Teen Challenge director says this year's strawberry crop looks strong

Teen Challenge International of Mid-America executive director Jack Smart predicts the ministry will have its strongest strawberry harvest since 2006, when it produced 44,000 quarts.

Each year, the residential program for recovering drug users sells its strawberries to the public. Sales take place at an area stand and during Saturday's annual Teen Challenge Strawberry Festival. A good harvest yields 30,000 quarts of strawberries, a number Smart expects will be matched this season.

"Our crop looks strong," Smart said. "First and foremost it's a blessing from the Lord.

"People need to understand the reason we have berries is part of the work program that helps our students learn good attitude and good Christian work ethic," he said. "Thankfully, it brings in income as well."

Most of the ministry's 109 participants pick the berries five to eight hours each day Monday through Saturday. Money raised for each quart of berries sold makes up 3 percent to 4 percent of the ministry's overall budget.

However, for the last two years nature hasn't been kind to the organization's strawberry-planting efforts.

Last year abnormally low temperatures resulted in a cooler soil, which delayed some crops by two to three weeks. In 2008 conditions were optimal for planting on time but an early April frost severely damaged most crops in the area, including 70 percent of Teen Challenge's strawberry crop. That year 15,000 quarts of strawberries were harvested and the strawberry festival was delayed a week.

But Smart is thankful this year has had more optimal planting conditions.

Because construction on Independence Street disrupted the ministry's normal location to sell the strawberries, it has relocated to a stand at the corner of Good Hope Street and Kingshighway. The sale, running until sometime next month, begins at 9 a.m. each day Monday through Saturday and lasts until that day's supply of strawberries is sold out. However, because of the festival, the ministry won't sell the berries this Saturday.

This year's festival will feature a similar schedule to 2008. The event, held at the organization's campus off County Road 621 near Cape Girardeau, will feature music, an opportunity to pick a quart of strawberries from the ministry's fields, free strawberry shortcakes, a barbecue lunch, jumping mules, a bluegrass band, puppets and a chance to win two quarts of strawberries every 15 minutes. The festival kicks off at 9 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m.

"This is a very important day because it gives people a chance to see the property and hear how the Lord is impacting the students' lives," Smart said. "And it gives them a better feel for what the ministry is all about.

"Even though we raise berries, the biggest thing is helping men change lives," he said. "People leave with that understanding."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

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