TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Strawberry season is upon us, but before you pull out the recipes, take a moment to recognize the farmhands who spend their days picking the fruit.
Less than a month from Florida Strawberry FestivalBrianda Villegas of 8 On Your Side took a trip to Parkesdale Farms in Dover, where workers went to the fields to fill flats with the berries.
“It’s hard work, it’s really hard work,” said Parkesdale Farms farm worker Chevo Martinez. “Especially when someone comes for the first time, it kills their back.
Martinez said he has worked in the strawberry fields of Dover for nearly 40 years and hopes the community will recognize the work it takes to put food on the table.
“I’ve been on the farm my whole life,” said farmer Matt Parke. “The agricultural workers, when I grew up, they were my friends. Even today, I remain in contact with those who have left the farm.
Without the hard work put in by pickers over the years, Parkesdale Farms would not have been as successful as it is today.
“What’s the point of me growing something if I don’t have anyone to harvest it?” Parke explained.
Matt Parkes’ grandfather, Roy Parkes, played a key role in the growth of the Florida Strawberry Festival after he started Parkesdale Farms on 10 acres in the 1950s.
You can find around 10,000 acres of strawberry farms in Tampa Bay. Below is a list of several local places you can visit and support by buying strawberries:
- 3702 W. Baker Street in Plant City
- 5210 Thonotosassa Road in Plant City
Passion Strawberry/ Passion Organics Farms
- 11780 Tom Folsom Road in Thonotosassa
Starkey Blueberry Farm (also has strawberries)
- 10730 Lake Blanche Drive in Trinity
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