I’m looking at my calendar and planning my annual strawberry jam making festival with fellow Canning Queen, Linda. Because the flood of North Carolina strawberries is beginning. I purchased some early ones last week at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh. Usually the first berries are a little disappointing, but these first-run sweeties were excellent. Bodes well for future jam.

The Western Wake Farmers Market in Cary will hold a Strawberry Festival on Saturday during the usual market hours, 8 a.m. to noon. There will be strawberry dishes to taste and face painting for the kids. Find out more here.

You could make a strawberry day of it by also hitting the Cleveland Strawberry Festival in Johnston County on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s on Technology Drive in Cleveland.

The State Farmers Market’s Strawberry Day will be May 5, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. More on that is here.