ST. PAUL  (AP) - Minnesota growers expect a sensational strawberry season.

Minnesota strawberries are ripening early, as much as two to three weeks ahead of normal, and most growers are reporting an excellent crop. Some pick-your-own strawberry farms in the Twin Cities area and southern Minnesota expect to open during the first week of June.

Jessica Rovie of the Minnesota Grown Program says picking conditions can vary from farm to farm and can fluctuate from day to day depending on the weather, so calling ahead or checking a farm's website is always a good idea.

Growers say they expect blueberries and summer raspberries to ripen ahead of schedule as well. While those crops typically ripen at the very end of the strawberry season, it's possible that summer raspberries may overlap strawberries earlier than usual.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved)

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