Welcome back as we introduce you to specialty crops around Wisconsin and the growers who make it happen. Today, we’re taking you to the strawberry fields before the berries ripen up for the season.
For Roger Basse of Basse’s Taste of Country in Colgate, this season is about more than the tasty red fruit. It’s about bringing the community out to the farm to make memories.
“You used to have an aunt or uncle who farmed, and a lot of people don’t have that connection anymore. We try to keep that going here, where people can come out to their farm and they can reconnect and rejuvenize,” he says. “There’s something about being on the ground and being in the soil and feeling the dirt. They just love it. Every year, we have new traditions that we start for families and new people who come out. It’s fun to come out and experience the different seasons all year round.”
Basse’s Taste of Country expects the strawberries to ripen in mid-June and last through the Fourth of July. Basse is looking forward to a good crop with over 155,000 plants. He tells us all about how the strawberries go from blossom to basket.
If you’re looking to generate an additional revenue stream for your farm by offering agricultural tourism experiences, join the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association. WATA is there to help you navigate not just all that goes into ag tourism, like marketing, licensing, and developing educational experiences, but they’re also an advocate for you in policy development.
This podcast series is brought to you by Specialty Crop Block Grant 23-10. Learn more at gowiagtourism.com.
