Oregon Grown Strawberries

An Oregon summer would hardly be complete without its deep red, intense, naturally sweet strawberries. What makes them so red and juicy with that uniquely Oregon taste? The people, the land, and the climate all play their part. Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom teaches that strawberries have grown wild in Oregon throughout history. Native Americans were gathering and using the berries before commercial farming ever started in the state. 

Oregon Strawberry Commission shares that Oregon’s oceanic climate is integral to the agricultural berry bounty. Oregon has a long mild spring and early summer with lots of rain, and cool nights, followed by plenty of warm, dry sunny days.

As they grow, the berries stay on the plants and ripen slowly, allowing the sugars to increase before being picked at exactly the right time. These ripe, luscious berries are harvested by hand to keep them as perfect as possible as they make their way to you.

There are many different strawberry varieties grown in Oregon. They come in different sizes, textures, and levels of sweetness. Hood, Mary's Peak, Shuksan, Tillamook to name a few, but there are many more for you to discover out in your local community farmers markets, farm stands, u-pick farms and grocery stores.

Strawberries are planted as bare root plants, not seeds. They are usually planted in the spring. New plantings typically won’t grow a crop to be harvested until the next summer. Learn more about the individual varieties of Oregon strawberries.

Theresa now directs all the farm operations herself, with the help of her three daughters, a small staff and seasonal workers. The forty-acre property sits along highway 35 near the town of Parkdale, Oregon where, on a clear day, it feels like front row seats to a panorama of Mt. Hood. The orchards now host a plethora of fruit, including strawberries, cherries, cane berries, blueberries, apricots, peaches, nectarines, apples, pears, and plums.

This 2022 season, Draper will start u-pick cherries in mid July. They also make non-pasteurized ciders and award winning hard ciders. Farmer Theresa suggests sitting in the farm yard area and enjoying a glass of hard cider while visiting the goats, or taking a growler to go. U-pick peaches start in mid August and u-pick apples and pears mid September through the end of October. U-cut flowers in August too!