This year, growing strawberries was difficult. June was hot, but it also rained occasionally. This ruined the harvest for many strawberry growers.
In Ahja village at Tasuja farm, Toomas Lillo said that the berries ripened quickly, but then it started to rain. As a result, many berries spoiled and couldn't be harvested. "There could have been many more berries," he said.
Lillo hopes that the new plants will still yield a harvest. If there is heavy rain or hail, these berries will be lost. But he hopes that the new fields will produce a good harvest.
In Kanepi parish at Tontoli farm, Tiina Urm said that many berries spoiled before harvesting. In some cases, they could only harvest 30% of the berries. The rest had spoiled.
The strawberry season will last a couple more weeks. Later berries are smaller but sweeter. They are well-suited for making jam. The first berries are large and beautiful, but the mid-season ones are the sweetest.