The average strawberry contains around 200 seeds.

Yes, white strawberries were discovered in the wild in South America in the 1700’s. Today Wish Farms sells a version called Pink-A-Boo® Pineberries, developed by the University of Florida. To learn more visit: https://wishfarms.com/pinkaboo-pineberries/

Wish Farms strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are available year-round at select retailers. If you do not see the Wish Farms’ Misty the Garden Pixie label at your local retailer, be sure to talk to your Produce Manager and put in a request. We appreciate your support and love of fresh berries! Visit our ‘Where to Buy’ page for a list of retail partners.

Berries do not continue to ripen after they are harvested. Always keep your berries refrigerated for the freshest outcome.

Yes, Wish Farms partners with growers from all over the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Chile, and Peru to meet the increasing demand for fresh berries. See where we grow: https://wishfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Product-Supply-Chart-2026.pdf

Fresh produce is often packed in ventilated containers rather than fully sealed packaging to help maintain freshness and prevent moisture buildup. While some items may have safety seals, many fresh fruits including strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and other produce are sold in packaging designed to allow airflow and preserve quality.

We work closely with our retail partners to promote proper handling and food safety standards throughout the supply chain. As with all fresh produce, we recommend giving berries a quick rinse before enjoying them.

Berries are highly perishable, and sometimes factors beyond our control, such as breaks in the cold chain or handling practices can affect their freshness. Mold spores occur naturally in the environment, so moisture and warm temperatures can accelerate growth. Refrigeration and proper handling help extend freshness.

We encourage shoppers to inspect each package carefully before purchasing and recommend consuming or freezing your berries within 3-5 days from purchase.

Not all berries spoil in the same way. While mold can develop as berries age, it’s also common for berries, especially blueberries, to simply lose moisture and become soft or shriveled over time.

We do not apply preservatives to extend the shelf life of our berries. If berries shrivel instead of molding, it’s typically a natural result of dehydration.

How berries age can vary based on several factors, including the variety, growing conditions, ripeness at harvest, and how they’re stored. When kept refrigerated, blueberries in particular often maintain their quality for an extended period and may gradually shrivel before showing any visible signs of mold.

Nitrates are naturally present in many fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, and their presence alone is not necessarily a cause for concern.

It’s also important to distinguish between naturally occurring nitrates found in produce and nitrates that may be added to certain processed foods. The nitrates found in fruits and vegetables are part of a natural plant process and are generally consumed alongside vitamins, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds. In fact, vegetables are the primary source of dietary nitrates for most people.

A nitrate level of 350 ppm (mg/kg) in strawberries would not generally be considered unusual or unsafe. Natural nitrate levels in strawberries can vary based on factors such as variety, growing conditions, weather, soil composition, and harvest timing, but levels ranging from approximately 100–500 ppm have been reported in strawberries.

Berries are a natural product, and their flavor can vary based on factors such as weather, growing conditions, variety, and ripeness. While berries are typically sweet and flavorful, occasional variations in taste can occur.

In some cases, berries that have been stored for an extended period or have begun to break down may develop unusual flavors or aromas that some consumers describe as “chemical,“ “medicinal,“ or simply “off.“ This can happen naturally as the fruit ages and its quality declines.

If berries have an unpleasant taste, unusual odor, or appear overripe, it is best not to consume them.

Wish Farms berries are all hand-picked and harvested at the perfect time to ensure quality freshness and flavor. Throughout the season, strawberry plants are picked about every 3 days. Strawberries are picked and packed in the field. Berries are checked and scanned at the quality control station. Once inspected, fruit is taken to the cooler and pre-cooled to 34 degrees. Blueberries are handpicked into lugs, then sorted and packed with the help of a blueberry packing line.

Wish Farms berries are grown in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Chile, and Peru. See where we grow: https://wishfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Product-Supply-Chart-2026.pdf.

Every package has a Country of Origin on the top of the label. See where we grow: https://wishfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Product-Supply-Chart-2026.pdf.

Yes, Wish Farms has a year-round organic program offering organic strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. Look for our green berry label with the USDA Organic emblem.

We proudly grow both conventional and organic berries. The right balance depends on consumer demand, growing conditions, and what’s best for the crop.

Organic berries typically cost significantly more to produce and often yield less than conventionally grown fruit. At the same time, many sustainable farming practices used in organic production are also used on our conventional farms. For example, we often release beneficial insects to naturally manage pests and reduce the need for crop protection products.

Our goal is always to grow healthy, high-quality berries using the most effective and responsible practices available. Sometimes that means organic methods are the best choice. By growing both, we can offer consumers the choices they want while maintaining a reliable supply of fresh berries.

Wish Farms grows and sells strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and pineberries.

You should not wash your berries until you are ready to eat them. If you wash the berries too soon, they will absorb the water and start to breakdown quickly. Exposing berries to water also can increase the chance of mold development. Your berries will be fresher and last longer if you rinse them under cool water just prior to eating.

