These juicy, red startlingly flavorful strawberries picked at peak ripeness are from Marburger Orchard south of Fredericksburg.
Robert C Deming
Things to Do
Fredericksburg Insider: Strawberries are Ripe for the Pickin’
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Hidden Berries
Photo: Robert C Deming
This plant will produce beautiful, delicious strawberries for months. The blooms will each produce a new berry. Many of the “king of berries” are hidden by leaves, so you have to get close up to find them.
Strawberry Fields Forever?
Photo: Robert C Deming
This is a you-pick farm, and these people are braving a cold and windy 40 degrees to claim their perfectly ripened strawberries. It is a great activity for the kids, although they must behave appropriately or “Old Man Marburger” will have words with them. Call or check his website before you come as ripe fruit is often picked out by mid-morning.
Covering plants before a freeze in January.
Photo: Robert C Deming
Orchardist Gary Marburger recruits friends to help him cover the plants before a series of very cold nights in January. The plants were put in the ground in the fall.
Carlos and Manuel make all this goodness happen.
Photo: Robert C Deming
These two men and their families have been working in the orchard for more than 30 years. They spend half the year in Mexico and the other half in the orchard outside of Fredericksburg. Gary believes their knowledge and hard work are irreplaceable.
Coming Attractions
Gary says he is cautiously optimistic that he will have a crop of ripened to perfection peaches starting sometime in May. The winter hasn’t been as cold as usual, and the fruit needs 750 hours (plus or minus depending on the variety) of temperatures below 45 degrees for the best set. In any event, Gary says, “Don’t wait for your favorite variety of Texas Hill Country peaches, when you see peaches, buy them!”
