March 8, 2007

Today we went to the Strawberry Festival at nearby Plant City. There certainly was a lot to see and do. We listened to various singing groups, observed the kids on the many rides and explored a multitude of vendor booths filled with lots of unique, unusual, fun and exciting things.

It was very interesting to see what is involved to grow strawberries commercially. They make long raised rows approximately two foot wide and one foot high. They cover this with plastic and then punch the plants through. They have irrigation hoses installed under the plastic for efficient use of water. This is a great system, which eliminates the weeds, makes it easier to pick and keeps the berries out of the dirt.

A favorite area for Charlotte and Vera was the craft building. We saw some beautifully decorated cakes, quilts, artwork, photographs and much more.

I should also mention that there is a lot of food especially strawberry shortcake. Food choices were the typical kinds you would find at a fair or carnival. Most are not the healthiest but they sure taste good. We went through the fix your own strawberry shortcake booth. The shortcake was fantastic. Later in the afternoon, we watched “The Oakridge Boys” performance. After more than thirty years of performing, they still exhibit great vocal range. We did a lot of toe tapping, knee slapping, clapping and singing along with some of their greatest hits.

It was a great show that completed a great afternoon. If you are in Florida in March, plan to go to the Strawberry Festival. It is a lot of fun and entertainment for the entire family.