Pick Strawberries Day 🍓

Overview

Pick Strawberries Day, observed annually on May 20th, is an unofficial holiday that celebrates the joy of harvesting fresh strawberries. It encourages individuals and families to visit local farms and pick their own berries, embracing the peak of strawberry season. This day promotes appreciation for local agriculture, healthy eating, and the simple pleasure of gathering these sweet, vibrant fruits directly from the field.

Origin and story

Strawberries are the only fruit with their seeds on the outside.

Botanically, a strawberry is not a true berry but an 'aggregate accessory fruit' because its seeds are on the exterior.

Quick facts

• DateMay 20
• TypeKindness / Community
• Great forCommunity groups, Friends, Coworkers

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Ways to celebrate

"Pick-your-own" farming isn't a recent trend — it dates back to at least 1907, when a farm near Los Angeles advertised for people to come pick their own produce, and it later became a genuine lifeline during the Great Depression, when the model helped save California's 1932 cherry harvest by turning the labor shortage into a day-trip attraction.

Find a real working farm

• Look up a local strawberry farm that offers U-pick hours during peak season, rather than a pre-picked farm stand, to get the full field experience.

Read how the whole idea got started

Helpful resources: National Geographic traces the surprising economic history of U-pick farms in "The surprising history of America's 'pick-your-own' farms."

Pick with a plan

• Bring a shallow container instead of a deep bucket — stacking berries too high crushes the ones on the bottom before you even get home.

Did you know?

The U-pick model boomed again after World War II and once more in the 1960s, each time as farmers facing labor shortages or shrinking margins found that letting visitors do the harvesting themselves turned a cost into a source of income.

Fun facts

• Strawberries are the only fruit with their seeds on the outside.
• Botanically, a strawberry is not a true berry but an 'aggregate accessory fruit' because its seeds are on the exterior.
• An average strawberry contains approximately 200 seeds.

Sources and attribution

• The surprising history of America's 'pick-your-own' farms (National Geographic)

External links may lead to third-party websites.

Continue your streak

Open one more holiday before you go to build daily momentum.

• Yesterday: May-Ray DayQuick context from the day before.
• Tomorrow: I Need a Patch for That DayKeep the streak going with tomorrow's pick.
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• Popular: Pig in a Blanket DayA fan favorite with broad appeal.

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FAQ

When is Pick Strawberries Day?

It is observed on May 20 each year.

What is Pick Strawberries Day?

Pick Strawberries Day, observed annually on May 20th, is an unofficial holiday that celebrates the joy of harvesting fresh strawberries. It encourages individuals and families to visit local farms and pick their own berries, embracing the peak of strawberry season. This day promotes appreciation for local agriculture, healthy eating, and the simple pleasure of gathering these sweet, vibrant fruits directly from the field.

How do people celebrate Pick Strawberries Day?

Visit a local U-pick strawberry farm with a shallow container, and read up on how the pick-your-own farming model dates back to 1907 and helped struggling farms survive the Great Depression and postwar labor shortages.

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