After being picked in the field, the berries need to be quickly cooled to remove the “field heat” and they need to be quickly cleaned. While the strawberries are picked by hand, some may still be dirty or have other unwanted material on them. To take care of this, the strawberries go through gentle washing sessions that remove dirt and other debris. Next, the strawberries need to be quickly cooled to make their shelf life longer. Many farmer try to keep the strawberries at 34-35 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the strawberries do not freeze, yet they are cool enough to preserve them for a longer period of time.
While there are many farmer have their own set of standards, the United States Department of Agriculture defines many standards for how the strawberries can be graded and then sold to the public. For example, one grade of strawberries “consists of strawberries of one variety or similar varietal characteristics with the cap (calyx) attached, which are firm, not overripe or undeveloped, and which are free from mold or decay and free from damage caused by dirt, moisture, foreign matter, disease, insects, or mechanical or other means. Each strawberry has not less than three-fourths of its surface showing a pink or red color.” While also maintaining “the minimum diameter of each strawberry is not less than three-fourths inch.” These standards mean that farmer must sort through their strawberries and make sure that no bad ones get through to the next stages of production.
The factories that are needed to both refrigerate and clean the strawberries can be quite large and can themselves impact the surrounding environment. Ideally, farmers want the facilities they need to be as close to the farm as possible. In doing so they can reduce the amount of time the strawberries spend in the heat. However, moving these facilities towards the farmland means bringing in larger amounts of industry to the area which can drastically impact the surrounding environment.