WEATHER FORCES STRAWBERRY FANS TO WAIT FOR SPRING'S VERY BEST

It's not easy being a strawberry lover.

A few colder-than-average days, a late frost, a week of gray skies and spring's most heralded event -- strawberry season -- may never materialize.

This year, it'll materialize a little late, but better late than never.

On June 1, strawberry fans can indulge their obsession and help the Mid America Teen Challenge ministry at the same time. Teen Challenge will hold its annual strawberry festival that day at the center on County Road 621 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., said Jack Smart, executive director of the center.

The festival will offer hay rides, choir performances, puppet shows and lunch for purchase "as well as all the strawberries they want to buy," Smart said. "Plus everybody who comes will get a free strawberry shortcake."

Proceeds will help fund the ministry's operations.

The festival is being held a few weeks later than usual because of the tricky spring weather this year. "The weather's not been real cooperative," he said, adding that festival organizers had to wait for the berries to ripen before they could throw their party.

Jean Illers of Illers' Top of the Hill Strawberry Farm concurred.

"We're just very full of berries, but they're going to be very late this year," she said.

Illers blamed the delay on "extreme cold, cloudiness and so on. The berries have to have warm nights and days and lots of sun to ripen."

The Illers' farm usually opens around May 12 to 14. This year, it wasn't expected to open until at least the 22nd or 23rd, she said.

The Illers' farm features pick-your-own or pre-picked strawberries, Illers said.

Most of the business comes from the pick-your-own customers, she said, but the pre-picked business has been growing over the years."

Illers' farm has moved. It's in Millersville, about six miles west of Jackson on Highway 72. The Illers also have planted blueberries and blackberries, although the plants aren't expected to bear fruit for another year or two, she said.

Whether you pick your own berries or grab a carton at the supermarket, strawberries are a delicious good source of nutrients.

A serving of strawberries -- that's eight medium berries -- provides 150 percent of the U.S. RDA for vitamin C. Strawberries are also a good source of iron and folic acid.

Judith Lueders, a nutritionist for the University of Missouri Extension Service, said there are several recipes available for fresh or frozen strawberries, but most people prefer them straight.

"Put them over a little pound cake or angel food cake and have it," she said.

The Extension Service also offers these tips:

-- Strawberries are highly perishable. If they won't be used right away, arrange them in a single layer in a shallow container. Loosely cover them and refrigerate them.

Strawberries don't ripen much after they're picked. Berries with white tips are underripe and will be tarter in flavor.

SHORTCAKES

Stawberry beginnings

Early settlers to the New World savored fresh and cooked strawberries, and the vitamin-packed fruit became an important part of their diet, especially once the American Indians passed on their knowledge of preserving berries by drying them in the sun.

Strawberry shortcake origins

The American Indians crushed strawberri3es in a mortar, mixed them with meal to make a strawberry bread. After trying this bread, the colonists devloped their own version, and, voila, strawberry shortcake was born.

Strawberry legend and lore

In provincial France, strawberries were regarded as an aphrodisiac of the highest quality. Newlywes traditionally were served a soup of thinned sour cream, strawberries, borage and powdered sugar. Medievel stonemasons carved strawberry designs on altars and around the capitals of pillars in churches and cathedrals symbolizing perfection and righteousness.

Good news on the health front

Eight medium strawberries have only 50 calories and provide 20 percent of the recommended daily value for folic acid.

How many seeds?

On average, there are 200 seeds on every strawberry.

What's the favorite way to eat strawberries?

Straight up -- whole or sliced as a snack.