Icy weather won't affect berry festival

The recent chilling temperatures will have no impact on the strawberries that will be ripe in time for the 24th annual California Strawberry Festival celebration Sat. and Sun., May 19 and 20, according to Dean Maulhardt, chairman of the California Strawberry Festival.

"The plants are still in the very early stages and should fully recover within approximately six weeks," Maulhardt said. "Actually, the frost can even be beneficial to stimulate later production because the flowers that are a part of the regrowth become the next fruit."

For more information, visit www.strawberry-fest.org