This week we are sharing some correspondence that we received:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Recently, my 8th grade history teacher had my class and me give up one of our favorite foods for five days. The purpose of the experiment was to show us what it might have been like for Europeans to go without some luxuries when they searched for new lands.
I chose to give up strawberries for this project because strawberries are one of my favorite fruits and I eat them quite often with my lunches. Strawberries give me a burst of flavor that makes me a bit happier for the rest of the day. When I was not allowed to eat strawberries, I realized how important to me they were. I craved strawberries, and thought of their juicy, fresh, slightly soggy, bite sized, sweet flavor, and had a bit less happiness throughout the day.
From this experience I learned that when I can’t have something, I want it so much more, and that absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. I thought more about strawberries when I couldn’t have them, and now that I do have them, I enjoy eating them so much more.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.
Sincerely,
Kai R. Weiner
P.S. Would you be so kind as to send me some strawberries, you don’t have to, but I would appreciate it, thanks.
Dear Kai,
Thank you so much for writing to us. Its not often we get such wonderful letters like yours. You must have a great teacher. We all loved hearing about your experience of not having strawberries. I am sure that challenge must have been really difficult. I think strawberries are amazing and likely could not live without them either. I am one of the education coordinators here on the farm and wanted to let you know a little about what’s happening to your favorite fruit on the farm.
We would love to send you some strawberries, but unfortunately they are out of season for us. Each year in September we plant brand new seedlings out in one of our fields for the following spring. Most farmers who grow strawberries don’t have to plant them each year. Strawberries are perennials and keep growing from year to year. In the summertime our farm can get as hot as 115º outside. This usually leads to our strawberry plants melting into the ground. We plant them in the fall and then we can begin harvesting them the following April. The season only lasts 2-3 months as they usually disappear in June.
Since I can’t give you strawberries now I have sent along a photo of our plants growing. We are so happy that you love strawberries and hope that you enjoy ours when the season is right. Thank you again for the wonderful letter. You have many of the farmers here smiling after a long summer.
—Jordan Dixon
Education Coordinator
