Picking Strawberries Is a Tradition

It's strawberry picking time in Plant City area.  Soon the area will be abuzz with the Florida Strawberry Festival February 28 to March 10. See here.

Field across from Turkey Creek Middle

I saw this strawberry spirit first hand when I substituted in Agriculture at Turkey Creek Middle School on Valentine's Day, where, of course, there is a large strawberry field. The students planted strawberries in October and now they are ready for harvest. Two schools are next door to each other. J. S. Robinson kindergartners escorted by teachers and chaperones walked next door to pick strawberries in the middle school's strawberry field with the FFA (Future Farmers of America) middle school students on Valentine's Day.


The FFA Produce Stand where kindergartners gathered


The middle school students had already started picking strawberries, but soon paired up with the kindergarten students.

Kindergarten teacher Ms. Stevens



Chaperone Shirley Culpepper
  

Shirley Culpepper grew up in the area and remembers this fine tradition of picking strawberries when she was a child. 

For the young guests

At the end of first period it started to rain and we brought all the students back to the AG building which has two classrooms with a bathroom in between. Rain didn't stop the fun, because Turkey Creek AG teacher Ms. Sparkman had a plan. In one room the kindergarten classes watched the movie "Jammer the Strawberry"  (http://flastraberry.com/education/fammer-videos/ ) and enjoyed coloring books from The Florida Strawberry Growers Association. Funds from the produce stand also purchased cookies and drinks for the kindergartners. 

All in all a good time was had by all including this substitute
who enjoyed strawberries and other fresh vegetables.