C2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 31,1980
As June draws near strawberry lovers await that first
red berry with great anticipation. The time is almost here,
and a few early ones have probably been consumed, but
the fields full of red berries are yet to come.
Glenn P. and Brenda Book, 655 Strasburg Pike, Lan
caster, are awaiting this season with special interest
because it will mark their second season in the pick-your
own business. They are looking forward to this year
because as Brenda puts it, “Experience taught us a lot.
The opening will depend upon the weather, but itlooks like
agoodyear.”
Bodendale Farms, the home of the Books and their
three daughters, is also the home of a milking herd of 38
Registered Holsteins. A few years ago the family
discussed the need for a cash crop. Tobacco had provided
that crop in earlier years but they wanted something
different.
Glenn states, “We didn’t feel we had the acreage to go
really big into dairying. Strawberries fit into our dairy
program.” The Books own about 40 acres and rent an
additional 60 acres.
Strawberries, they reasoned, did not require as much
work as tobacco, which is almost a year-round
proposition, and they did not require a lot of additional
equipment. So three years ago they used their tobacco
planter to plant their first two acres of strawberries. They
did some research by contacting area growers, and
though they were hoping to find “the perfect plant,” they
quickly learned that everyone has his favorite variety.
This year they have four acres in production, and two
acres with new plants. They have experimented with eight -
varieties, but this year planted just four. Their eight
varieties included Red Glow, Midway, Raritan, Guardian,
Sparkle, Early Glo, Darrow and Red Chief.
Another factor in their decision was the absence of any
local strawberry pick-your-own businesses and their
location. They said there are about 20 apartment houses
within four miles, so Glenn adds, “We figured we’d have
enough customers.”
Brenda is in charge of the pick-your-own part of the
business and Glenn takes care of the spray program.
Immediate family and two teenaged neighbors assist
during the season, and, occasionally, with the big task of
hoeing.
(omestfioi, c H/offiS
Although things get pretty hectic during the pick-your
own season, Brenda points out that it lasts just three
weeks. During the busy season, she says, “There’s always
something to be done. I only get the meals and get the
wash done.” And despite the abundance of those lovely
red berries, she says, “I don’t get a chance to put up as
many as I like. In the very beginning I freeze some and
make some jam.”
The Books feel their pick-your-own business was suc
cessful last year. Glenn notes, “Generally the public is
pretty good. We didn’t have any bad experiences. We were
lucky.” Brenda adds, “You need a sense of humor.”
For the pickers, the Books provide a tray, at no cost,
which holds about ten pounds of berries. “We prefer they
take the berries home in the tray,” Brenda says, “It’s just
one customer service.”
The trays, which are flat for the name imprint, are
assembled by the Books three daughters, making it a true
family operation. Their daughters are Lori 6, Susan 7, and
Tracy 11. Tracy also pitches in at the cash register and
with the telephone answering as necessary.
As the customers arrive, they can park in a meadow
reserved for the purpose and then they are assigned
places in the field. Sticks are used to mark the place
where they finish picking. This year the Books feel their
Six-year-old Lori is an important part of the
business at Bodendale Farm. Here she demon
strates her skill at assembling the trays which
customers use to hold their luscious berries.
June is berry busy at Bodendale Farm
BY SALLY BAIR
Staff Correspondent
Strawberry season
brings the Book family
together literally as they
conduct their pick-your
own strawberry
business. Here Glenn
and Brenda assemble
trays as daughter Lori
looks on.
organization will be better because they have two fields
open and can alternate fields to allow the berries to ripen.
Brenda says, “We get all ages, from six up. We get a lot
of retired people and they really know how to pick. In the
evening we get a lot of men/’ She said they discourage
very young children from being in the fields because of the
(vmage they can do.
the added, “Some people don’t know how to pick, but
i a’d rather, have them ask questions than just pick
' vxthout knowing what to look for. Sometime people come
with berries with white tips, and we want satisfied
customers so we prefer that they ask first.”
One of their more amusing customers was a man who
topped all his berries in the field before bringing them to
be weighed so he wouldn’t have to pay the extra weight for
the tops. The Books lamented that the berries were
crushed before they left the property.
While some customers pick just a quart, many pick in
large quantities for freezing. Brenda points out that after
ten pounds the price goes down. She said they also have
many repeat customers during the course of the season.
They get some interesting requests, like the customers
who would like to have, the Books save a spot in the field
which would be theirs for the season.
Last year Brenda recalls that they began the season
when the children were still in school so Brenda waited on
all the customers. “I did a lot of good walking and lost ten
pounds,” she recalls with a laugh.
They learned last year that their rows were too wide for
easy picking, so this year the rows are narrower. Straw is
put between the rows for comfort while picking.
The pick-your-own business is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
six days a week. Some customers arrive at 7 a.m., but
Brenda doesn’t open the field until 8. Each customer is
given a paper which states the rules for picking, and it
dearly states that cows and equipment are off limits for
visitors.
Glenn admits that his milk production fell during
strawberry season last year although he does try to
continue with his regular work as much as possible. He
acknowledges that customers have been respectful of the
heifers and do not try to enter their bam or pasture.
Brenda operates the weigh station and the cash register
from their ghrage, and this year a phone will be installed
to save a few steps when it rings and someone wants to
Brenda Book. Strasburg Pike, inspects her .
strawberry blossoms. At this point she feels the Th,s * ttractive makes it easy for customers
harvest will be a good one if the weather t 0 . find the Books ' pfck-your-own strawberry
cooperates. business.
know if the picking is good. Brenda said they can regulate
to some degree the number of customers by advising that
they wait a day or two for optimum opportunity to pick.
Glenn noted that they tiy to discourage picking in the
rain, but a few hardy folks are adamant and go barefooted
through the fields.
Another problem, according to Brenda, is cutting off
customers at the end of the season. She explained that
some people want to pick even when the berries are past
their prime, but the Books do hot want unsatistifed
customers and feel they must make a stopping date.
Although Brenda hails from the village of Willow Street,
she is certainly a full-fledged farmer’s wife and enjoys her
contribution to the family farm operation v “I’ve learned a
lot,” she says.
Of course, as any good dairy farm wife, she likes to do
canning and freezing of her own. Obviously when berries
are ripe, there is no time for gardening. She says, “I get
my garden in late and hopefully no vegetables come in
during strawberry season.” |
Although there are no plans for expansion, the Books’
say they have considered planting sweet com for their
new-found customers.
The Books point out that there is an investment long
before there is a return, but they feel the strawberry crop
will provide a good cash crop program for them. Glenn
says, “Brenda and the girls can handle it very well.”
He also noted that when an acreage is finished he can
plow it up and plant late corn after strawberry season.
“We can make good use of the land,” he states. They use
“a little fertilizer and manure” in their strawberry fields.
For the past two years they have mulched with straw, but
this year they are going to experiment with seeding spring
oats in the fields.
Brenda explained that although the rows are made for
cultivation with a tractor, the weeds must still be hoed by
hand. She said, “We attack the field and anybody who has
spare time hoes. It’s pretty clean now.”
In addition to dairying and selling strawberries, the
Books are active in their community. Glenn is general
manager of the West Lampeter Community Fair. While it
is obviously a big assignment, he sap modestly, “I just
‘Oodendale
(Turn to Page C 4)
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