Harvest berries daily during
production season. Once ripened, the fruits last for just a day,
so check plants often and discard any over ripe berries. Look
for berries that are uniformly bright red and slightly soft,
with darkening seeds. Pick off the plant with the stem and cap
intact and collect in shallow containers to prevent bruising.
Fruit is really best eaten right off the plant, or immediately after picking with cream, sugar or on cereal. They are a gourmet treat in pie, jam, ice cream, short cake, or dried. However, you'll need quite a few of the tiny berries. If you can resist eating them all, add your daily cache to a container in the freezer until you have enough to cook with.
In the landscape, wild strawberries are a lovely edging along a flower bed or sidewalk. Plant them in a well traveled part of the yard so they can be picked often.