the part that surprises most people: strawberries are not technically berries.
Botanically, strawberries are considered “aggregate fruits” because their seeds grow on the outside rather than the inside. In fact, a single strawberry can carry around 200 seeds on its surface. Every small seed is its own individual fruit, all connected together to form what we know as a strawberry.
They are also part of the rosaceae family, meaning strawberries are closely related to roses. Once you know that, it’s easy to see the resemblance in their delicate white blossoms that appear before the fruit begins to form.
Like apples, strawberries depend heavily on pollination. Bees play a major role in shaping the fruit itself, helping strawberries grow fuller, sweeter, and more evenly developed. Without pollinators, strawberry harvests would look very different.
That connection between pollinators, fresh food, and the orchard is exactly why we are excited for this year’s Hive to Harvest Dinner in the Orchard on June 13 from 6 to 9 PM. Register at this link!
The evening celebrates the hardworking honeybees that help make so much of the orchard possible, while highlighting fresh, local foods grown right here in Nebraska. Surrounded by the orchard and summer blooms, guests will enjoy an evening centered around the connection between agriculture, pollinators, and the food we share around the table.
Strawberry season may not last long, but it marks one of the sweetest stretches of the year. And every berry picked carries a story much bigger than most people realize!
