06/26/2026
I’ll never look at a strawberry the same way again.
I recently went to California to learn about the sustainable practices used in strawberry growing and to meet some of the real people who steward the land and feed our country. Mayra is a second-generation farmer who runs Golden State Farms with her family – all of whom welcomed us with joy, warmth, and open arms. These are some strawberry facts that may surprise you!
🍓90% of the strawberries in the US are grown on less than 1% of California farmland
🍓Every single strawberry you eat is picked by hand
🍓For every $1 farmers make, they invest 95 cents back into their communities
🍓Methods like bug vacuums (to reduce pesticide use), precise drip irrigation (for water management), cover crops (to support biodiversity and soil health), hand-weeding, and so many more are used to grow berries as sustainably and safely as possible
Strawberry growing is critical to California’s economy, provides nutrition to the nation, and represents the legacies of families whose love is truly infused into each berry.
As Golden State Farms said, “You taste a strawberry and they’re sweet! Porque? Porque les ponemos mucho amor!” ♥️ California Strawberries
