Strawberry Day at Chesterhill

There is something so magically special about strawberry season in Appalachia. Rich, hill-country soils and micro-climates, the gardening savvy of accomplished growers, a sunny day in late May—all these combine to produce such a remarkable, ruby-red experience.

Appalachian strawberries, heaven on earth

If heaven were red, it would surely be flavored with Appalachian-grown strawberries.

No, we’re not talking about something you can  find in the supermarket. Not those giant-sized, hard berries with the white insides. Appalachian-grown berries are smaller, tender, juicy, and deep red all the way to the core. And oh, the flavor. No words suffice. You just have to try them to understand.

These beauties are best found along the two-lane roads and rural landscapes of southeastern Ohio, West Virginia, southwestern Virginia, western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and eastern Kentucky. Found where the sun kisses narrow creek bottomlands and mountain traditions run deep.

Short season creates frenzy

Peak strawberry season in Appalachia only lasts a few weeks a year. It creates an excitement bordering on frenzy. Something so incredibly wonderful but so short-lived drives people to put other things aside until they get their berry fill.

Chesterhill Produce Auction Strawberry Day

Nothing illustrates this strawberry passion any better than Strawberry Day at the Chesterhill Produce Auction in southeastern Ohio. Stuck way out in the hills, surrounded by nothing but farmland, the auction draws an extra bunch of buyers during strawberry season. It celebrated its Strawberry Day on May 28.

Sales were brisk on Strawberry Day with berries bringing between $3.50 and $4.25 per quart. This is much better money for the farmers than they could get from wholesalers. Buyers will gladly pay a premium to get these fresh-from-the-field beauties.

Late spring produce abounds

In addition to strawberries, the auction was chock-full of other spring produce. Beautiful asparagus, green onion, red onion, many types of lettuce, rhubarb, flowers, and vegetable plants filled the auction floor. Throughout the summer and fall the produce line up is constantly changing.

Established in 2005, the Chesterhill Produce Auction is a rural food hub in Appalachian Ohio operated by Rural Action with support from community members.

The auction serves as a marketplace for dozens of local growers reaching hundreds of buyers from throughout southeast Ohio and West Virginia each season. From restaurants sourcing from local producers to home buyers who can and preserve, the auction has fresh produce in quantities to satisfy the needs of any buyer.

Chesterhill Auction serves community

Each Monday and Thursday, from May through October, the auction is both an economic and social center in Morgan County, bringing together business owners as well as friends and neighbors enjoying camaraderie around local food.

Produce is brought in on horse-drawn buggies, in cars and on trucks, it is laid out on pallets for customers to inspect, creating an array of impressive bounty. Produce auctions serve as a way to aggregate produce from multiple growers; creating the capacity to serve larger buyers. They also create commercial destinations in rural areas.

For more information about the Chesterhill Produce Auction, visit www.ohiofoodshed.org or contact auction manager Tom Redfern at 740-677-4047 or tomr@ruralaction.org.