Long Island farms growing strawberries, watermelons and more in preparation for summer festivals
LONG ISLAND, New York (WABC) -- Despite some pretty rough spring-time weather, the transition to the summer growing season is still a beautiful one, and no one knows better than the people running Long Island's farms.
According to the Long Island Farm Bureau, there are nearly 600 farms in Suffolk and Nassau counties, and if there's a farm, there's a festival.
This summer, it's the 70th annual Mattituck Strawberry Festival, which runs from June 11 to June 15.
The first night is free because the public pitches in, hulling all the berries -- and there are about a hundred thousand of them, in various forms.
"And if people don't show up, we're going to have to hull 'em ourselves," said Strawberry Festival Chairman David Dominy.
Long Island is known for its June-bearing strawberries, and they are very sweet.
Schmidt's Farm, in Laurel, is a provider at the festival, and they hope to have at least 5,000 of the sweet, little berries ready in just two and a half weeks.
They hold an eating contest, just like Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, but in this case, contestants down 22 pounds of strawberry shortcake.
They also crown a "Miss Strawberry" at the festival, all to raise thousands of dollars for charity.
Meanwhile, at Waterdrinker's Farm in Manorville, you can also drink up lavender on June 7 and 8.
"A lavender lager to try. One of our team members also makes an incredible lavender lemonade for the weekend, which is super unique," said Megan Cox of Waterdrinker Family Farm. "It's a fun, purple color."
There's also a perfect, purple photo opportunity for a walk through beautifully cultivated raised beds, to learn about Spanish lavender versus French and English.
"If you're wanting to do your own teas. If you're wanting to make your own essential oils," Cox said.
But if not, Fink's Farm, which is right nearby, has something for everyone, particularly weekends in August, their melon festival season, when their baby melons grow into beautifully sweet watermelons.
"We have watermelon eating contests," said David Fink of Fink's Country Farm. "Sometimes we do a 'spit-the-pit,' just to see how far you can spit the watermelon pit, that's all."
Fun fact: the drier and hotter the season, the sweeter the watermelon!
So, whether it's that or strawberry fields forever, it's really about one thing.
"I would say the love, we love what we do," Fink said.
It's a labor of love, and they can't wait to share it.
For more on the festivals, please visit these websites:
Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Festival
Lavender Festival in Manorville
Fink's Farm
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