In June, signs of the sun are everywhere: early dawns, late sunsets, the longest workdays, shortest noontime shadows, and briefest nights of the year. We are building up to the summer solstice, and all the plant-life on local farms is photosynthesizing like mad, providing us with tender roots, shoots and leaves. Most of the botanic fruits (those from a blossom—tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, squashes) are yet to come, but the first fruit of summer is here—it’s strawberry time!

Th ere is nothing more seductive than the sweet and spicy scent of the first gold-spangled ruby-red organic strawberries of the season. Th e uninitiated may wonder what on earth I’m talking about, since the fruit section of most grocery stores is as aroma-free as the dry goods section.

But every Saturday in June, I watch a stream of savvy shoppers make a beeline to local farm stands where perfume still pervades the air.

I often watch that stream from behind the table at my sister Teresa’s fruit and herb stand at the Evanston Farmers’ Market. Th ere we serve up a full menu of June strawberries: Jewel, Earli-glo, Northeaster, Honeyoye, Sparkle, Dar-select, Red Chief and Gloose-cap. Each has a unique flavor profile, with Jewel having the classic, sweet strawberry taste; Earliglo being most customers’ favorite with a nicely balanced sweet and tart profile; Northeaster being Teresa’s and our mother’s favorite, so fragrant it is almost more fl oral than fruity; and my favorite, Honey-oye, is a tart and citrus-y wake-up call to your taste buds and your brain.

My sister and many other local farmers choose varieties like these based on taste, not transportability or shelf-life. The strawberries are soft fleshed and meant to be eaten (or frozen) within a few days of picking.

These berries are not the largest, nor the longest-lasting, nor the most perfectly-shaped strawberries at the market. But there is a reason customers are standing six-deep, waiting their turn—when you bite into the soft flesh, juices and flavors ricochet around your mouth and your brain until you are in a delirium of pleasure. I hear people say again and again,This is what strawberries used to taste like!” And this is indeed how they tasted—before they were bred for color, size and shelf-life, before synthetic chemical fertilizers, before insecticides and herbicides, before the deadly soil fumigant methyl bromide, and its even more toxic replacement methyl iodide (used experimentally to induce cancer in laboratory animals). Methyl iodide is now being used because in 1998 Congress required the Environmental Protection Agency to phase out methyl bromide by 2005. That deadline was extended to 2007 when the strawberry industry protested that there was no alternative to this chemical, used to fumigate the soil, render it sterile and thereby eliminate fungi, weeds, soil-dwelling insects and all other life forms. Now that the extension has expired, most commercial growers have turned to methyl iodide, which many scientists say is even worse than methyl bromide(See panna.org). Contrary to industrial belief, there are simple alternatives to control these problems in the strawberry patch, as my sister can attest.

She uses organic straw mulch (thus the straw in strawberries), which obviates the need for a host of chemicals. It keeps the berries off the moist ground (no need for fungicides), prevents weed seeds from germinating (no need for herbicides), and adds nutrients to the soil as the straw decomposes (no need for chemical fertilizers)—all the while enhancing the diversity of soil micro-organisms that keep the farm ecosystem on an even keel.

The Dirty Dozen
In our current economic downturn, while you may not be able to afford all-organic all the time, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) offers a handy way to decide where to spend your organic food dollar. Strawberries always make it onto the EWG’s list of the 12 most toxic fruits and vegetables, so seek out organic ones. Here’s the updated list from March 2009:

1. Peaches (most toxic)
 2. Apples
3. Bell peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Imported grapes
11. Carrots
12. Pears

The fruits and vegetables that you can stress less about include onions, avocados, frozen sweet corn, pineapple and mango. (from ewg.org/node/27722). Download a handy pocket guide to the “dirty dozen” at foodnews.org/wallet guide.php.

While nothing says “welcome to summer” like strawberry shortcake, there are many other ways to use strawberries—if you can manage to get them home without eating them all on the way. This easy salad combines the best of the rich flavors of June—spicy arugula with sweet/tart strawberries.

Arugula Salad with Aged Balsamic and Fresh Strawberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
4 cups torn arugula leaves
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved and crumbled into small pieces (1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (Aged, if possible. Try Sam’s or Binny’s, and buy based on viscosity—the more viscous the better.)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1. Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium- low heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and aromatic, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large salad bowl; let cool for 5 minutes.

2. Add arugula, strawberries, Parmesan, pepper and salt. Sprinkle vinegar and oil over the salad; toss gently and serve at once.

Local farmers offering organic fruit at Chicago markets:
Leslie Cooperband and Wes Jarrell, Prairie Fruits Farm—organic currants, peaches, blackberries, gooseberries, pears and apples (Green City Market, Oak Park Market, 61st Street Market) Tom Rosenfeld, Earth First—organic apples, and organic apple cider donuts (Green City Market).