Powering my way to better health

Of all the fruits I love to eat, strawberries would have to be my top choice.

I always love this time of the year because you find fresh berries. You can either go out and pick your own or grab some at stands and farmer’s markets around the area.

Last weekend, I got the chance to take my mom strawberry picking at the Miracle Farm located outside of Dodge Center. (Yes, mom is fully recovered from her fall at the gyro stand, thanks for asking.) However, I kept a closer eye on her and had her take a break from the heat to sit under the shade. 

Barry Moiser has been growing strawberries for seven seasons. In talking to him, I found out his farm was overrun by people this year scrambling to find something to do as a family. On Father’s Day weekend, they had 250 cars at the farm throughout one day. He estimated as many as 800 people came out to overwhelm his nearly 5 acres of strawberries.

And, as you might expect, the Moisers weren’t really prepared for such a large influx of people.

“People just swarmed us,” Moiser said. “We had a double flow of normal people that come in. We had to close and had to let the berries ripen for a day,” he added.

Moiser says he can thank the COVID-19 outbreak for the huge surge in families he saw coming out to the berry patch this year. “What outdoor event is left to go out and do?” he asked. “There is nothing else to do.”

But Moiser isn’t complaining. “We want families to come out and enjoy this,” he said.

Brett and Aphten Fuller of Hayfield brought their 2-year-old daughter for the first time to pick strawberries. “I think it’s a new tradition for us,” Brett said as he loaded up a bucket with berries.

Besides the farm, Moiser’s berries are also available at stands in Owatonna, Kasson and Rochester.

The Miracle farm was born after a near-tragedy for the Moiser family. They served for 11 years as volunteer missionaries in Africa. In 2008, they survived a deadly plane crash in Congo that claimed 47 lives. “We praise God for sparing our lives in a miraculous way,” Moiser says. “Let’s each thank him daily for life and draw closer to Jesus each day.”

The Moisers enjoy gardening and they are particular about the food they eat. They grow strawberries and asparagus as naturally as possible to produce safe food for people to eat.

The berry patch is surrounded by beauty. It may be out in the middle of nowhere in Dodge County, but it’s such a surreal place to get away from life’s challenges, especially this year. And to top it off, you come away with berries packed with Vitamin C and anticancer power.

I’m in hot pursuit of consuming more berries to power my way to better health.