ROANOKE RAPIDS — The smell of garden fresh strawberries filled the air at the Roanoke Valley Farmers Market as fruit and vegetable growers from across the Valley came out for the market's annual Strawberry Day event on Saturday.

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Cakes, pies, jams and other strawberry treats lined the vendors’ booths as shoppers sampled the goods and filled their baskets. At the booth of Roanoke Rapids resident Hazel Wells, Mary Donaldson helped herself to a piece of strawberry-covered cake. "This is just like my grandmother used to make," said Donaldson, as she wiped a bit of juice from her lips. Wells said the recipe was handed down from her mother, with a slight variation. "My mother used to make banana cake, but it works just as well with strawberries." Wells said she used to grow her own fruit, but now resorts to the store bought variety. "When you get past 70 it gets a little harder," she stated.

Across the aisle, Kathy Barnhill, owner of Plants & Things Greenhouse Nursery in Brinkleyville, said her strawberry crop fared particularly well this year, producing an exceptionally sweet yield. Barnhill stated crop quality depends on land fertility, the type of strawberry planted, and "mother nature, of course."

"Here in North Carolina, we have a good climate for growing strawberries, but some years are better than others," she added. "We haven't had a lot of rain, plus there have been some cooler days, which strawberries like; it's been good."

Barnhill said Plants and Things is preparing to branch out into the world of hydroponics, a system which involves growing the strawberries indoors in a greenhouse environment. Barnhill said this method will allow her to produce the fruit to sell throughout the fall into October.

Andy Newhill of Halifax said he was trying his hand at growing strawberries for the first time this year, with mixed results. "I got a few, but not as many as I wanted. It's never as easy as it looks."

Though Newhill didn't stick around, he might have profited from the home garden seminar given by Matt Stevens, horticulture extension agent for Halifax County. Stevens ran through a list of recommendations for home growers, beginning with soil testing to determine the basic properties, such as nutrient content and ph level of the planting area, up through choosing the type of plant and maintaining the crop through its first two years of production.

Stevens stated strawberry plants require a well-drained growing site where they will receive full sunlight. Plants should be set out in March to early May in sandy, weed-free soil. Stevens said planters have two varieties to choose: June-bearing, which produce a large number of berries over a short time span, or Ever-bearing, which produce over a longer period and are ideal for growers wishing to can the fruit or make jellies and jams.

According to Stevens, growers should be particularly mindful to protect the plants from frost. Farmers and home growers can use blankets, towels, newspapers or mulch to insulate the plants, said Stevens. Another, more time consuming method is to coat the plants with ice by spraying them with water. Though the ice will remain at freezing levels outside, the plant itself will be insulated and protected from damage.

Stevens said with care, a healthy crop will produce for three to five years. "Strawberries you grow yourself taste way better than anything you'll find in a store," said Stevens.  "We're lucky in Halifax County to have a really great climate for strawberry growers."