Fresh strawberries (Fragaria spp.) are a consumer favorite, and growers able to provide the earliest local strawberry crop often have the marketing edge. The annual plasticulture system can produce strawberries in Kentucky about one month sooner than the traditional matted row system. This can give an advantage to growers willing to invest time and resources into annual plasticulture strawberry production, which can either be used as a stand-alone enterprise or as part of a diversified operation. However, plasticulture production requires careful attention to details and involves more risk than matted row production due to earlier fruit ripening and a greater potential for frost losses.