Morning Glories

Today, the Market Lady offers Reason to Live No. 14: just-picked Ventura County strawberries.

A farmer’s handmade sign at Wednesday’s Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market said it all: “Sweet Oxnard Berries--Picked This Morning.”

For the next six weeks, through April and into May, at least half a dozen local berry growers will offer their fresh-as-the-morning-dew crops of Camarosas, Chandlers, Oso Grandes and Seascapes at all seven weekly markets throughout the county.

Donna Tamai, who sells at the markets for Oxnard’s Tamai Farms, recommends that you sample a vendor’s berries first.

“Every week is different with strawberries and how they taste--they’re always inconsistent, so that’s why you need to sample,” she explained.

Tamai said her berries will sometimes taste different in different parts of the same field on the same day.

Berry lovers will be pleased to know that in 1999, Ventura County growers planted 916 more acres, or 16% more strawberries, than they did in 1998, for a total of 6,692 acres--so says the California Strawberry Commission.

County Deputy Agriculture Commissioner Kerry Dufrain said the cold weather earlier this year affected some of the earlier varieties of strawberries, but that things are going well right now. “And as of Thursday, the rains have been OK to the berries this year,” Tamai said.

Whether to choose a hybrid berry like the “soft, sweet and big Camarosa,” or the more standard-size Chandler or Seascape variety depends on your taste, Tamai said.

At the Harry’s Berries vendor stand, which also sells fresh strawberry jam, Jennifer Magana of the local Iwamoto and Gean Farm said, “We’re really getting into prime berry season. April is probably the month, and the berries are getting sweeter all the time.”

Although there are scores of varieties of berries, the Camarosa was hybridized to stay fresher longer.

“It’s the one that can be air-freighted back East,” said Jerry Spawn, assistant manager of the Ventura and Thousand Oaks farmers’ markets. Choose the Camarosa if you want a berry with the longest shelf life.

Berry prices fluctuate, even at the same vendor’s stand, depending on grade. Currently, a three pack of first-quality berries is about $5. Less-than-perfect berries that still taste good will cost less.

Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Markets:

Simi Valley--Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 2273 Tapo St.

Camarillo--Saturday, 7 a.m. to noon, 2220 Ventura Blvd.

Ventura--Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Santa Clara and Palm streets.

Channel Islands Harbor--Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2810 S. Harbor Blvd.

Ojai--Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 300 E. Matilija St.

Thousand Oaks--Thursday, 3 to 7:30 p.m., The Oaks mall.

Ventura midtown--Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Main Street and Mills Road.