There is really no valid reason to remove any fruit on first season everbearing (day neutral) strawberries. It doesn't strengthen the plant or increase later cropping to any significant degree.

Ok, thank you for the information. I will keep the berries on the plant.

I was told to remove the berries for everbearing berries as well, but the person was not all that reliable lol.

I would like to know what luck you have with the everbearing. In zone 7 in Arkansas almost exclusively the June bearing are planted. That's what I have. They do very well. I don't know if it's just tradition that no one plants the everbearers or if the summers just get too hot for them.

Check into the day neutral . They are a bit different than everbearing and keep going instead of just 2 crops a year

Albion and Seascape are both very yummy! Albion is my favorite for taste and ease of growth combined.

I don't know how others do with theirs, but I have a hard time getting later crops on any strawberries once our heat kicks in heavily. I might get a few in the fall, but it's not like a real crop. I do have a hard time keeping them watered as much as they like in the summer, though, I'll admit. I might stress them too much. (I have so much to water, lol!)

Both Albion and Seascape ARE day-neutral berries. The terms tend to get used interchangeably - all day-neutral strawberries are everbearing but not all everbearing strawberries are day-neutral :-)) Confusing?? 'Everbearing' are older varieties that produce at least two distinct crops with a rest period in between. 'Day-neutrals' continue to produce berries throughout the season.