Time after time, we see people picking the berries in the 1st picture and hear them call the 2nd picture “over-ripe”. The berries in the 2nd picture are the best tasting berries in the field!
This misconception comes from what we are accustomed to seeing in the grocery store. Farmers who grow & pick for the commercial market are required to pick their berries green so that they will have a long shelf life, travel around the US and then sit on the shelf at the store. But when you pick your own strawberries, you have the option of picking sun ripened berries! Strawberries DO NOT ripen after they’re picked. They may change color slightly but will not get any sweeter after they’re picked.
If you want the sweetest berries in the field, always go for the darkest (as long as it doesn’t have soft spots)! They won’t last as long in your refrigerator but they will taste the best!
