The Wexford Strawberry
Throughout Ireland, and indeed further afield, Wexford and strawberries are synonymous. And it is recognised by many, if not all, that wexford strawberries have a flavour and quality that surpasses any other area of cultivation in the country. The local soils are generally derived from shale. Shale soils are high in potassium, low in calcium and low in nitrogen and it is the this feature that gives us that unique taste
A little bit of history!
Until the 1930’s strawberries were imported from Britain and Holland, but by 1932 an Irish strawberries industry had begun. After the Outbreak of World War 2 in 1939 supplies from abroad were cut off completely, as a consequence a strawberry industry developed in Wexford.
According to Teagasc records, the south-east had less than 3 hectares of strawberries in 1940, but it had grown to 336 hectares by 1960. The irish Irish strawberries were exported to a processing firm in Britain, Robertsons( established in 1864), in 1956