Issue 5 - East Cambridgeshire District Council

photo focus strawberry growing
Strawberry fields forever?
Strawberries and cream are one of our
favourite desserts, blending perfectly with a
hot summer’s day. And Cambridgeshire has a
long tradition of responding to the nation’s
desire for this luxurious fruit.
Frasers of Little Downham and John Quince
of Isleham are two farms that are keeping up
the tradition. “Warm nights and a dry spell
just before ripening are the best conditions
for strawberries,” explains John (pictured
below), who has been growing them since
1986. “People are still keen to discover the
fun of Pick-your-own and the children
absolutely love it. It makes a great day out”.
Low-priced strawberry pulp from Bulgaria
and its neighbours – imported by the major
jam manufacturers – almost destroyed the
Cambridgeshire industry in the 1970s. Many
farmers could not produce their fruit
competitively, and switched to other crops.
It’s now making a comeback, however,
thanks to luxurious varieties such as
Symphony and Cambridge Favourite. “There
is no substitute for freshly-picked fruit,”
continues John. “You can get them from the
supermarkets, but very often they have been
driven hundreds of miles to get there, and
once they’ve been refrigerated, they lose
their original flavour.”
Photographer: Geoff Durrant
summer 2008 east cambridgeshire magazine
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