SANFORD — Ahh, strawberries ­– that sweet, very berry taste of summer.

The season has begun for the lovely, fragrant, tasty red fruit that is among the first berries to ripen in summer.

The u-picks are open, and folks are out picking, gathering berries for all sorts of tasty treats.

Lavigne’s in Sanford, Dole Orchards in Limington and Spiller Farm in Wells all have berries for the picking, and some markets are advertising local berries, too – for those who want to enjoy but don’t have the inclination to pick.

On Monday afternoon, as the temperatures hit the high 80s and the humidity rose to meet the temperatures, folks were picking in the fields at Lavigne’s.

Strawberry shortcake was to figure heavily on many Monday night supper menus.

Sharon Hooper of Saco had worked her shift at a hospital overnight Sunday into Monday, caught a few hours sleep and was among those picking. She’s been going to Lavigne’s for berries every summer for the last 40 years, she estimated.

What to do with all those berries?

“I’ll eat as many as I can for the next few days, whenever I want,” she said. She’ll freeze some, and cook some down with stevia sweetener to spread on toast. There will be homemade shortcake, with traditional New England shortcake biscuits and real whipped cream.

“We’ll probably have strawberry shortcake for supper,” said another picker, Lynn Leary of Saco. Then, with the rhubarb from her home garden, there will be pies, of course.

The brother and sister team of Sara Jane Poli and John Poli were picking too and the answer was the same – shortcake, pie and some berries will be given away.

Mary Waterhouse, who operates a day care program in Acton, was picking berries with half-a-dozen of her charges. The little ones took particular delight in finding juicy berries. The ones they don’t eat in the fields, they’ll be taking home, she said.

Dole Orchards, Lavigne’s and Spiller’s were to be open this morning, according to their berry “hotlines.” All advise calling first, as sometimes the fields are “picked out,” and the operations have to close for a time to allow more berries to ripen.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324- 4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com