It is best to store your berries in the refrigerator at all times.

There are numerous methods of berry storage available to research on the internet. However, the tried-and-true basic method is to store your berries in the refrigerator, in its original container, and consume them within 3-5 days of purchase.

Yes, you can freeze berries for up to one year in your freezer. Use them for smoothies, daiquiris, oatmeal, and more!

Berries are highly perishable. It is recommended to consume your berries within 3-5 days of purchase. This can vary greatly depending on the type of berry and the moisture conditions in the environment.

Yes. Wish Farms maintains a comprehensive food safety program from the farm through our packing and processing operations. Our facilities are certified under food safety programs recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

Our growing partners are also required to maintain certification through a GFSI-recognized program, such as GLOBALG.A.P., PrimusGFS, or another approved certification standard. These programs include Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and other food safety controls related to growing, harvesting, worker practices, agricultural water, packing, and post-harvest handling.

Our processing operations also maintain Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) programs to identify, evaluate, and control potential food safety hazards.

Absolutely not. Our berries are freshly farm grown and never adulterated from their natural state.

Strawberries are naturally acidic, with a pH of about 3.5. If you wash or soak berries in highly alkaline water (pH above 9), the fruit’s surface can begin to break down, causing anthocyanins to be released into the water. Because these pigments are sensitive to changes in pH, they can also change color under alkaline conditions, which is why the water may appear discolored.

There are no “GMO” organic or conventional berries grown by Wish Farms.

The term “GMO“ often creates concern, but it is a bit of a misnomer. It stands for Genetically Modified Organism and refers to cross species breeding.

Plant breeding and crop improvement have been part of agriculture for over ten thousand years. Nearly all fruits and vegetables we eat today have been selectively bred and modified over generations to improve traits like flavor, yield, disease resistance, and shelf life.

Modern technology and gene-editing tools are simply newer ways of achieving many of those same goals, often with greater precision and in less time. These technologies are being explored to help farmers grow crops more sustainably by reducing crop losses from pests and diseases, while using fewer resources.

There are a lot of differing opinions online about GMOs and gene editing, but the science can be more nuanced than many discussions suggest. Regardless, we want to assure you that the berries we grow and sell, organic and conventional alike, meet strict safety and quality standards, and are not GMO.

Yes, all crops, organic and conventional, do require protection tools like pesticides to grow successfully outdoors. That said, we strive to use as little as possible and only when necessary. In many cases, we also use natural methods like releasing beneficial insects to help reduce applications.

Our practices are heavily regulated by federal agencies and third-party auditors. All products used are EPA-approved. We also strictly follow re-entry intervals (to protect workers) and pre-harvest intervals (to protect consumers).

Our food safety team regularly tests for residue levels and reviews spray records to ensure compliance with U.S. and Canadian standards. It’s important to note that modern testing can detect extremely small trace amounts, often far below safety limits (in the parts per million). Detection does not mean a product is unsafe.

Ultimately, we grow these berries for our own families as well, so safety is personal to us.

If you’d like to learn more about how residue levels compare to safety standards, this tool is very helpful: https://www.safefruitsandveggies.com/pesticide-residue-calculator/

We do not use Apeel on our berries. Apeel is designed for produce with thicker skins, such as avocados or citrus, and is not something applicable to delicate fruits like berries.

We know there’s a lot of confusing information circulating online, and it can be difficult to separate fact from speculation. If you’re interested in learning more, here’s a helpful article that provides more context: Click here.

Glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup, is widely used in agriculture to manage weeds, and it plays a role on our farm as well. Importantly, because it is an herbicide, it is not applied to strawberry plants or the fruit itself. On our farm, it is used only at the beginning of the season before strawberry plants are in the ground.

Our priority is producing safe, high-quality berries, and all practices are carefully timed and managed to ensure the fruit you enjoy is grown responsibly and in line with strict agricultural standards.

Recent reports have conflated certain fluorinated pesticides with PFAS “forever chemicals“ commonly associated with drinking water contamination. However, not all fluorinated compounds are the same, and scientists evaluate them based on their specific chemical structure, persistence, and potential risk. The presence of a detectable residue does not equate to a health concern, and any approved crop protection products undergo extensive review by regulatory agencies before use. We remain committed to growing safe, high-quality berries using science-based practices.

Crop protection products undergo extensive review by the EPA and other regulatory agencies before they can be used. The residue levels found on fruits and vegetables are routinely monitored and must remain well below strict safety limits established to protect consumers, including children and other sensitive populations.

The bottom line is that the fruits and vegetables available to consumers continue to meet rigorous food safety standards. In fact, monitoring programs consistently show that pesticide residues, when detected, are typically a small fraction of the already conservative limits established by regulatory authorities.

If you are interested in learning more, please visit: https://www.wga.com/news/pfas-pesticides-and-fresh-produce-what-does-the-data-really-say/