Strawberry Farming

Strawberries are the primary crop at Lester Farms in Lebanon TN. They are considered an 11 month crop that requires work to be done by hand: planting, weeding, harvesting. Each year brings its challenges because that large time frame encompasses a wide range of weather conditions. The main variety grown is ‘Ruby June’ as it produces consistently sweet, large, tasty berries. An optimal growing year in middle Tennessee will have strawberries ripening well into June.

Gardener Extras

Americans consume about 8 pounds of strawberries every year; approximately 75% of that is fresh strawberries and the remainder is frozen.
Advantages of strawberry plasticulture include higher yields, good fruit quality, good weed control, and earlier harvests.
'Ruby June' has gained a reputation for consistently sweet and tasty berries.
Find out what's happening on the farm on facebook and Instagram at Lester Farms.

Gardener Notes

Happenings at Lester Farms can be found on facebook and Instagram at Lester Farms.

Tammy Algood

Tammy Algood — Tammy has loved to garden and cook her whole life. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with her Grandmother who gardened and cooked, so she learned at her knee. Tammy is a marketing specialist with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. She has written numerous cookbooks, including Farm Fresh Southern Cooking and The Southern Slow Cooker Bible. “Being a host on Volunteer Gardener allows me to meld both of my passions into one activity…cooking from my garden.”