With so many fruits in peak season by July Fourth, summery desserts almost make themselves. Fruits are always a treat when eaten unadorned and out of hand, but they’re also the perfect starting place for an impressive variety of pies, cakes, bars, tarts and crumbles. For the Fourth, Kafka likes a classic strawberry shortcake.

Matt Goldman wants everyone with a backyard, balcony or pot full of dirt to try growing fruit. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, figs, even certain species of kiwi will thrive in Richmond, said Goldman, nursery manager at Virginia Berry Farm, a Ruther Glen business that sells plants through catalogs and retail garden centers.