You may think that today’s cold snap would spell trouble for Central Florida farmers.

Not north of Orlando, where a farmer with a twenty acre farm plans to be busy through April. That’s because strawberry season in Florida is in full bloom.

Winter weekends in Sorrento tend to be busy.

"They come in the gate,” explains Harry Stauderman with Oak Haven Farms.

"How many boxes would you like?" is a popular line in this Lake County field.

"They are greeted by one of my young men in orange vests,” Harry says of his crew who hands over boxes that can hold almost ten pounds of berries.

"Okay, you're going to be in these two rows right here,” a young helper suggests.

"We would like the children to learn where food comes from," Harry says.

Stauderman of Oak Haven Farms says our recent cold weather makes his "Radiance" strawberries, sweeter.

"It's an excellent variety that bares very heavy and has excellent flavor,” he explains.

The strawberries here are bred for growing climates and conditions in Florida, Australia and Spain. Picking produce is a tradition not far from home for the Hill family of Longwood.

"We've been coming for three years now,” Nick Hill says while holding his 10-month-old son, Reed.

There's a certain technique at work here:

  • Some folks do “the squat” when searching for berries.
  • "The ostrich" where some put their fanny in the air is popular.
  • Another called “football huddle" looks like defensive linemen on the gridiron.
  • And then, there are those who crawl on their hands and knees.

"If bending over too long hurts your back, it's fine to crawl,” Harry says with a laugh as he gazes across this fields and observes several visitors doubled over at the same time.

No matter what stance you take, Harry says the best way to look for strawberries, is to look underneath the bushes, since traditionally, that's where the best berries are hiding.

Tractor rides are also available for a dollar to tour Harry's field of dreams. Besides the berries, Harry sells ‘dogs.’

"It's just like a campfire every weekend!” Harry says proudly.

A raging fire pit lets visitors roast their own hot dogs, while inside the farmer's market, it's order up.

Tickets fly into the kitchen, where a blender is making strawberry milkshakes.

Mom and dad will also discover wine tasting inside. Many of the varieties are made from grapes and berries grown right on the farm. A playground for the kids and a zip line complete the experience.

"It's relaxing, easy day for the kids,” Nick Hill said, affirming he’ll be back again next year.

Tankful on Television
You can catch Florida on a Tankful stories each Thursday through Sunday on News 13 and Bay News 9. Florida on a Tankful debuts during Your Morning News starting at 6 a.m. and plays traditionally through 5 p.m.