Picking strawberries in his pyjamas: Sonny Jim in the garden

Helloooo strawberry season!

It’s a sure sign that summertime is here when strawberries hang heavily from their runners.

Last year more than 137,000 tonnes of strawberries were sold in the UK, with shoppers spending upwards of £1.3 million on the classically British berry.

And the cold start to the year (remember that snow?!) mixed with the recent warm days and cooler nights, has led to a slightly later start to the strawberry season. The resulting slower strawberry ripening means this year’s British strawberries look set to be packed with more flavour than usual. (Sonny Jim certainly seems to be enjoying the dozens he picks daily from our garden’s strawberry patch!)

And Essex has more than a couple of spots where you can pick handfuls of strawberries yourself. Here are some of the best… Continue reading →