Chris Litto

Freshly picked strawberries displayed in a bucket after a long day of scavenging at Cullipher Farm on April 19, 2024. Photo taken by Chris Litto.

Strawberries provide a delicacy that people enjoy worldwide, but some prefer to pick them themselves for a better taste.

Strawberries now consumed, called garden strawberries or Fragaria x ananassa, as they are known scientifically. This strawberry species was created from the accidental crossbreeding in Europe of F. chiloensis strawberry species from Chile with the F. virginiana species from North America, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Virginia Beach’s strawberry season starts in late April and becomes most popular around Mother’s Day, attracting many local customers. Strawberries are popular in Virginia Beach because of its temperate climate, productive soil and large consumer base.

Many consumers make Virginia Beach a hub for the wide world of strawberries, ranging from strawberry festivals to pick-your-own farms. The Pungo Strawberry Festival was canceled this year and has been for the past five years.

“We are on hiatus until we can assemble a new team and a suitable venue avails itself,” stated the Pungo Strawberry Festival in a Facebook post.

However, pick-your-own farms still thriving in Virginia Beach offer a unique way to get fresh fruit straight from the source. In Virginia Beach, many popular farms offer fresh strawberry produce, including Cullipher Farms, Flanagan Farms, Salem Berry Farm, Vaughan Farms’ Produce and Henley Farm; they allow people to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine while they support local farmers.   

“I like strawberry picking in Virginia Beach from the locals because they are fresh, and I get to learn where they come from,” said junior Edwin Villatoro-Caceres.