• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Lost Prairie Press

Lost Prairie Press

Trending News from the Midwest - IA, IL, KS, MO, NE

  • Home
  • MIDWEST
  • ILLINOIS
  • IOWA
  • KANSAS
  • MISSOURI
  • NEBRASKA
  • About Us
    • Contact Us

Strawberry field forever | News, Sports, Jobs

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Jake Wilde, part owner of Backyard Berries, poses in the strawberry field in Eagle Grove on Wednesday. Wilde and three other area couples planted the berries in June. They are planning a you pick event in August.

EAGLE GROVE — The strawberries at Backyard Berries in Eagle Grove aren’t planted on the ground like one might expect.

These strawberries are planted in bags and are suspended 4 feet into the air.

“They are easier to work with,” said Jake Wilde, a 2014 Eagle Grove High School graduate.

Wilde is among a group of four couples who invested in the operation together.

The group includes Wilde and Madi Walker, of Eagle Grove; Clark and Lindsay Morgan, of Eagle Grove; Josh and Yalonda Amonson, of Woolstock; and Jake and Emily Van Diest, of Webster City.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
About 12,000 strawberries have been planted in the field of Backyard Berries in Eagle Grove.

“We are friends and family,” said Wilde, who holds a greenhouse management degree from Iowa State University.

The field is located east of Central Iowa Dirt and Demo machine sheds at 1000 S. Jackson. The property is owned by Josh Amonson.

Wilde credits Jake Van Diest for the concept of the field.

In October of 2020, the group put a plan together.

They contacted a company called IBEX Growing Systems to help with the innovative way of growing the fruit.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Jake Wilde, of Eagle Grove, poses in the Backyard Berries strawberry field on Wednesday. Wilde is part owner of the operation.

On June 11, planting began.

“All eight of us got friends and family and members of the community to help us plant,” Wilde said. “We had about 30 people who helped. It took us three days.”

He’s grateful for the support.

“It took a lot of hands,” Wilde said. “We owe the world to them for doing that. I can’t imagine doing it without the help of family and friends. And it was fun to have everyone here and spending time together.”

Wilde is the grandson of Clarence and Betty Wilde, longtime owners of Eagle Grove Greenhouse. The couple retired in recent years.

In all, Wilde said there’s about 12,000 strawberries that should grow. There are 30 rows of them.

Every plant has its own irrigation tube.

“I water them in the mornings and on hot days they will get a second shot of water,” Wilde said.

On Wednesday, with a heat advisory in effect, Wilde said the berries would be getting an extra dose.

He said each plant should produce a pound of berries.

“We have raspberries and blackberries as well,” Wilde said. “They won’t be ready this year. This year it’s just strawberries.”

The berries should be ready to pick by late August. That’s when Backyard Berries will host its first “you pick” event.

“We want to make it a friendly and inviting atmosphere,” Wilde said. “We will have containers you can put your berries in. We will weigh them and sell them by the pound.”

Aug. 28 will mark the first “you pick.” Backyard Berries will then host one every weekend after that during harvest.

“We will have fall pumpkins and hay bales,” Wilde said. “We planted sunflowers all the way around the property but they are surrounded by weeds so may not pan out this year.”

The picking aspect should be more enjoyable than the traditional method.

“It’s unique how they are raised up,” Wilde said. “You don’t pick them up on your hands and knees. It’s exciting and I think we are happy with where the plants are. We are ready for the berries.”

Wilde said he likes spending time in the field.

“Coming out here and working is almost relaxing,” he said. “We are on the edge of town. You hear nature and it’s kind of relaxing. You see the green and it seems like it goes forever.”

Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox

Students may be back in the classroom this fall, but for some classes students won’t see their teacher in person. …

###[ad_2]
Originally Appeared Here

Filed Under: IOWA, iowa - google news

Primary Sidebar

More to See

7-things-to-do-this-weekend-in-kc:-may-19-22-2022

7 Things To Do This Weekend In KC: May 19-22 2022

Jacob Collier Jacob Collier is coming to The Truman this Thursday night. This event has been rescheduled from May 2020, and resellers seemed to have marked up ticket prices quite a bit. But trust … [Read More...] about 7 Things To Do This Weekend In KC: May 19-22 2022

City welcomes new chief human resources officer

Posted on May 19, 2022 The City of Overland Park welcomes a new Human Resources Department leader, following a national search. Thomas Bledsoe comes to the City from … [Read More...] about City welcomes new chief human resources officer

korean-street-food-and-house-brewed-soju-coming-to-westport

Korean street food and house-brewed soju coming to Westport

Food from the upcoming Westport Korean restaurant Chingu/Photo by Alyssa Broadu Chingu, a new Westport spot from the team behind Sura eats, will combine Korean street food and soju … [Read More...] about Korean street food and house-brewed soju coming to Westport

a-recent-trip-to-new-york-reminded-me-just-how-much-kansas-city-jazz-has-to-offer

A recent trip to New York reminded me just how much Kansas City jazz has to offer

Photography by Caleb Condit & Rebecca Norden “There’s a common myth that Kansas City jazz ended with World War II,” local jazz historian and author Chuck Haddix says. While the … [Read More...] about A recent trip to New York reminded me just how much Kansas City jazz has to offer

a-local-group-works-with-survivors-of-violence-to-break-the-cycle

A local group works with survivors of violence to break the cycle

Illustration by Makalah Hardy Almost every day, Marquell Harris visits two hospitals: Research Medical Center and Truman. And almost every day, he sees new survivors of gunshot … [Read More...] about A local group works with survivors of violence to break the cycle

Footer

WELCOME!

Thanks for visiting Lost Prairie Press!

We hope you’ll enjoy news and perspective from the Midwest – specifically, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri.

About/Contact

Privacy Policy

Recent

  • 7 Things To Do This Weekend In KC: May 19-22 2022
  • City welcomes new chief human resources officer
  • Korean street food and house-brewed soju coming to Westport

Search

Copyright © 2022 · Lost Prairie Press