(WALNUT COVE) --  Recent warm temperatures may mean an early strawberry crop in North Carolina.  Christie Mabe, owner of a large strawberry operation in Stokes County said even though the strawberry crop is running a little ahead of schedule, an extend period of relatively cool weather could still produce a bountiful crop.

"With the blossoms coming in early and it stays under 80 degrees we should have an extended season and we're all excited about that," said Mabe.

She said berries may be ready for picking by late next month instead of around the normal Mother's Day week in May.  "Probably around the 20th of April is our guess right now as to when the berries will come in. Normally it's around the 30th to the 1st of May when we usually when the berries come in, so we're just a few days earlier."

Because of the summer-like temperatures that came early last year, strawberry crops did not last as long as they normally do.  Mabe hopes an early burst of warm temperatures early this week will give way to sustained springtime temperatures. Many grower will also have to raise prices a bit this year because of rising fuel costs.

(Thanks to: Smith Patterson - WSJS)