Better Berry Farm

The Plight of the Tristar Strawberry

"Founded and run by Rick Bishop, this Roscoe, New York farm made its name supplying small, intensely flavored Tristar strawberries to chefs and discerning market shoppers after Bishop first brought them to a major city farmers’ market in 1985. Tristars account for roughly 80% of the farm’s revenue, so when the nursery that supplied its virus‑free bare‑root plants was dropped by a larger corporation, the farm scrambled—stockpiling remaining plants, planting alternatives like Tribute and Mara des Bois (which chefs found inferior), building a small on‑site nursery that won’t fruit for several years, and arranging an out‑of‑state grower to raise more stock. The operation is labor‑intensive and low‑yield but prized for flavor; Bishop’s efforts aim to preserve a niche, chef‑driven strawberry tradition despite commercial pressures." - Grub Street