The weather is still cold and Easter hasn’t even passed, but Scottish strawberries are almost ready – thanks to Seahills Farm in Angus.
The first strawberries of the year have already been picked and are ready for sale during the first week of April.
Situated north-east of Arbroath, Seahills Farm grows strawberries a mere stone’s throw from the North Sea.
This unique location and the climate it gives is why the farm can pick deliciously ripe berries come early spring.
Farm manager Gary Bruce calls it a “Goldilocks climate”.
He says: “We sit right next to the North Sea, so we get good light levels which get a bounce off the sea.
“It’s not so hot in the summer and it’s not so cold in the winter, so the crops in this area do really well. Seahills Farm really is the perfect location.”
Perfect conditions for strawberries
Colder summers and warmer winters with lots of sunlight is ideal for strawberries. The cooler summer days means they grow big and ripen slowly, as the light makes them produce sugar.
Cold nights stop the strawberries from losing sweetness and make them firmer.
To help the crops reach their full potential, Seahills Farm uses climate controlled polytunnels with a biomass heating system. Sensors and computers help the team provide feed and water whenever the plants call for it.
Office manager Susan Spink says: “Growing in the greenhouse gives us a consistent good quality and taste.
“All our strawberries are also free from harmful pesticides.”
The coastal temperate climate by Seahills means there are less pests and diseases harming the berries, so the farm uses predatory insects instead of pesticides.
In total, there are 10 hectares of greenhouses housing strawberry plants on the farm. It also grows Brussel sprouts for Marks and Spencer from September to April, when the berries have their off-season.
Angus strawberries in London’s Harrods
The farm supplies London department store Harrods with strawberries, and local wholesalers between Inverurie and Glasgow.
Soon, the juicy strawberries will also be available in Smithies Deli, Keptie bakery, Scott Brothers Butchers, Glendoick garden centre, and other small businesses across Tayside.
Seahills Farm also offers local deliveries and collection from the packhouse in Arbroath.
“You could see the excitement on our Facebook page when we posted a picture of the first pick last week,” says Susan.
“Everybody went a bit crazy.”
Gary adds: “Once you have tasted this strawberry, you don’t want to taste any other strawberries. It’s that good.”
The farm team expects the berry season to last until at least the end of July, and it will pick 44 tonnes each week when the season reaches its peak.
Currently, Seahills Farm is running a trial to see if it can grow strawberries until October, extending the season to seven months.
But for now, the focus is on getting the first few tonnes of berries out to hungry Scots.
Susan says: “We’re at the start of what we hope will be a really good season.”
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