Our DeLoach Farms strawberry varieties are selected for flavor first, not a cross-country journey by truck. We baby our plants by feeding them micronutrients, including calcium and other naturally occurring minerals, to intensify their sweetness and help us grow healthy berries that stay firm longer after picking. That means, with just a bit of TLC once you get them home, you can have all the flavor of fresh family farm-grown berries with a great shelf life to match! (Of course, if your family is like ours, your berry bucket will be empty long before you find out how long they'll last. It's okay, we'll grow more!)
 

First, know that moisture is the arch enemy of shelf life. You want all that juiciness inside the berry, not outside! Skip the wash until you're ready to eat. Pick out any damaged berries, leave the stems on, and store them in the coldest part of your fridge. A mason jar with loosely stacked berries and a paper towel at the bottom works beautifully.
 

Picked more than you can eat? Remove the stems, then freeze very dry berries whole in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to freezer bags once frozen solid. This method is perfect for smoothies, jam, and baking all year long.
 

Or freeze them the way my Nana taught me. Slice them into a big bowl, sprinkle with a generous amount of sugar, and refrigerate overnight. Freeze in small batches with the gorgeous syrup they made. Defrost anytime to top ice cream, angel food cake, pound cake, pancakes, or craft summer cocktails.