In Season: Strawberries

Every spring, Clear Creek Produce brings an abundance of sweet strawberries to markets all around north Mississippi.

Recipe by Sarah Godwin | Photographed by Joe Worthem

In April, folks flock to local farmers markets for sweet Mississippi-grown strawberries. Matthew Britt from Clear Creek Produce, who harvests thousands of pounds of strawberries every year, knows this from experience.

“Clear Creek strawberries are a big talk of the town when everyone is starting to think about short sleeves,” he said. “I have people that drive hours to pick up multiple flats of strawberries and take back to their hometown to distribute to others and make jams, jellies and freeze for smoothies or other uses.”

This recipe, perfect for an afternoon snack or evening appetizer, pairs sweet strawberries with tangy goat cheese and balsamic vinegar.

Strawberry Bruschetta Crostini

12-15 toasted baguette slices (about ½-inch thick)

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 ½ cups diced strawberries

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 pinch of salt

2-3 ounces goat cheese

4-5 basil leaves, julienned

2 tablespoons balsamic reduction

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush baguette slices with melted butter, and bake for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss berries with vinegar, brown sugar and salt, and let sit for about 20 minutes. Once crostini are toasted, allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Once cooled, spread each crostini with a spoonful of goat cheese, then top with strawberry mixture, julienned basil and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Serve immediately.

From the Farmer: Clear Creek Produce

This month’s In Season features local strawberries from Clear Creek Produce. Matthew Britt, who runs the farm shares more about its sought-after spring crop.

Q: Tell us about Clear Creek Produce.

A: Clear Creek Produce got started back in 2010. My love of farming, caring deeply for the land and all that entails, began from working for farmers like my granddaddy, Gayle Crowe, and Bobby Briscoe. They were great role models and mentors to me, along with Allen Eubanks that has Eubanks Produce in Lucedale ... The farm is currently located in the Clear Creek area known as Burgess. I rent/lease some of the land and the other was some of my granddaddy’s land that my parents purchased.

Q: What do you grow on the farm?

A: We currently grow a huge assortment of crops including strawberries (a prideful crop that comes with a lot of challenges), onions, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, greens (in the fall) of all varieties, tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, bell peppers along with some specialty peppers, eggplant, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, watermelons, cantaloupe, honeydew melons, sweet corn, green beans, Purple Hull peas, all colors of pumpkins, and all the winter squash.

Q: Let’s talk about your strawberries.

A: Strawberries are the first spring cash crop that bears in early spring … they begin to start growing when temperatures are above 50 as a night-time temperature. We plant in the fall, and they survive our winter temperatures. They begin to bloom and ripen in mid-March to April. Normally in Oxford, peak season is late April through May and tapers off early June. Currently, there are roughly 16,500 plants in the field right now and will bear 1 ½ pounds per plant, give or take our weather conditions. We harvest thousands of pounds of beautiful large red berries.

In addition to the farm stand at Clear Creek Produce, Britt is a regular vendor at Oxford Community Market, Midtown Farmers Market and the Hernando Farmers market. He also delivers wholesale to Chicory Market and Cash Savers and sells to local restaurants including BBB/Snackbar, Sola, Taylor Grocery, Taylor Grocery Catering, Saint Leo, BTC in Water Valley, Living Foods and more.

Find the Farmer

(662) 832-3910

40 County Road 361, Oxford

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@clearcreekproduce