NC strawberry farmers expect healthy crop despite cold winter

Despite record winter freezing temperatures and a spring cold snap, strawberry farmers across the state expect a strong growing season.

The optimism is due to a combination of row covers and irrigation that helped preserve strawberry crops, said Steve Troxler, state agriculture commissioner.

"We are set for an outstanding season," he said in a statement Wednesday.

Growers in southeastern North Carolina started harvesting in mid-April, and strawberries should peak by the second week of May, Troxler said. Western North Carolina should see berries from mid-May through the first half of June.

Here's a list of events for the strawberry season: